The Xeno series has a long and messy history. It started with 1998’s Xenogears on the PS1, created by Square (now Square Enix) under the direction of husband-and-wife duo Tetsuya Takahashi and Soraya Saga. The game had an incredibly ambitious story, but no budget. Most of Disc 2’s gameplay had to be cut to put... Continue Reading →
The History of Anine: Part 6 – Past, Present, and Future
The 2010’s were, in some ways, a culmination of the past 100 years of anime history. Online streaming came into its own, causing an influx of new content and bridging the gap between Japan and the rest of the world. New genres came into the spotlight, and old classics were improved upon. Anime became a... Continue Reading →
The History of Anime: Part 5 – Dawn of the Digital Era
Last time, anime rose from a nationwide economic crisis to become a global juggernaut. The 1990’s saw enormous growth for the industry, but an even bigger change was just around the corner. Computers and the internet completely changed anime - how it’s made, how we watch it, and how we talk about it with others.... Continue Reading →
The History of Anime: Part 4 – Taking Over The World
The anime industry reached its artistic high point in the 1980’s, but the good times wouldn’t last. The Japanese stock market crashed in 1991, thanks to (what else?) corporate corruption and an incompetent banking system. Millions of people lost everything, and businesses were forced to close or restructure to survive. In this “Lost Decade”, people... Continue Reading →
The History of Anime: Part 3 – The Golden Eighties
In the 1960’s and 70’s, the anime industry saw a massive amount of growth in a relatively short time. We went from barely animated black-and-white shows about tiny robots, to sweeping epic space operas about giant robots. But all that was just a prologue to the 80’s, the golden age of the medium. At a... Continue Reading →
The History of Anime: Part 2 – Enter the Space Race
Japanese animation made some major milestones in its early years, but it wasn’t until the 1960’s and 70’s that it developed its own identity. This is when the distinctive anime art style emerged, when mecha and magical girl anime first took over the airwaves, and when anime first became exported around the world. The world... Continue Reading →
The History of Anime: Part 1 – Humble Beginnings
Anime is, in my opinion, one of the most unique forms of storytelling out there. The beautifully drawn artwork, the colorful characters, the vibrant culture, the sheer weirdness of it all... there's truly nothing else like it. But when did anime start? How did it become the cultural juggernaut it is today? I wanted to... Continue Reading →
Whelp, I’ve Officially Fallen Down The VTuber Rabbit Hole
What’s gotten into me? I’m not usually into this stuff. I think the pandemic has finally broke me. I’ve spent the last two weeks watching these goofy 3D anime girls playing video games and... basically nothing else. What can I say? This stupid shit has made me happier than anything else that’s happened this year.... Continue Reading →
Fire Emblem Arcs: Understanding Edelgard’s War
SPOILERS for the Crimson Flower and Azure Moon routes of Fire Emblem Three Houses. In every route of Fire Emblem Three Houses except one, Edelgard is the primary antagonist. Her war against the Church of Seiros forces the squabbling factions in Fódlan to unite and fight against her Empire. In the first half of the... Continue Reading →
Fire Emblem Arcs: Dimitri’s Fall and Redemption
“I am a murderous monster. My hands are stained red. Could one such as I truly hope for such a life? As the sole survivor of that day, do I... Do I have the right to live for myself?” Dimitri Alexandre Bladdidyd, leader of the Blue Lion house and crown prince of the Kingdom of... Continue Reading →