The Baka!

Essays on anime, and life hiding between the frames

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

“Work the land and reap its harvest. That's how people are meant to live.”

Different anime and manga seem to arrive at the same conclusion. If you want to become a better person, the answer is surprisingly simple. And that's what new video essay is about

https://t.co/tM6q3nw3lV

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

Rewatching and rereading some of my favorite anime and manga, I noticed a pattern that rarely gets discussed.

Again and again, completely different stories suggest the same path to becoming a better person and making up for your mistakes:

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[The Baka! @bakaessays]

Rei begins to experience the world around her. She sees a cat. She learns how to use a bath. And she plants rice.

It is telling that this act of creation becomes a source of healing. This artificial Rei, someone who was never meant to be fully human, ends up helping Shinji

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[Edo 🔜 Anime Expo @edomonogatari]

Daemons of the Shadow Realm - Workspace Tour

Voice actors Kensho Ono (Yuru) and Yume Miyamoto (Asa) got a tour of the great Hiromu Arakawa's manga studio as part of a Blu-ray/DVD bonus feature! I'll be translating some highlights in this thread. ⬇️

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

And that's what our new video essay is about. How the characters of Horimiya learn to accept themselves, overcome their fears and emotional scars, deal with bullying and insecurity — and what we can learn from their journeys:

https://t.co/sIWGhyQDTC

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

Horimiya is incredibly popular. The manga ranks among the fifteen most-read series of all time on MyAnimeList. Above it are mostly giants like One Piece and Berserk.

So what is it about this seemingly simple story of school relationships that resonates with so many people?

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[The Baka! @bakaessays]

In Horimiya, romance is just the backdrop for comedy, warm everyday moments, and, most importantly, the growth of its characters.

Because Horimiya isn't really just a romance story. At its core, it's a story about learning to accept yourself

5/

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

So… is the isekai boom finally over? Why did it happen? And what could possibly replace it?

In this new video essay, I argue that we may be witnessing the return of classic fantasy — and I break it down through three works:

https://t.co/hNgy8wERdt

6/6

[The Baka! @bakaessays]

Isekai is one of the most popular and at the same time one of the most hated genres in anime

The last anime season without a single isekai was all the way back in 2017. Since then, every year has brought around a dozen new series.

But maybe we’re starting to see its decline

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[The Baka! @bakaessays]

Starting in 2013, the number of isekai anime kept steadily growing: from 11 titles a year, to 25, then 33, and eventually reaching an all-time peak of 42 series in 2021.

But since then, the number hasn’t really increased for four years in a row.

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