Quick Review of God of Manga: Osamu Tezuka
Just finished this book, and while it’s probably more appropriate for Otaku, No Video, I wanted to gush about it here. God of Manga is a book about Osamu Tezuka, a man who basically created both modern manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animation). There was a ton of manga before Tezuka; he established that […]
Shop Class as Soulcraft
Shop Class as Soulcraft is an important book. It has flaws—significant flaws—but Matthew Crawford’s overall themes deserve wide attention. Shop Class as Soulcraft concerns itself with the dignity of manual labor. It makes a case for the importance of work that repairs and maintains our world, from plumbing to car repair. It defends the kind […]
Making Things Talk
Making Things Talk is intended for a specific audience, but one which I wish were bigger. It’s aimed at folks who want to wire up stuff. Stuff like motion-sensing stuffed animals. A doorbell that chimes every time someone visits your website. Real-world, physical objects. But without all the hassles of soldering. Enter Making Things Talk […]
How To Cook
I am a minimalist. This is especially so in the kitchen. I haven’t bought a new pot, pan, or kitchen utensil in 5 years. I just don’t need to. I know the basics. I have a slightly more eclectic approach to cookbooks. I believe in learning how to cook things in general. I don’t follow […]
Giving Up on Three Hearts and Three Lions
A friend of mine recommended this Poul Anderson fantasy novel, Three Hearts and Three Lions a while back. I’ve finally been working my way through it. I’m not going to finish it. It’s about a guy who wakes up in a fantasy world, and can mysteriously speak the language and ride a horse and fight (quite well!) in armor. And he’s trying to figure out how he got here, and why. So he’s […]
Never Let Me Go
It’s difficult to review Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go without resorting to reviewers’ favorite candy phrases: heart-wrenching, melancholy, tragic, and the one that I always shudder at, tour de force. This is partly because of its deceit. For its first few chapters, it appears to be nothing more than a woman reminiscing about her […]
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
If you’re looking for a fun, touching summer movie, you can’t go wrong with The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. It’s an anime film released two years ago, centering around a Japanese high school girl with two male friends, and the surprising summer she has as she stumbles upon an ability to (duh) jump through time. It’s a high-quality production throughout. The animation’s fluid, characters are drawn […]
What’s to Love about Gundam Wing
Note: I’ve skipped two shows. After ZZ Gundam came Victory Gundam, which I’m less than a quarter of the way into. Gundam’s overall popularity waned when the ultra-depressing Victory was released, so toy company Bandai (a long-time commercial collaborator with Sunrise) bought out Sunrise and suggested new Gundam series set in separate universes. That resulted […]
Change The Way You Read
Forgot to mention: I have a Kindle DX. Not sure how to describe it, as I’m not sure how much you all know about Kindles. Where to start? The Kindle is Amazon’s electronic book reader. The DX is the latest in their line, and larger than the previous Kindle 1 and Kindle 2. The screen’s […]
Why ZZ Gundam Might Be Worth Watching, Maybe
Spoilers are hardest in this review. My enjoyment of this show hinges on several characters and plot points that reference the previous show. So, the first part of this review has no spoilers, and the last half will be clearly marked as spoiler territory so I can explain my love. I’ve enjoyed every Gundam series […]