Why I’ve Finally Decided to Drop Shows

You may or may not know this about me, but it used to be my policy to never drop an anime, no matter how much it made me want to put out my own eyes! In fact, I hadn’t dropped a single anime in over 10 years – and I’ve seen some real trash! But this week I made the momentous decision to finally rescind this policy and drop my first ever anime: Black Clover. Join me as I discuss what led me to this decision. Hopefully you’ll gain some insight into why it’s not always a bad thing to drop anime.

But first, a bit of background…

Why, as a Woman, I’m Loving Summer ’18

Generally speaking, Summer ’18 has been a fairly good season of anime, so far. We’ve had several highly anticipated sequels that have, in my opinion, proven themselves to be worth the wait as well as several enjoyable standalone shows, such as Banana Fish, Hanebado!, and Cells at Work. But, more than being both solid and entertaining, Summer ’18 has been a cracking season in terms of its portrayal of women…

Anime’s Less Than Flattering Depiction of Mental Illness

The issue of mental health is one that’s near and dear to my heart. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression ever since I was 11 and have recently been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). I studied psychology for four years at university and, upon graduating, started work as a recovery worker for a mental health charity. So, with anime also being near and dear to my heart, I’m very interested in its portrayal of mental illness. Over the past few years I’ve noticed anime’s depiction of mental illness improve somewhat. A Silent Voice and Orange both depicted depression and suicidality in a sensitive way and it’s interesting to watch Okabe tackle what appears to be post traumatic stress disorder in this season’s Steins;Gate 0. However, to date anime’s depiction of mental illness has been largely insensitive or inaccurate.

Strike Witches: The Pantsu Problem

I recently finished a show called Strike Witches. Strike Witches is set in an alternate 1944 and follows a military unit made up of a group of girls who fight off alien invaders using advanced military technology called Strikers (which are basically jet-powered thigh highs) and their magical powers all while wearing no bottoms. While there are many things about this premise that are ridiculous, the girls going about their lives in little more than their underwear aspect is by far the cream of the crop. However, the fanservice in Strike Witches is not just ridiculous, but also extremely problematic. You may want to grab a cuppa, as this is going to turn into quite the rant!

Anime Fans Are Angry People – Part 1

Having been part of the anime fandom since 2009 now, I’ve seen some massive controversies take the fandom by storm. The Neon Genesis Evangelion finale fiasco, in which the incredibly entertaining, provocative, and thoughtful show suddenly and spectacularly sh*t the bed during its last two episodes, was before my time, as was the “nice boat” incident, when School Days’ final episode was replaced by live action footage of a boat following a gruesome crime in Japan. #boatgate. But, fortunately or unfortunately (I’m not quite sure which), I’ve had front row seats for the Aya Hirano sex scandal, the Endless Eight debacle, and the mess that is the Darling in the FranXX fandom right now. And if all of this has taught me one thing, it’s that anime fans are, generally speaking, very angry people.