Mel – Hakutaku

[Translation] Keiko Takemiya: What Jun Taught Me

Posted on April 5, 2019April 5, 2019-by Mel

“Jun was not only to me, but to a generation that was beginning to see manga as a means of expression, an undoubtedly groundbreaking piece.”

Ero Guro Nansensu in Manga [NSFW]

Posted on October 16, 2018July 21, 2021-by Mel

Chances are high that you’ve stumbled upon some sort of ero guro in your time on the internet. Ero guro nonsense (or ero guro nansensu) spans a wide variety of Japanese media, from theater and manga to film and music.

Translation Theory: Gankutsuou [Spoilers]

Posted on August 31, 2018July 21, 2021-by Mel

The nuances of Japanese cannot always be translated directly into English (and by not always, I mean most of the time). Did key details in Gankutsuou get lost in translation?

The Ethereal Worlds of Keiko Takemiya

Posted on August 8, 2018April 27, 2021-by Mel

A member of the Year 24 Group, Keiko Takemiya is an award-winning shojo and shonen manga artist. She is considered a pioneer in the shonen-ai genre and is credited with being the first artist to include a male-male kiss in a shojo manga.

The Magnificent, Revolutionary Year 24 Group

Posted on July 17, 2018April 27, 2021-by Mel

An undefined group of women mangaka, the Year 24 group revolutionized shojo manga in the 1970s. Their works are considered manga classics, with many focusing on themes of politics, philosophical issues, sexuality, and gender.

The Ever-Present “Eye” in Gankutsuou

Posted on May 9, 2018July 21, 2021-by Mel

Gankutsuou makes us not necessarily empathize with the Count, but beg him to find a different way to continue living that doesn’t entail his idea of destructive revenge.