Seeing Yosuke towering over Inako at the ball to celebrate their impending marriage, the contrast couldn’t be more apparent. She’s decked from head to bottom in traditional Japanese wedding garb. He dons a flashy purple suit. The anxiety at the heart of the story has always been a steady undercurrent since the first episode, but never has it been laid bare like this for us to see: can Japan modernize without losing its national and cultural identity? Continue reading
This episode is like… 80% Tairazuma, and sadly, it isn’t close to 100% happy. Continue reading
Sitara nearly surrenders to the empress’s masterful machinations. Can she steel her resolve? Continue reading
Time for the usual slop. Continue reading
For one of Rei’s birthdays, Nana had given her a Moleskine notebook. It was meant to help Rei collect ideas for future manga. Nana wanted Rei to keep going. Rei, however, had already decided to chart a different course: she announced that she intended to become a teacher. It didn’t have to be one or the other, though. Continue reading
