We’re back! A few weeks ago, I did a thread on Twitter of some pieces about anime and manga I liked from last year. Since Twitter is on its last legs, I thought I’d write it up as a post here. If you have any further recommendations for pieces you enjoyed, whether they be articles, videos, podcasts or something else, feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Since the first installment covered January to June, this one tackles July to December. It’s hardly exhaustive, and there’s plenty of great work I missed. Usually I try to pick one article per person, although there are exceptions…some of you are prolific.
Editorials
Kat Schmidt wrote about the use of punk fashion in fan-favorite shojo series Nana. Especially important was the designer Vivienne Westwood, who passed away in 2022.
Marc MacDonald wrote about the strange world of anime CD-ROMs used as promotional tools in the US.
e rathke wrote about Angel’s Egg and the experience of watching Angel’s Egg. A real journey of a piece, worthy of the film it’s discussing.
Cami wrote about the history of boy’s love anime and manga in Italy. Always love to see pieces like this; anime and manga is just as successful outside Japan and even the US (if not more so) but English-language coverage can be rare outside of academia.
Anthony Gramuglia wrote about anime VHS commercials, starting with Pokemon and moving on to the rise and fall of promo reels. I’m a fan of Discotek Media’s recent sizzle reels, myself.
Expert gamer Heidi Kemps broke down the many deep cut Sega references in the (currently unfinished) cult comedy Uncle From Another World.
Reuben Baron visited the New York exhibit commemorating all-time great art director Shinichiro Kobayashi, which I’m still bummed I didn’t get to see.
Kennedy asks a question that, once I was reminded of it, has been bugging me ever since: what the heck happened to Vampire Knight?
Madeline Blondeau wrote about the joys and contradictions of Stop!! Hibari-Kun, a problematic fave that’s attracted a devoted cult following over the years.
Alex Henderson dove into the workings of “girls doing hobbies” shows, including Lucky Star, Do It Yourself!! and Super Cub.
Nick Creamer tackled that most anime of subjects, Shakespeare.
Emily Rand returned from the realm of e-sports to discuss flower language in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury.
Animation Obsessive wrote about Princess Arete, the long-in-the-making first film by former Ghibli director Sunao Katabuchi.
David Cabera wrote about the exploitation of passion in the anime industry (and frankly, in the media industry.)
CHAINSAW MAN! CHAINSAW MAN!
Autumn Wright examined Chainsaw Man‘s dual identity as anime blockbuster standard-bearer and deeply weird B-movie.
Gita Jackson wrote about why Kobeni is the best. No arguments here.
Kambole Campbell wrote about Chainsaw Man‘s many excellent ending sequences, and how they frame the series as a whole.
It’s Tokusatsu Time!
From Coop Bicknell, a piece placing fan-favorite Kamen Rider Kuuga in its historical context. What does “protecting people’s smiles” mean? You will see.
David Cabera wrote up Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, aka the Super Sentai series starring Shadow the Hedgehog. I haven’t seen the show yet, but from reading this piece this is the weirdest (and best?) franchise entry in years.
Videos
Caribou-kun chats about the influential ninja manga Ninku in “How Naruto Got His Run.” I love how this video blurs the line between AMV and YouTube essay.
Delaney Jordan’s “The Mystery of Mamo (Will Be in the Criterion Collection)” will convince you that The Mystery of Mamo belongs in the Criterion Collection.
Over at The Canipa Effect, Callum May covered two of his favorite series in “Baccano and Durarara!! are Masterpieces!!!”
It’s tough to choose between hazel videos since they all take you somewhere strange and unexpected. Personal bias led me to select “A Look Inside the War on Pokemon.”
Noelle discussed the classic but messy early “denpa” visual novel, Jisatsu 101.
Ray Mona tracked down the lost Saban pilot of Sailor Moon and then made a full-length documentary about it.
The Sakuga Corner
Over on artist_unknown, PurpleGeth wrote about the 6th episode of the new Bleach season–a genuine highlight in an otherwise hit or miss adaptation.
PurpleGeth also wrote a great piece about the 19th episode of Naruto. A reminder that even the most popular series have unrevealed depths to explore when somebody is dedicated enough and has an original angle.
KViN wrote about the layout crisis in modern anime, the circumstances that led to it and whether the situation has any hope of turning around.
KViN also wrote a piece commemorating the 20th anniversary of Princess Tutu, a fan-favorite series with a fascinating origin story. I knew a few of the details going in, but learned plenty more here!
Excuse me? Sorry, I was thinking about Hellshake Yano.
Matteo Watzky wrote a characteristically thorough breakdown of the Urusei Yatsura franchise, both manga and anime.
The Manga Nook
Masha Zhdanova reviewed Goodbye Eri, a one-shot by the creator of Chainsaw Man that makes heavy formal use of film techniques within the medium of comics.
John Holt and Teppei Fukuda translated a piece by manga scholar Natsume Fusanosuke about Sazae-san, probably the single most popular Japanese comic that fans abroad haven’t read.
Helen Chazan wrote about Kazuo Umezz, Orochi and “the dissonance between the idealized family and the actual resentments a child feels within their family.”
Dee wrote up the shojo manga classic The Story of Saiunkoku.
Not 100% a “manga piece,” but I enjoyed this article by Arpad Okay about recent comics that evoke the spirit of josei manga.
Interviews
Kambole Campbell chatted with Masaaki Yuasa about his most recent (and last?) film, Inu Oh. Haven’t seen this one yet, but I’ve heard it’s the best he’s done in while. Can’t wait!
Kyle Cardine organized a series of interviews in honor of Naruto’s 20th anniversary, titled “My Favorite Naruto Arc.” I particularly liked this one with Yuri Lowenthal. (Full disclosure, I interviewed Giant Bomb’s Jan Ochoa as part of this project.)
Cayla Coats chatted with D-YAMA, the founder and DJ of anime-themed club MOGRA in Akibahara.
Cayla Coats also interviewed Sawao Yamanaka, the front man of famous rock band the pillows.
Isn't It Electrifying? 
Great entry!
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