AniFem Round-Up
I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic – Episode 1-2
Goes from zero to “slavery is good and also sexy actually” in two episodes flat.
Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms – Episode 1
Have you watched Yamada’s First Time? You should. Anyway, this is that but with less charm, less nuance, and a lot more nudity.
The romantic vibes probably aren’t going anywhere, but this is still a beautifully directed, psychologically rich hobby anime.
A familiar high school shoujo romance executed with a very human sweetness.
Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World – Episode 1
Consider this: what if the carbon copy power fantasy isekai with ugly art also had incest in it?
The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World – Episode 1
If you like cozy, slow life isekai, this is a pretty chill one to spend time with.
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! – Episode 1
This might just be the best villainess isekai anime we’ve had in years.
Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest – Episode 1
The glut of mediocre isekai seems to be particularly robust this season.
AQUARION Myth of Emotions – Episode 1
This anniversary outing of the Shoji Kawamori franchise is spinning a lot of plates, but the throwback vibes are fun.
Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You – Episode 1
It feels nice to have two solid shoujo adaptations to point people toward this season.
It has some okay potential, but the decision to mix a story about genocide with fan service antics sure is a choice.
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time – Episode 1
The gremlin heroine carries what might otherwise be a somewhat tired meta fantasy plot.
Baban Baban Ban Vampire – Episode 1
So, now we have to talk about the vampire groomer show.
Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! – Episode 1
Asks the question, “What if elves could go from the forest to the big city via our dreams?” and executes on it with a perfectly okay premiere.
A very muddy, grimdark fantasy series that feels a bit archaic.
It’s not hard to see how the manga became popular, but this adaptation doesn’t seem to be putting the best foot forward.
The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World – Episode 1
The concept is a fun change of pace, but then it gets distracted by fan service.
I Left my A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! – Episode 1
A mage goes out to find what he feels entitled to: a party of younger, inexperienced women who will be impressed by everything he does.
What Winter 2025 anime are you most excited about?
Now that the whole slate is officially out to watch.
What are your 2025 backlog resolutions?
Come chat with other readers on the Patreon!
Beyond AniFem
冬アニメ『全修。』スタッフ連載インタビュー第1回：山﨑みつえ監督｜「演出面白いですか？」って聞いたら「右向け右、って言ったらみんな右向くんだよ、おもしれえだろ」って言われて (Animate Times)
An interview wit Yamazaki Mitsue about ZENSHU’s first episode.
──原作がない(＝誰もが初見)という、オリジナルアニメの第1話を制作するうえで特別意識することはありますか？
山﨑：原作ありのものはすでに原作で情報が提示されているので、取捨選択するだけでいいんですけど、オリジナルは取捨選択前段階の「こういう設定で、こういうふうに面白くしたい」を詰め込んだあとに情報を削りつつ分かりやすくする作業になるので、原作ありよりも決めることが多かったです。
設定も美術さんに100枚以上描いてもらいましたし、（キャラクター原案・世界観設定の）辻野さんや（キャラクターデザイン担当の）石川さんにもイメージボードを何枚も描いてもらいまして、大変助かりました。楽しかったですけど、没も色々あったので大変な作業でした。
Japan firms urged to end ‘maternity harassment’ of foreign technical interns (The Mainichi, Misato Iwai)
At present, many foreign workers feel or are outright told that they will lose their jobs if they become pregnant.
According to a joint study conducted in 2023 by the support group and Kyodo News, for-profit agencies in countries that source foreign technical interns for Japanese companies sometimes recommend that women take contraceptive measures to prevent pregnancies.
The study revealed that the right to bear and raise children is often ignored due to the deeply entrenched attitudes prioritizing the prevention of pregnancies.
“Many of these women feel guilty about their pregnancies, as if they are bad for getting pregnant,” said Yoshimizu. She stresses the importance of Japanese authorities gaining a better understanding of the situation, as the nation must take some responsibility for the women accepted under its foreign intern trainee program.
The Japanese government decided to launch a new “training and employment” system in 2027 or later to replace the technical internship program, which has come under heavy criticism for human rights violations and being a vehicle for the importation of cheap labor. The revamp is aimed at guaranteeing foreign workers are treated properly.
Yoshimizu, however, says the “same problems will be repeated” unless all parties involved work together to provide women with appropriate support.
56% of Tokyo women and 15% of men groped on trains (The Asahi Shimbun, Kaho Matsuda)
There seems to be inconsistency between the article title and survey referenced (though it is in line with other reports that one in ten young people have experienced train harassment), but the numbers are nonetheless grim.
In 2023, the government organized a large-scale online questionnaire survey on the topic in response to attacks on trains and in stations.
The latest survey, a follow-up, analyzed responses from 6,315 people, aged 16 to 69, who either lived in Tokyo or commuted to work or school in the capital.
It found that 18.2 percent of women and 7.9 percent of men had fallen victim to groping on trains and in stations during the past year.
Most cases, 65.2 percent, occurred between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., which covers the peak weekday commute period.
When asked what happened, the most common response at 59.5 percent was, “I was looking at a smartphone screen.” This was followed at 23.6 percent to, “I was listening to music.”
The survey found that 39.1 percent of those who were victimized answered that they either “put up with it” or “could do nothing.”
This answer was especially common among those aged 16 to 24.
Rising anti-Kurd hate in Japan’s Saitama Pref. fueled by online agitation, outside groups (The Mainichi, Takuro Tahara)
Saitama has previously passed legislation calling for harsher measures against “certain foreigners” in 2023.
Kurdish support organizations in Japan have also been inundated with threatening messages and discriminatory letters, including ones that repeatedly called for the “annihilation of all Kurds.” Since February 2024, anti-Kurdish demonstrations have been held multiple times outside JR Warabi Station in Warabi by groups previously known for their anti-Korean campaigns in cities like Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. This has escalated recently, with incidents including unauthorized photographs of Kurdish-owned businesses being uploaded to social media, and video streamers showing up unannounced at Kurdish-related locations.
Amid these developments, many Kurds requested anonymity and no photos in interviews for this article, citing fear of personal attacks.
Municipal governments have received complaints about issues like garbage disposal, noise and reckless driving allegedly involving Kurdish residents. However, the hate speech does not appear to originate from locals. In a May 2024 press conference, Kawaguchi Mayor Nobuo Okunoki stated, “As far as demonstrations are concerned, my understanding is that they are being conducted by outsiders, not our residents.”
Takahiro Akedo, an associate professor of sociology at Osaka Metropolitan University and an expert on hate speech, told the Mainichi Shimbun, “The visibility of incidents involving Kurds and the labeling of them as ‘terrorists’ have fueled online agitation and heightened hate, even among those with no direct connection to the local community.”
He added, “Previously, groups affiliated with Zaitokukai (an anti-Korean hate organization) that had led anti-Korean demonstrations were targeting Kurds, but the involvement of video streamers seeking to boost their viewership by exploiting the ‘Kurd’ keyword online is a new phenomenon. Legal action can be taken against organized groups, but addressing these guerrilla-style provocateurs is more challenging.”
2025 Promises to be the Year for Deaf Athletes in Japan (Barrier Free Japan)
An overview of some disability-focused national events in 2025.
It was reported on Christmas Day that 2024 saw a record high number of cases of abuse against people with disabilities in Japan.
4,641 people with disabilities were abused by family members or staff at welfare facilities for the disabled, the highest number ever.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, last year, there were 3,477 cases of abuse of people with disabilities in local governments nationwide, and 4,641 people were abused, both of which are the highest numbers since statistics began being collected in 2012.
Although NHK did report it, I felt this story got lost in the ‘Be-Twixmas’, that undefined period between Christmas and New Year which can also act like a black hole for news. Even in Japan, where only approximately two percent of the population are Christian, stories told during the Be-Twixmas often go unheard.
That bad news has been said, now what does 2025 hold for people with disabilities in Japan?
The event I am forward to the most is the the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics which will be held from November 15 to 26, 2025 in Tokyo with other venues in Shizuoka and Fukushima. Despite being older than the Paralympics – the first Deaflympics was held in Paris, France in 2024 – it doesn’t receive as much attention as the Paralympics, although like the Paralympics it is recognized by the IOC. This event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics, the Winter events being held in 2024 in Erzurum, Turkey.
VIDEO: How generative AI has affected the world of Lolita fashion.
VIDEO: Podcast discussion of My Love Mix-Up! (both manga and TV drama).
VIDEO: The queer themes of little-known Okada Mari mecha series Simoun.
VIDEO: Rediscovering obscure shoujo Mamotte! Lollipop.
SKEET: New Shoujo Sundae podcast on Kimi ni Todoke.
Happy New Year, Shoujo Fans! 🎉 We are officially covering Kimi Ni Todoke and will be a weekly podcast for a limited time. Tune into Giana & Chika going over this quintessential shoujo right now! https://buff.ly/3PxJqH1 #kiminitodoke #KaruhoShiina #少女漫画
— Shoujo Sundae Podcast (@shoujosundae.com) January 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
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BONUS:
Witchy Precure: Mirai Days episode director Yoshiyama Yuu intimates that certain cuts were rejected in the show’s premiere. Speculation has connected this to a near-kiss in the finished transformation sequence, but we have no official confirmation (and are unlikely to get any).
アフレコの際に変身のとある部分に
— 芳山優 (@yoshiyama_yuu) January 11, 2025
こうしたいって言ったら
あっちのプロデューサーさんが
それはNG。
じゃなく、
それは濃厚すぎるね…って
返されたのが未だに面白い。
AniFem Community
This is quite a promising winter, both for sequels and newcomers.
Sight unseen, it was the second seasons of *My Happy Marriage* and *Hanako-kun*. After the first episodes, I'm most excited about *Zenshu* (oh, the female lead is "unlikeable", sign me up) and pleasantly surprised by *Bureaucrat to Villainess*.
— S.E. Robertson / C.A. Moss (@feelingsandmagic.bsky.social) January 14, 2025 at 7:16 AM
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Medalist and Sakamoto Days for ones I'll watch as they air, Zenshu and Sorairo Utility for ones I'll get around to sometime after they're done.
— Frack (@frackattack.bsky.social) January 13, 2025 at 11:03 PM
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