AniFem Spherical-Up
From Takarazuka to Terayama: The affect of queer theater on Revolutionary Lady Utena
Wanting into the queer outsider theatre that Ikuhara drew inspiration sheds fascinating new gentle on the sequence.
2024 Spring Three-Episode Examine-In
Fairly a number of exhibits have taken a pointy flip this season, in methods which might be each good and unhealthy.
What’s your favourite romance trope?
Roll round in these feels, readers.
April 2024 Patron Publication and Workers Suggestions
Try what the staff’s been as much as and the following objectives we’re tackling.
Past AniFem
Crushed Indie BL Sport Evaluation – Cute Awkward Black Boys Catchin’ Emotions (Blerdy Otome, Naja)
A brief, candy sport jam visible novel.
Why aren’t there extra black boys love video games? As a result of after enjoying Hummingbird Video games’s Crushed I spotted that that is the solely boys love sport I’ve performed the place the forged is predominantly Black. As a Black gamer and boys love connoisseur, Crushed is one thing I didn’t know I wanted in my life! Cute, awkward Black boys falling in love is one thing we’d like extra of on this world… so of us, make it occur!
Crushed follows Corey, a ebook loving kinda quiet man contemporary off a very messy break up along with his (lowkey poisonous) ex, Ariel. We’ve all been there, and to say Corey is a little bit worse for put on is an understatement. It’s particularly arduous to maneuver on when his ex retains blowing up his telephone. So he isn’t actually getting the house he must type by his emotions and heal. Fortunately for him he has a supportive buddy group and the upcoming winter break to type of chill and reset.
However, life has different plans for Corey. Whereas slaving away at his Retail Hell bookstore gig, he runs into the sunshine skinned man of his desires, Jacob. Plenty of awkward flirting and much more nerdy ebook debates later and Corey and Jacob appear to have an excellent vibe going. Corey is down unhealthy for Jacob, however as a result of he’s nonetheless coping with the emotional fallout of his final relationship, he isn’t 100% prepared to leap into a brand new situationship. And Jacob isn’t down for all Corey’s combined indicators… Will Corey get it collectively and provides the budding relationship with Jacob an opportunity, or will he fumble the bag and strike out in love…once more?
It’s cringy, it’s awkward, and it’s so, so actual. Romance isn’t nearly two (or extra) individuals getting collectively and driving off into the sundown. It’s about doing all of that whereas dealing with your individual shit too. From the bags we feature with us from earlier relationships. Our insecurities about ourselves. The awkwardness of creating the primary transfer (or the second). The confusion that comes with determining if the individual you want really likes you too, or if all of the flirting is simply all in your head… Sussing out the vibe and actually attending to know your crush. Crushing on somebody is loads!
The U.S. Home Model of KOSA: Nonetheless a Censorship Invoice (Digital Freedom Basis, Molly Buckley)
Outlines the newest adjustments within the invoice, why it’s a menace, and the best way to take motion.
KOSA’s broad censorship necessities would restrict minors’ entry to important info and sources, together with instructional content material, social help teams, and different types of legit speech. This model doesn’t alleviate that concern. For instance, this model of KOSA might nonetheless:
Suppress search outcomes for younger individuals looking for sexual well being and reproductive rights info;
Block content material related to the historical past of oppressed teams, such because the historical past of slavery within the U.S;
Stifle youth activists throughout the political spectrum by stopping them from connecting and advocating on their platforms; and
Block younger individuals looking for assist for psychological well being or habit issues from accessing sources and help.
As hundreds of younger individuals have informed us, these issues are simply the tip of the iceberg. Below the guise of defending them, KOSA will restrict minors’ potential to self-explore, to develop new concepts and pursuits, to turn out to be civically engaged residents, and to hunt neighborhood and help for the very harms KOSA ostensibly goals to stop.
Male sexual assault victims in Japan defy ‘rape myths’ to inform their tales, assist others (The Mainichi, Sahomi Nishimoto)
Consists of express dialogue of survivors’ experiences.
Hirokazu Miyazaki, a graduate pupil at Ritsumeikan College’s Graduate College of Human Science who research male victims of sexual violence, factors out that “male victims of sexual violence are arduous to see.”
Misunderstandings and prejudices about sexual assault primarily based on gender consciousness are referred to as “rape myths.” Within the case of feminine victims, a rape fable that serves to defend perpetrators is, “Males can’t assist it as a result of they will’t resist their sexual needs.”
Because of the male-dominated social construction, however, there’s a tendency to assume that “males can’t be sexually victimized,” and that “girls would by no means commit sexual assault.” And so males typically discover it troublesome to come back ahead.
Miyazaki identified that “victims themselves are certain by the notion that males ought to be sturdy, and there are numerous males who can solely discuss their victimization as a ‘story’ about an attention-grabbing expertise.”
And even once they do speak in confidence to others about their victimization, they’re typically not taken critically, as was the case with Takeshi. “Particularly when the perpetrator is a lady, there’s a preconceived notion that it’s ‘innocent and even a bit fortunate’ if a lady forces a person into sexual acts,” Miyazaki mentioned. “Nevertheless, research have proven that it really has critical penalties for males’s psychological well being.”
Beforehand on Comics: Black Josei Press goes on hiatus (Ladies Writing About Comics, Louis Skye)
Quick information replace on the indie writer, whose work continues to be obtainable on the market within the meantime.
Black Josei Press is happening hiatus, introduced founder Jamila Rowser on Instagram. The hiatus begins on the finish of this yr, and you’ll find extra particulars concerning the store and digital comics availability on the BJP web site. Rowser will proceed to work on comics, which we’re very comfortable to listen to. WWAC just lately ran an enlightening interview sequence with Rowser about comedian scripts and we will’t wait to see her in motion once more. Should you’d wish to learn these interviews, take a look at elements one, two, and three.
One other reminder that this Saturday, Might 4, is Free Comedian E-book Day. Do attempt to cease by at your native comedian bookstore without cost comedian books, but in addition, make a purchase order, in case you can.
Japan social media battle over anti-bathing posts shines gentle on psychological sickness (The Mainichi, Tomofumi Inagaki)
Customers linked over scuffling with bathing whereas depressed.
Utagawa himself mentioned he spent a couple of yr with out the desire to take a shower, with the longest interval with out bathing stretching to 2 weeks. “In the course of the actually painful instances, all I wished to do was sleep. After all, I didn’t wish to eat, and even going to the lavatory was arduous. Taking baths was simply not excessive on the precedence record for staying alive.”
Individuals with psychological sickness have been being talked about on-line in the identical breath as those that simply didn’t wish to take baths or felt bathing was an excessive amount of fuss. Utagawa mirrored, “I’ve at all times favored baths. Throughout regular intervals I’ve by no means as soon as thought that getting within the tub was an excessive amount of hassle. However being unable to summon the power for primary on a regular basis duties — that’s despair. I would like individuals to cease making enjoyable of others by simply specializing in baths.”
Based on psychiatrist Yuichiro Kasuga, head of the Fuchu Kokoro clinic in Fuchu, Tokyo, when despair causes a decline in mind operate, it may result in diminished motivation and elevated emotions of fatigue. Even understanding one thing is important, on a regular basis actions turn out to be difficult. Significantly in bathing, with its a number of steps, together with undressing, washing your physique and hair, after which drying your hair, it’s “simple to get discouraged as a result of lower in cognitive operate, which makes it arduous to prepare these actions.”
So, is feeling “bothered by bathing” an indication of psychological misery? Whereas Kasuga said that “not wanting to wash doesn’t essentially imply despair,” he suggested, “There could also be a fatigue buildup. Should you’re unable to finish duties like tidying up and bathing, it is best to search medical recommendation.”
Will We Ever Know Why Anime Get Cancelled? (Anime Information Community, Christopher Farris and Nicholas Dupree)
MAPPA isn’t forgiven. Not now, probably not ever.
Nick: The actual insane half is that over 20 years later, the factor that everybody thought occurred to Escaflowne ACTUALLY occurred to director Kazuki Akane’s authentic present, Stars Align. That present, which was deliberate to be two elements, was lower to at least one mid-production, so the creators have been pressured to settle with making solely half of their story. The present ended on one of many cruelest cliffhangers in anime.
Chris: I’ll nonetheless say I want the defiant mic-drop they left us with, versus a compromised condensation of the story they meant to inform. As within the hyperlink you posted, Akane has thought-about discovering some option to get the remainder of the story of Stars Align out, however there’s been no motion since. It’s tragic, and being a fan of that sequence, I can actually sympathize with the disillusioned followers of Yuri!!! on Ice. These queer boys’ sports activities anime can have it tough.
Nick: Realizing why these cancelations occur wouldn’t take the sting out within the grand scheme of issues. If any person steals your lunch cash, it doesn’t assist to know what they are going to spend it on as an alternative.
Chris: In MAPPA‘s case, we positive as hell know not a lot of it’ll the animators! unhappy rimshot
Gallows humor apart, the comfort I can provide is that you just don’t have to really quit. Take a look at Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, which ended on a cliffhanger and tease for a second season, which was later correctly introduced. Solely then did the Gainax exodus that resulted in Studio Set off appear to forged the challenge into purgatory, alongside different productions like Uru in Blue and Gunbuster 3 that have been completely nonetheless taking place!
Survey finds gender bias about jobs rises as youngsters age (The Asahi Shimbun, Natsuno Otahara)
The survey was carried out in 2022.
Respondents have been requested in the event that they thought that “some jobs are appropriate or unsuitable primarily based on gender.”
To the query, 46.8 p.c of male college students and 39.8 p.c of feminine college students mentioned, “I agree” or “I considerably agree.”
Their dad and mom and lecturers confirmed comparable perceptions.
Specialists identified that these assumptions “might slim kids’s profession paths and life decisions.”
To make clear the precise affect of such assumptions on careers and decisions, the metropolitan authorities carried out a survey in metropolitan excessive colleges in fiscal 2023 and requested the identical query.
The federal government then analyzed 13,312 responses collected from first- and second-year highschool college students and lecturers.
This new survey confirmed that 65.7 p.c of first-year male college students mentioned, “I agree” or “I considerably agree,” whereas 65.1 p.c of first-year feminine college students mentioned the identical.
Amongst second-year highschool college students, 68.8 p.c of males and 68.3 p.c of females agreed or considerably agreed.
Shinzo Abe homicide revealing faith’s position in Japan’s youngster abuse drawback (The Mainichi)
The LDP has been revealed to have vital ties to the Unification Church.
Within the wake of the previous prime minister’s homicide in 2022, the federal government launched its first nationwide survey which discovered 37 of the 229 youngster steering facilities that offered solutions, or 16.2 p.c, addressed to suspected instances between April 2022 and September 2023.
The abuses included dad and mom neglecting to supply medical care for his or her kids or forcing beliefs and practices on them, in response to the survey which lined “second-generation” followers, or relations of people who find themselves actively concerned in non secular organizations.
Amongst 47 instances handled by the 37 facilities, 19 victims have been positioned beneath momentary safety, the survey confirmed. Round half of the facilities mentioned they found the issues as a result of the victims themselves sought assist.
“Spiritual abuses have a tendency to not floor until victims come ahead, so it’s pressing to create an atmosphere by which kids are in a position to challenge an SOS,” mentioned an official of the Youngsters and Households Company answerable for the survey.
VIDEO: Tribute to Skip & Idler’s Nao-chan.
VIDEO: An Intro to BL Gaming with Particular Visitor: Blerdy Otome.
AniFem Neighborhood
Good set of heat fuzzies this week, everybody.
