Welcome to my 5 favorite anime blog posts from 2022 week 04!
Every week I look for posts that celebrate amazing moments in anime or otherwise blow me away with their wit and charm. I check over 340 sites, and I can tell you that the ani-blogging community constantly produces a huge number of amazing posts. I hope this list helps you find some of them!
Here’s the list of the sites I check!
EggheadLuna’s Blog
Time to Revisit School Days
It’s hard to find anything close to an objective measurement of artistic quality. One way I’ve tried is to see how much folks talk about a series years after it ended. That seems to work most of the time, because it’s a reflection of how much a given work of art has stuck with us. That said, I almost discarded this measurement because people still talk about works of art like Piero Manzoni’s Merda d’artista. Once you realize what the title means in your native language, you’ll see my reluctance. Then I realized that the work was exploring, according to the linked Wikipedia article, “the relationship between art production and human production.” And then I thought, well, maybe it’s not such a bad measurement after all!
I had a similar reaction to the series School Days. Looking back, I think my severely negative reaction was based on it not meeting my admittedly arbitrary expectations. Because after reading other more thoughtful reviews, I began to see what the series had to offer. Take this review by EggheadLuna on the site EddheadLuna’s Blog, for example. It cleverly lays out the case for School Days possessing a high level of artistic quality. EggheadLuna even successfully compares the series to Hamlet! The more I think about it, the more I see the similarities. See what you think!
I Drink and Watch Anime
Top 5 Anime Nuns
Making a list interesting is a lot like writing a good comedy. Which is to say, it’s deceptively hard. The effort involves a lot more than just coming up with an interesting theme and finding a certain number of things that fit that theme. That by itself is not easy, but it’s something even I can do. But coming up with all of that plus offering interesting and thoughtful insights into the members of that list? That’s a lot harder!
And yet, Irina from I Drink and Watch Anime made it look easy! I enjoyed reading about each entry in her post featuring the five top anime nuns. I really dug number 5, which I can’t talk about because I don’t want to spoil it. Number 3 is a personal favorite. And number 1? I so want to talk about her and talk about what Irina said regarding this character! But again, I don’t want to spoil it for you! But that frustration I feel about not being able to talk about it? That’s a sign of an effective post. Head on over and see what you think!
Lita Kino Anime Corner
AFTER RAIN COMES SUNSHINE
I understand how misconceptions spread. In the age of social media, I’ve noticed that the tried and true tools like virtue signaling have become available to almost everyone. I suspect it’s because individuals have a greater potential reach than before. When I was growing up, you needed to reach a certain level of celebrity status to have a sizable following. Nowadays, with an ID and enough time, pretty much anyone can do it.
It’s sad to me that some artistic works get painted as unwholesome, or un-< insert your virtue here >. That’s why I really enjoy reading posts like this by LitaKino on the site Lita Kino Anime Corner. LitaKino talked about the series After the Rain, and she lamented the reputation that some have spread about the show. I try to be aware of that kind of thing, but I have to admit: the impression I had of the show turns out to be based on a misconception that LitaKino helpfully dispelled. It’s always good to clear up misunderstandings, isn’t it? See if you saw through the misconceptions that tripped me up!
The Magic Planet
Let’s Watch SABIKUI BISCO Episode 2 – “Soar on King Trumpets”
Every season, there’re one or two shows that I wish I had reviewed. This season, Sabikui Bisco is shaping up to be one of those shows! It might be partly because it reminds me (a little!) of Donnie Darko. But it goes way beyond that. I would try to tell you, but I just read this post by Jane the Anime Witch on the site The Magic Planet. It says everything I would have said, but with one important distinction: It’s fun to read! So if you want to know why Sabikui Bisco is generating so much positive buzz, you just have to check out this review. I’ll give you one hint: Paw plays a not insubstantial role!
The Otaku Author
Fan Service: Is it Really Necessary?
I’ve read several thought-pieces on fan services recently. Heck, I even wrote one this week! I tried to make the point that there’s no difference between a Richard James Wyatt marble status and Lala from To Love-Ru. Both examples offer an artistic representation of an ideal form of feminine beauty. But that sounds kind of stuffy, doesn’t it? Lynn from The Otaku Author took a different approach to the same topic, and I have to say, I like where he went with it. Where did he take the discussion? How did it differ from my approach? Well, there’s one way to find out!
Want to Read More of My Favorite Anime Post Lists?
Want to explore more amazing anime blog posts? Check out the previous editions of My Favorite Anime Community Posts!
I feel very honored to have made it onto this list.
Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m the one who should thank you for writing such a thought-providing review!
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your post on fan service too and can recall having debates with art teachers at school about the fact they didn’t think those “cartoon” characters I kept drawing counted as art!
Interesting side note, the first photograph ever taken was a nude!
You’re welcome!
You really had to go through art teachers discouraging interest in art? Which is how I’d phrase them saying that “cartoon” characters didn’t qualify as art. Reminds me of when I was taking English classes, I had teachers hassle me because I admitted I read comics books. I mean, is it better to read comic books, or nothing? For a lot of my friends, that was not a false dilemma.
I thought I’d heard that about the first photograph! It doesn’t surprise me in the least. A natural interest in sexuality seems pretty common in humans. Which is probably an understatement.
Yeah, it’s crazy. It shouldn’t matter what you’re reading or creating. Art is art.