Category: Society
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L’Enfer by Stromae: A Reflection on Depression
Read more: L’Enfer by Stromae: A Reflection on DepressionI was living in Japan when Stromae’s song L’Enfer was released, creating a buzz as it debuted in a unique way—during a live interview on French national news. Stromae, whose name is the reverse of “maestro” in French slang (verlan), is a Belgian artist with roots in Rwanda and Flanders. Drawing inspiration from Jacques Brel…
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Detroit Metal City and the Masks We Wear
Read more: Detroit Metal City and the Masks We WearWatching Detroit Metal City by Kiminori Wakasugi was a surprising and hilarious experience. Though I had no idea how I came across it initially, the anime and movie adaptations were enjoyable, and even my wife, unfamiliar with the world of death metal, found them funny. Through its characters and absurdities, Detroit Metal City gives a…
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Dreams in the Snow: A Reflection on Noi the Albino by Dagur Kári
Read more: Dreams in the Snow: A Reflection on Noi the Albino by Dagur KáriI watched Noi the Albino on ARTE, a unique French-German channel known for broadcasting lesser-known films and documentaries. This film, set in Iceland, tells the story of Noi, a 17-year-old teenager living in a small, remote fishing village. Noi’s appearance, marked by alopecia totalis (a complete absence of hair), sets him apart visually, but it’s…
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Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto: Reflections on Art, Loss, and Society
Read more: Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto: Reflections on Art, Loss, and SocietyLook Back, Tatsuki Fujimoto’s emotional one-shot manga and recent anime on Prime Video, explores deep themes of friendship, purpose, and loss. When my wife recommended the manga a few years ago, I didn’t expect how much it would resonate. The adaptation, which spans less than an hour, portrays an intense bond between two friends and…
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Awakening Through Music: Lessons from One Ok Rock’s “Delusion: All”
Read more: Awakening Through Music: Lessons from One Ok Rock’s “Delusion: All”The song Delusion: All by One Ok Rock serves as the theme song for KINGDOM: Return of the Great General, the fourth film in the live-action adaptation of Yasuhisa Hara’s Kingdom manga. Known for their high-energy performances and Taka’s unique vocal presence, One Ok Rock often incorporates English lyrics, an unusual trait in Japan’s rock…
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Uncovering Truth and Responsibility: Reflections on Spotlight and Societal Change
Read more: Uncovering Truth and Responsibility: Reflections on Spotlight and Societal ChangeThe 2015 film Spotlight, directed by Tom McCarthy, chronicles the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, the longest-running investigative journalism unit in the U.S., as it exposes a decades-long cover-up of systemic child abuse by priests within the Boston Roman Catholic Archdiocese. I became interested in the movie after watching an interview with actor Mark Ruffalo, who…
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Reflections on Orb: On the Movements of the Earth and the Search for Awareness
Read more: Reflections on Orb: On the Movements of the Earth and the Search for AwarenessRecently, my wife and I began watching Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, an anime adaptation of the manga by Uoto. Set in the 15th century, this story brings to life a period when religious authority suppressed free thought, punishing those who dared to question it. This theme of restrictive thinking resonated with me,…
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Finding Connection and Resilience in Toumei Ningen by Tokyo Jihen
Read more: Finding Connection and Resilience in Toumei Ningen by Tokyo JihenTokyo Jihen’s Toumei Ningen (Invisible Person), released on their 2006 album Adult, portrays the delicate, sometimes paradoxical journey of someone who feels invisible to the world around them. The Japanese band, led by vocalist and lyricist Sheena Ringo, is known for blending various musical styles and complex lyrics. Toumei Ningen is no exception, weaving difficult…
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Life, Identity, and Euthanasia in Me Before You
Read more: Life, Identity, and Euthanasia in Me Before YouMe Before You, directed by Thea Sharrock, delves into the transformative relationship between Louisa “Lou” Clark (played by Emilia Clarke) and Will Traynor, a once-successful banker and adventurer who, after a tragic accident, is left as a tetraplegic. Though the film falls into the typical tropes of a romantic drama, it raises relevant issues of…
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Finding Enlightenment Through the Journey of Growth in Vagabond
Read more: Finding Enlightenment Through the Journey of Growth in VagabondVagabond, a masterpiece by Takehiko Inoue, offers a fictionalized portrayal of the life of Japanese swordsman Musashi Miyamoto, based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel Musashi. The story begins with two 17-year-old warriors, Takezō Shinmen and Matahachi Hon’iden, wounded on the battlefield after the Battle of Sekigahara. Determined to achieve greatness, they pledge to become “Invincible Under…