Queer resonance and critiquing heteronormativity in SPY x FAMILY
Spy x Family is a great example of how a story might have queer resonances and queer themes even if it cannot be classed as queer fiction.
Posts by Alex Henderson
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Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! – Episode 1
I think how you feel about this premiere will largely depend on a few things: how you feel about the “two characters who don’t really like each other get handcuffed together and must go on an adventure” trope (magical edition), how you feel about goofy fantasy comedy, and how you feel about Carla.
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BIRDIE WING – Golf Girls Story – Episode 1
If you want a woman-led sports anime that makes you ask “what the hell is going on?” at least once every five minutes, consider checking out BIRDIE WING.
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Healer Girl – Episode 1
There’s something nice about the idea that an artform like song can have physical, literal healing powers—maybe that’s the vibe the series itself is going for. A little bit of simple, yet effective, emotional healing against the backdrop of the world, perhaps.
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Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs – Episode 1
Trapped in a Dating Sim offers some potentially interesting ideas but is helmed by a disagreeable protagonist and, through him, a general sense of disdain for the genre it’s supposedly inhabiting.
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Fanfare of Adolescence – Episode 1
Even if there’s something kinda funny about seeing realistically-rendered horses next to stylized anime humans, the aesthetic of the show overall is really nice.
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Thermae Romae Novae – Episode 1
If it can get back to business and commit to being silly, Novae might hit its stride. But aside from offering me an artistic glimpse into the ancient world, this premiere hasn’t done much.
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Aharen-san wa Hakarenai – Episode 1
When they go to a games arcade after school and Aharen smushes her chubby cheeks up against the glass of a crane game machine, it looks more like Raido is babysitting a young relative rather than… setting up the initial character beats of a rom-com. I hope I don’t have to explain why that’s an issue!
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Kotaro Lives Alone – Episode 1
As an initial vibe check, I’d describe Kotaro Lives Alone as “deeply odd, but potentially (???) charming”.
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The Orbital Children’s Rejection of Ecofascist Ideas
The Orbital Children rejects the ecofascist idea that humans need to be controlled and culled in the name of someone’s idea of “humanity” and demands we imagine a better future that everyone gets to be a part of.
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Delicious Party Pretty Cure – Episode 1
o a certain extent, what can I say? It’s PreCure. It’s adorable. It’s charming. It’s some colorful easy fun for tired adults and energetic children alike. But hang tight, reader, because there are a couple of aspects to this series that I want to talk about in more detail.
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The Orbital Children – Episode 1
This introduction paints a dazzling but grim picture of a not-too-far-flung sci-fi future.
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The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt – Episode 1
Do you want to watch a show about an insufferable young man born into money, scheming to make more money, stumbling into success and being lauded as a tactical genius?
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Futsal Boys!!!!! – Episode 1
If you’re not a sports anime fan, it probably doesn’t have enough pizzazz to win you over. If you’re already a sports anime fan, you can probably already recommend six other shows that you’d rather be watching.
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Akebi’s Sailor Uniform – Episode 1
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform is a beautifully-put-together show with a voyeuristic undercurrent, that doesn’t necessarily affect the overall experience but leaves it (at least, leaves me) feeling… off.
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SLOW LOOP – Episode 1
There’s nothing wrong with Slow Loop (except some potential yellow flags in the dynamic between these soon-to-be stepsisters, which I’ll get to in a second) but it just doesn’t earn the kind of gold star I know this genre can.
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Girls’ Frontline – Episode 1
Personifying war machines (or just putting cute girls in them) is a trope by this point, and I want to say it’s not inherently harmful in and of itself. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that the very premise of this show relies on detaching killing machines from their historical (or current!) context. Yes, these girls represent assault rifles and are shooting assault rifles, but don’t worry about it, they’re only using them to shoot evil robots. And don’t they look cool?
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The Faraway Paladin – Episode 1
This premiere isn’t keen to rush into the heart of the action and show Will being a cool badass holy warrior. It’s content to draw us in slowly, focusing on the relationship between Will and his undead guardians.
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PuraOre! ~Pride of Orange~ – Episode 1
It’s the job of a hobby anime’s premiere (and this is listed as “slice-of-life” rather than sports, at least on Funimation) to show the protagonists getting hooked into the hobby in question. To throw the heroines into something new and to show that initial spark of interest, so the audience is inspired to join them week by week on their journey. But this first episode of PuraOre! just doesn’t have the emotional weight to pull this crucial work off.
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Banished From the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside – Episode 1
A slow life show set in a fantasy world runs a dual risk: being too slow, and being a bad fantasy.
