Welcome to My 5 Favorite Anime Blog Posts from 2022 Week 27!
Every week, I check around 320 anime sites looking for posts that celebrate amazing moments in anime or otherwise blow me away with their wit and charm. The ani-blogging community constantly produces a lot of amazing posts. I hope this list helps you find some of them!
You can see a list of the sites I check here: Massive List of Sites!
Atelier Emily
RETURN TO THE ABYSS — MADE IN ABYSS: THE GOLDEN CITY OF THE SCORCHING SUN, EPISODE 1
Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun seems like it’s following in the steps of the first season. That is to say, its characters and world were so deep, and so wide, and so multi-faceted that it lent itself to analysis from a dizzyingly number of perspectives. From an artistic perspective alone, that impresses me. Another thing that impresses me is an analysis like this one by Emily Rand on the site Atelier Emily. This site takes advantage of Made in Abyss’ wonderful complexity by digging into some of the geographical and political questions raised by the premiere. And it has much more to say than that! See if it has something that catches your interest!
Confessions of an Overage Otaku
CHARACTER ANALYSIS: LILI HOSHIKAWA
When I wrote a recent character piece on Lili Hoshikawa, I had to work through a problem. I wanted to express what I admired about Lili, but I didn’t want to ignore the controversy around her character’s identity. The problem one, I didn’t understand it. The controversy, I mean. That’s been on my mind a lot because someone very close to me was aghast that I didn’t readily agree that trans people were a sign of the Decline Of America (I think that’s trade-marked, but I’m not sure). I honestly didn’t know how to respond to that. I mean, from my admittedly limited perspective on the world, it would seem that a group of folks trying to live their lives without harming another soul seems like a good thing. Compared to things like, you know, mass shootings. Mass shootings seem like a problem. Quite the opposite of the former.
But I’m just some poor farm boy from Ohio. What do I know of such lofty things?
I guess it’s good to know I haven’t lost my sarcasm. If I lose that, I’ll really be worried! But seriously, I do not get the negativity. It makes no sense to me.
Though my obliviousness felt like a real impediment to writing a piece as insightful as I wanted it to be, that’s a problem confined to my head-space. This week, I found a writer who is free of such limitations: The Overage Otaku on his site Confessions of an Overage Otaku. His post placed Lili in her cultural context, while at the same time outlining what made her character so interesting and authentic. I’ve read a lot of posts about Zombieland Saga, and I still came away from this one with a deepened appreciation of this character. See if you have a similar reaction!
The Magic Planet
Let’s Watch CALL OF THE NIGHT Episode 1 – Night Flight
What’s Call of the Night about? Based on reading other folks’ reviews, and based on watching the show myself, I have to say it depends on who you ask! I first became aware of the manga through Gigguk’s video called She Wants to Suck You (he seems to know how to pick catchy titles!). So, I went into the anime with an idea of what was going on. But what I got out of the first episode was very different than what others seem to have.
Take this post by Jane the Anime Witch on the site The Magic Planet, for example. While I found the over-the-top portrayal of Nazuna’s navel to be a hilarious comment on how Kou saw her, Jane the Anime Witch saw the moment came across as simply absurd. Fortunately, not everyone is as heavily influence by my inner twelve year old boy! And I’m not too proud to admit that! That’s why I thoroughly enjoyed Jane the Anime Witch’s perspective on what the artists seemed to find important. Also on the episode in general. Plus, I have to agree with her conclusion! See what you think!
OGIUE MANIAX
The Musician and the Mastermind: Ya Boy Kongming!
I binged Ya Boy Kongming! last week, and wow, am I glad I did! Kongming and Eiko were compelling characters, and other interesting and colorful characters surrounded them. The perspective the show presented appealed to me, too. As I watched, I was in full “viewer” mode. I didn’t try to analyze any of the creative construction elements that made up the series. Being able to toggle that on and off helps me relax and enjoy fiction.
But in the back of my mind, a little piece of my plotting brain expressed admiration at how the show remained fresh and interesting. I didn’t give it any thought; I had too many other things to deal with this week. But I had an “ah-ha!” moment reading this post by sdshamshel on the site OGIUE MANIAX. This post explained exactly why the show stayed fresh instead of wearing out its welcome. Was it the same reason my plotting brain came up with? I’m not sure; it seems ticked off that I didn’t listen to it last week, so it’s not talking to me. But after reading this post, I’m confident sdshamshel has the right answer. See what you think!
Season 1 Episode 1
Summer 2022 First Impressions – Lycoris Recoil
You might get the impression from my review of the first episode that I liked Lycoris Recoil. And you’d be right! But I’ll share a secret with you: I’m afraid that the combination of Chisato’s effervescent personality and the allure of her barely-glimpsed cynicism might have made me overly optimistic about the show. But I still have hope, and it’s partly because of posts like this one by Jessi Silver on the site Season 1 Episode 1. Her keen eye not only saw some of the things I distantly worried about, but she saw even more — and she came to a very interesting conclusion that seems to bode well for the series. See if you agree with it!
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!
Want to Read Favorite Posts from Other Sites?
- Anime Feminist: Weekly Round-Up, 29 June – 5 July 2022: Crunchyroll Translator Wages, X-Gender Manga, and Coming Out
- Isn’t It Electrifying? LET’S GO! ANIME CRITICISM IN 2022 PART 1
- Lesley’s Anime and Manga Corner: Anime and Manga Blog Posts That Caught My Eye This Week (July 8, 2022)
