Otaku Links: A sign of the times
“They’re young. We’re dead. So it’s ‘cosplay.'” Wendy Ross Kaufman has been creating her own costumes for conventions since the ’70s. Here’s why this professional costumer is finally at peace with…
The importance of telling uncomfortable stories
Before I married into a blue collar West Virginia family, I was a bit of a snob. Chalk it up to growing up in the second richest county in the…
Otaku Links: Manga break
Cecilia D’Anastasio is the reason I still read Kotaku. Her latest, “Manga Pirates Are Having Trouble Going Legit,” is a great look at the complexities around scanlations. What Does Anime…
June 2017 Income Report
I’ve now been writing these income reports for one year. This is the last one. It’s time to stop because I no longer think they’re helpful. Or for that matter,…
Otaku Links: Welcome to the anti-fandom
Kara on the hater side of fandom, which generally means fandom defined by what people don’t like instead of what they do. Why are we like this, and how can…
The like list: Recommendations for work and life
I hate being sick. Over the last few days I’ve had to cancel all my plans while I slip in and out of a nagging low-grade fever. That’s why there…
The Ethical Weaboo: How I justify being a Japanophile in a culturally appropriative world
The other week I went on vacation to a Japanese ryokan in Virginia. With onsen baths and miso soup for breakfast, it had all the things I remembered from my…
Otaku Links: All about these mecha
Patlabor, my favorite 1989 mecha anime starring a female protagonist, is getting a new movie! It only took about 30 years. The most beautiful Zaku model ever built is made…
‘My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness’ and the right time to share your story
Like many manga fans, I pre-ordered My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness (affiliate link) and devoured it as soon as it arrived. The autobiographical story of a woman struggling with depression…
Otaku Links: Forgotten fandom
How does one define “fanfiction?” Awesome podcast Fansplaining did an immersive survey of over 3,500 readers about how they would describe the genre. Remember yaoi paddles? A glimpse into fandom past…