Welcome to My 5 Favorite Anime Blog Posts from 2023 Week 10!
Every week, I visit about 310 anime sites looking for posts that celebrate amazing moments in anime or otherwise blow me away with their wit and charm. 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!
The Afictionado
Wonder Egg Priority and the (Missed) Opportunities of Trans Magic
What’s Slaughterhouse-Five Have to Do With This?
Have you read Kurt Vonnegut’s book Slaughterhouse-Five? If you haven’t, I recommend the audio version that James Franco narrated. In fact, I highly recommend it. But be warned: it is so insidiously well-written that it’ll worm its way deep into your mind. You’ll find yourself making connections between the book and the world at random points through the day. It’s to the point where even months after listening to the audio book, I’ll be writing at my desk, and I’ll just stop.
“Oh,” I’ll think. “That’s what that passage meant.”
It dealt with a topic that I consider foundational to understanding the human condition. Namely, it dealt with the dangerous of dehumanization. If you dehumanize a population — say, an already marginalized minority — you can do anything you want to them, given time. Even turn their body fat into candles. Yes, Slaughterhouse-Five made history so real for me that hurts. But it should hurt. It must hurt. Or I may fail in my responsibility as a human. And this is a bad point in history for failures. We’re going to need all the help we can get if we’re going to emerge intact.
Wonder Egg Priority and Differing Perspectives
That’s a long introduction. But I wanted to set the stage. See, the antidote to dehumanization is understanding. It’s perspective. It’s the ability to see the world through another set of eyes. That’s what Alex’s post on The Afictionado does. Alex lamented the opportunity that Wonder Egg Priority missed. It’s not a perspective I’ve lived, so I can’t speak to it.
But the post helps me understand that I can’t speak to it. The post helps me understand that Alex can speak to it. And that Alex’s voice in this matter is authentic. That sounds prosaic. Even blasé, right? It’s only when you turn that statement around that you see why I brought up Kurt Vonnegut’s work. Because if I don’t understand a perspective, if I can’t speak to it, there’s no way I can judge it. Which is a long way of saying we really should cherish one another, because the alternative is returning to a place we know we don’t want to go.
Please go read the post that made me feel disassociated with the timeline! It’s an interesting perspective to have.
Anime Evo
Hirogaru Sky! Precure – 05
If you’ve read this blog for awhile, you might have noticed a general lack of any discussions around the Pretty Cure franchise. There’s a reason for that, and I would really like to know what it is! Because honestly, I don’t know. I’ve tried to watch various incarnations of the series. I see aspects I should like. But I just can’t engage! Someday, I hope to figure out why. The answer might be important!
But until then, I can enjoy the series vicariously through posts like this one from Flareknight on the site Anime Evo. Flareknight reviews the fifth episode of Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure. He does his usual thorough job of sketching the episode and drawing attention to the important parts. Did this post help me understand why I can’t watch the franchise? Far from it! After reading this post, I’m more convinced than ever that I should be reviewing the series, not just watching it! I think you’ll likely have a more coherent reaction to reading it!
Jonah’s Daily Rants
My Review Academia S6 E22: Burden of the Symbol
Will My Hero Academia be remembered as a classic? In twenty years, will we look back and see this as a series that had a lasting impact on the culture and medium? It’s tough to say in the moment. Sometimes, we can only recognize culturally significant works in retrospect. But I have a suspicion this series is special. As evidence, please let me present Jonah’s post about season 6, episode 22 on his site Jonah’s Daily Rants. Jonah has a keen eye for character, and I think you’ll really enjoy reading his insights — especially about All Might!
Matt Doyle Media
D-Frag! [Anime Review]
So far, I’ve talked about Slaughterhouse-Five and culturally significant works of art. That’s pretty weighty! And sometimes, weighty just doesn’t cut it. Those are the times I want to turn on an absurd, hilarious comedy and laugh until I forget the world. Which is a pretty heavy way to put that, isn’t it?
Well, before my mood claws me back into the pit, let me direct your attention to a ray of sunshine: MATTDOYLEMEDIA’s review of D-FRAG on the site Matt Doyle Media. The post has a lot going for it: it captured the essence of the show’s humor; it described how the world in which it takes place supports that humor; and he correctly identified the best character. Even if she didn’t get enough screen time.
USA Anime
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon IV episode 20
I wish I had reviewed Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2. But I have a feeling it worked out for the best, especially from your perspective. Because I think it’s likely I would have spent each review gushing about Ryuu Lion. But that’s okay! We have a more balanced review like this one by Theron Martin on the site USA Anime that we can read. He actually talks about other characters and stuff! But, and this is just between us, he also speaks well of Ryuu, too. So it’s all good!
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, 1-7 March 2023: Shoujo AniTube, Funding for Anime, and Stars Align Update
- Lesley’s Anime and Manga Corner: Anime and Manga Blog Posts That Caught My Eye This Week (March 10, 2023)
Ooo, an anime connection to Slaughter House Five! Now I’m really intrigued! Thank you for introducing me to posts I might have not found on my own. I can’t wait to read it!
You’re welcome! I hope I did the link justice. It’s hard to talk about a topic that’s the subject of so much maligned debate. Finding a vocabulary that is on one hand accessible and on the other free of taint from any agenda is a real challenge!
TCrow, I’m here to tell you that Season 3 is extremely likely to be announced on March 25. The Re:zero twitter account has officially started a countdown. Last week on March 3, it posted a picture from Episode 47, and this week on March 10, it posted a picture from Episode 48. Therefore, it is almost certainly going to post a picture of Episode 49 on March 17 and Episode 50 on March 24 before AnimeJapan reveals that Season 3 is in production the next day. It’s about time we got another season.
Sounds like you’ve gathered some compelling evidence! I’d love to see another season. Season 2 left Subaru in a different place. I’d like to see what happens to him from here.
And they can’t leave Rem in that state!