AniFem Round-Up
Has potential but also feels piecemeal and easy to compare to others in the genre.
Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory – Episode 1
Twenty minutes of a group of college students molesting a 12-year-old.
Site Update: Patreon boosts, transcript goals, and future plans
With some exciting and slightly nerve-wracking Patreon happenings, we wanted to update you on our next plans.
Horror-tinged isekai with Big Thoughts on authoritarianism.
Chatty AF 143: 2021 Spring Wrap-up
Looking back on an incredibly packed season of hidden gems.
Resources and Fundraisers: July 2021
Theory, fundraisers, and some exciting upcoming pay-what-you-want online lectures.
Beyond AniFem
Anime and Olympic History Meet in The Witches of the Orient Documentary (Anime News Network, Kim Morrissy)
The documentary on the inspiration for famous girls’ sports series Attack No. 1.
The true story that inspired the manga is even more momentous and groundbreaking. In 1964, the Japanese women’s volleyball team won a gold medal at the Olympics, shocking the entire world. 10 out of the 12 players were from the Nichibo Kaizuka, a factory volleyball team representing the Nichibo textile company. The “Witches of the Orient” as they were called abroad (with a mixture of East Asia exoticism and grudging admiration of their feats), enjoyed a win streak of 258 games – a record that remains unbroken to this day.
A new documentary by the French filmmaker Julien Faraut tells the story of those women, from their humble origins as textile workers playing for the factory’s volleyball team to their performances on the world stage. It combines historical archive footage with interviews of the women as they share their recollections. Interestingly, it also directly incorporates anime footage, blurring the lines between myth and history.
Hosoda: Japanese anime has problem with women and girls (Japan Today, Fiachra Gibbons)
Hosoda offered comment in the wake of his latest film’s premiere at Cannes.
Father of a young girl himself, the Japanese master wants to empower her generation to take control of their digital destinies rather than cower in fear.
“They have grown up with the net… yet are constantly told how malevolent and dangerous it is,” he said.
“Belle” is his riposte, a spectacular dive into the rollercoaster emotional life of a shy adolescent girl called Suzu, in a 21st century take on “Beauty and the Beast”.
To her surprise, and everyone else’s, Suzu becomes a pop diva called Belle in the virtual universe of an app called U.
Rather than being burned by online abuse and harassment as she acquires billions of followers, Suzu uses her online avatar to overcome the haters and her own hang-ups.
Indie Girls Love Games You Should Be Playing (Blerdy Otome)
Half a dozen budget and free yuri games available now.
If you have never played one of Angela He’s games, stop reading and go play one right now (and then come back). Angela He is one of my fave indie developers, delivering emotional, thought provoking stories that explore complex themes is an abstract… almost artistic way. To call them games feels like a bit of an oversimplification, because each release is an experience. Follow August and May through their relationship, from their first meeting to the honeymoon phase of their romance and beyond. But, unlike most romance stories that end with happily ever after, A New Life delves into the unexpected hardships life throws at us.
Ep 16 – Dear Brother – Part 1 (Spoiler-Free Edition!) (Anime is Lit)
Podcast discussion of the recently licensed shoujo classic.
We’re back with a supercast on the unmissable classic shoujo masterpiece Dear Brother (Oniisama e)! Joined by our friends Dawn (of the Anime Nostalgia podcast) and Diana, we talk about the show’s rich history, its multi-genre nature, and what makes it such a master work—both within anime as a medium and in our own hearts.
This episode is part 1 of 2, an entirely spoiler-free discussion of the history and creators of Dear Brother, as well as the stories, themes, and dramatic techniques the anime uses. Each one of us deeply loves this series and we hope to convince you to watch it before listening to part 2 (next episode in our feed), where there will be spoilers.
**The anime of Dear Brother includes several heavy and sensitive topics, so before watching please note the following content warnings: Suicide and extensive suicidal ideation, drug addiction, abuse, bullying, disease, and romantic love between siblings.
We discuss these warnings within the episode, but our discussion in Part 1 does not dwell on any of these topics.
VIDEO: Podcast discussion of colonialist narratives using Code Geass as a central jumping off point.
VIDEO: Discussion of pre-yuri lesbian (or “Les”) manga.
VIDEO: Recorded panel about the lost generation of shoujo manga.
VIDEO: Interview with former Miss World Japan Yoshikawa Priyanka on her life and activism as a prominent mixed-race Japanese person.
TWEET: Info on the Kyuen Renraku Center, a Tokyo organization that offers aid to arrested protesters.
THREAD: Thread on Oyamada Keigo, who was recently removed as composer for the Olympics after his past abuse of disabled classmates came to light (includes graphic descriptions or abuse)
AniFem Community
Here are some Nice Things before you go back out into the world, AniFam.
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