Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged anime, Badminton, Basketball, Blue Box, Coming of Age, Drawing, Kouji Miura on July 23, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The manga Blue Box ended after five years. This coming of age story may be simple, but I enjoyed it. The characters are likeable, each with their own distinct personalities, dreams, and struggles. As someone whose favourite sports are basketball and badminton, the series resonated with me even more. Here’s a video about the anime (with spoilers).
Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged Blue Box, Drawing, Kouji Miura on June 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“Regardless how strong someone might appear, there are weaknesses. We might think of anxiety as a negative, but it’s something we all have. We get stronger if we act through it. Bearing the burden of anxiety and get stronger, isn’t it a bit like strength training?” —Hina
[While cycling to a cake shop]
Hina: Let’s disperse all stress!
Taiki to Hina: You have stress?
Hina: Stress when a friend got treated poorly.
Kyo: Me too, stress when a my close friend doesn’t treat himself well.
Posted in anime, Hobbies, Movies, tagged Akane Banashi, Bocchi the Rock, Conan the Detective, Daemons of the Shadow Realm., introvert, Kamome Shirahama, movie review, Project Hail Mary, rental family, Zootopia on April 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Rental Family. A movie about loneliness, lies, social norms, and what it means to exist and feel alive. Here’s a review (with spoilers). I remember watching Brendan in movies like George of the Jungle and The Mummy when I was younger.
Bocchi the Rock. An anime about an introvert who dreams of becoming popular and having many friends. As an extreme introvert myself, I think Bocchi’s struggle is less about introversion and more about social anxiety, bordering on depression and hikikomori. While part of it might be exaggerated, I think we can relate to many of her emotions. The anime explores these themes in a lighthearted and funny way. I especially enjoyed Bocchi’s solo compositions, which express her thoughts and feelings well. It suggests many of our struggles stem from the mind and the stories we tell ourselves.
Project Hail Mary. A science fiction movie based on an award-winning novel. Judging from the reviews, the book is more technical and science-heavy, while the movie more accessible and has broader appeal to a wider audience. I’m glad I brought my two boys to see it, as we all enjoyed the humor and the film overall.
PS: My boys borrowed and read the original novel (as well as The Martian). That alone is worth it.
Detective Conan the Movie: One-Eyed Flashback.
It’s interesting how the anime turns Mori into such a cool character. I also like Detective Morofushi, who is modeled after Zhuge Liang from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. That said, when an anime releases a new movie every year, it is hard to maintain a consistently strong story. From memory, only two or three Conan movies have touched me.
Zootopia 2. The animation is engaging from beginning to end, and the chemistry between Judy and Nick remains strong. Still, I think the first movie was more original and more thought-provoking.
Recent Anime. I watched a few episodes of Witch Hat Atelier, Akane-banashi, and Daemons of the Shadow Realm. It is still too early to say how much I like them, but Witch Hat Atelier stands out for its beautiful animation, likely inspired by the innovative techniques Kamome Shirahama used in her manga. Its opening shares similarities with Fullmetal Alchemist, whose creator Hiromu Arakawa also wrote Daemons of the Shadow Realm.
Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged anime, Art, Drawing, Love Through a Prism, Prism Rondo, Quote on April 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I can’t resist an anime about art. The characters are well designed and well developed, but what I like most is the beautiful, painting-like background. The setting reminds me of my time studying in the UK: the River Thames, an academy that resembles Cambridge, the National Gallery, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, Covent Garden, the pubs, and side trips to the Cotswolds and the countryside.
Following our hearts or simply doing what we love may sound ideal, but life is often messier, with no clear optimal path. We cannot fully ignore others’ opinions or societal norms either. Since we only get to live one timeline, there will always be “what if” questions, and we will never know how the paths not taken might have unfolded. But at the very least, we should try to find a path, or create a bubble, where we do not betray ourselves and still have room to grow and thrive.
Quotes from the anime:
“As always, the more I paint, the more I’m confounded by the things I lack. It’s the same things over and over. But then, I guess that’s not so bad. After all, as long as I’m painting, I’m always having fun.”
—Lili Ichijoin
“Actually I’ve never once thought my paintings were any good. That’s why I’m so desperate to paint all the time.”
—Kit Church
“I’ve never cared what other people think. What does it have to do with painting?
All I want is to remember the beautiful things I see every day. If I paint them, I won’t forget. That’s the only reason I paint. Honestly, the rankings mean nothing to me.”
—Kit Church
“That’s why his artwork always grabs hold of people and stirs their souls. And then, as if adding insult to injury, it questions you. Are you being honest with yourself? Are you living life to the fullest?”
—Shin Kobayakawa
“When I was a child, I saw the real thing. At that moment…it felt like time had stopped. Even now, I’ve never felt anything more serene. All I could hear was my own heartbeat. For the first time, a cold marble structure taught what it means to be alive. And then it occurred to me. The contours of memory blur with time and become unrecognizable. But even so, if we can capture a moment in time and give it form, perhaps that memory will never fade.”
—Kit Church on Michaelangelo’s The Pieta
Trailer:
Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged Blue Box, Drawing, Kouji Miura on March 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Posted in anime, Movies, tagged Blue Box, 秒速5センチメートル 5cm per second, Distance, love, movie review, nostalgia on February 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The original anime was a favorite of mine back in university (here, here, and here). The live-action version is slower-paced and still has beautiful cinematography. When I was younger, I thought the way Takaki sealed himself off from the world was cool. Now, though, I think it’s the easy way out.
The movie version presents Takaki in a more positive light, and he’s able to move on and likely live a more fulfilled life (the animate was more up to interpretation). While the anime hit me harder emotionally back then, I prefer the more hopeful and mature message in the film.
It reminds me of Cinema Paradiso. Life is complicated. Even if two people like each other and are meant for each other, they still might not end up together. Nostalgia becomes a part of us, but we still have to move on and live our lives in the ways we feel are best.
Posted in anime, Movies, tagged chainsaw-man, free-solo-climbing, new-yorker-magazine on February 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. Even though I’m not a fan of this type of anime, this movie does live up to its hype. The author managed to convey a lot in just a few scenes and explore love within a demon-oriented story. The background music and songs by Yonezu and Utada complement the movie well (here’s an analysis of the songs).
New Yorker at 100. Interesting documentary about the magazine and the “quirky, borderline obsessive” people working there, whether they are designing covers, drawing cartoons, or writing stories about people, films, or music. When I was a university student in Japan, I used to go to bookstores regularly to browse magazines and did it in libraries later. I was probably hoping that browsing magazines on topics I’m interested in, be they art, music, or technology, would make me a “learned” person in those fields. But the truth is just browsing is not enough.
Skyscraper Live. Alex Honnold climbing Taipei 101 free solo, an incredible feat in an amazing city. Free Solo and The Dawn Wall are both good documentaries about climbing. Here’s a review from The New Yorker.
You and I are Polar Opposites. I watched a few episodes. So far it’s been a fun, light-hearted animate exploring attractions, self-consciousness, and communications in teens.
Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged Blue Box, Drawing, Kouji Miura on January 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“Somewhere in this world, there are people who’ve put in that unimaginably huge amount of effort. And the fact that I’m still this small makes my heart race at the possibilities that exist in the space between us.” — Taiki
Posted in anime, Movies, Recent activity, tagged Doraemon: Nobita’s Art World Tales, Elio, K-Pop Demon Hunters, Kakukaku Shikajika, Kobe Bryant, Kobe: The Making of a Legend, movie review, The 35-Year Promise, Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie on January 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »
This is not a recommendation list and more a viewing record. As I get older, I sometimes have less desire to watch highbrow or critically-acclaimed movies, especially when flying (Why do our standards seem to drop at 30,000 feet?).
Kakukaku Shikajika (Blank Canvas: My So-called Artist’s Journey). We waste a lot of time in our youth, and this immaturity often brings regrets. Yet it’s also one of the few periods when we can afford to waste time and do stupid things, and all those experiences stay with us.
Kobe: The Making of a Legend. It revealed things I didn’t know, especially footage from when he was younger, and his relationships with his parents. He’d been confident and talented since he was a kid, but his passion and work ethic were what set him apart. No one is perfect, and it’s interesting what people remember about someone at the end of their life. Dear Basketball remains a great animated film.
The 35-Year Promise. A story about relationships and overcoming deep-seated fear and shame.
We all have strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes—but these don’t define our destiny. We can learn, improve, and grow to appreciate new things at any age. Here’s a review.
Doraemon: Nobita’s Art World Tales. I watched many Doraemon episodes as a child and have fond memories of them, but haven’t followed the series since. I gave this a try because of the art theme and Aimyon’s song “Sketch.” It’s a simple story that doesn’t try to do too much, and mainly for existing Doraemon fans or those seeking childhood nostalgia. The film reminds us to draw what we love and appreciate the colors around us.
Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie. A ridiculous movie on Kong Ming from Romance of the Three Kingdoms traveling through time to help an aspiring pop singer fulfill her dream. This is probably one of those movies I’d only watch on a flight. For those interested in learning about the original Romance of the Three Kingdom, I’d recommend John Zhu’s podcasts series.
Elio. Largely predictable animated film. The character growth feels a bit abrupt, but I suppose that’s constrained by limited runtime and the need to reach a happy ending.
K-Pop Demon Hunters. It’s nicely done and enjoyable even for someone who has a slight bias against K-pop. The songs are catchy and the lyrics fit the movie well. One of its messages is we should have faith in those we love. If we do not open up to those we value, it’s hard to build trust and resolve problems.
Posted in anime, Hobbies, tagged mob psycho 100, review on December 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The jokes and style aren’t what I usually go for, but I decided to stick with it because I heard good things about it. Here’s a good review with some spoilers (I read it after finishing the anime). It gets better over time, and the final few episodes leading up to the ending are good. The best relationships involve accepting each other despite imperfections while encouraging mutual growth. Temptation, the emptiness of power, friendship, honesty, cult-like social influence, and self-acceptance are some of its main themes.
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