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Your Favorite Manga Visual Gags, Explained! – Nosebleed of Arousal, Souls Escaping the Body, Twinkle in the Sky

Your Favorite Manga Visual Gags, Explained! – Nosebleed of Arousal, Souls Escaping the Body, Twinkle in the Sky

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Last time, we explored the ins and outs of three classic manga visual gags: sweat drops, sprouting animal ears, and growing mushrooms on one’s head. Today, we’ll be tackling the origins and cultural significance of another batch of well-known Japanese jokes, as well as highlighting our favorite examples of each one. If you’ve ever wondered why manga characters get bloody noses from seeing something sexy or rocket off into the sky with a twinkle when punched, we’re here to put those wonders to rest. Let’s get started!

Bubble Pop Burlesque—Nerdy Burlesque Shows Coming to a Con Near You!

Bubble Pop Burlesque—Nerdy Burlesque Shows Coming to a Con Near You!

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

If you ever want to add a little bit of spice and risqué humor to your anime convention experience, the Midwest-based burlesque troupe Bubble Pop Burlesque has just the show for you. They specialize in cosplay-themed performances that include everything from stripteases to pole dancing to wacky skits and much more—although when we saw their Saturday show at Colossalcon this year, they tested out a new format based on the Western zodiac signs. It was equal parts fascinating and uproariously funny, and their unique “consent indicators” (glow sticks that could be purchased for $1 before the show started) ensured that nobody was touched who didn’t want to be touched.

Your Favorite Manga Visual Gags, Explained! – Sweat Drops, Sprouting Animal Ears, Growing Mushrooms on One’s Head

Your Favorite Manga Visual Gags, Explained! – Sweat Drops, Sprouting Animal Ears, Growing Mushrooms on One’s Head

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Western comics have their own classic jokes and symbols that we can understand without even thinking about them: a lightbulb above the head representing a good idea, swear words replaced by nonsense symbols, eyes popping out of their sockets from surprise, etc. But Japanese comics have an entirely different set of visual gags based in a language and culture completely unfamiliar to us. Even if you’ve learned what many of them mean over time through exposure alone, have you ever wondered what exactly a sweat drop is supposed to be or why sad characters grow mushrooms on their heads?

[Honey's Crush Wednesday] 5 Tahomaru Highlights from Dororo

[Honey's Crush Wednesday] 5 Tahomaru Highlights from Dororo

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

In war-torn feudal Japan, Lord Daigo makes a deal with demons to bless his land with prosperity in exchange for the body parts of his firstborn son. The abandoned baby grows up to be Hyakkimaru, a blind and deaf wanderer with prosthetic limbs who hunts down demons in order to reclaim what was taken from him. Lord Daigo’s pampered second son, Tahomaru, eventually finds out about his long-lost brother when the land starts to lose its blessing and must decide whether or not he’s willing to sacrifice Hyakkimaru’s happiness for the sake of his people.

Top 10 Female Leads in Magical Girl Anime

Top 10 Female Leads in Magical Girl Anime

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

If there’s one anime genre where girls can shine as strong, capable protagonists, it’s the realm of magical girls. Here, even the youngest heroines can save the world with kindhearted determination and the power of friendship! More mature shows will work with struggles like overcoming grief, fighting against a prescribed fate, or maintaining hope in a hopeless situation.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at our Top 10 Female Leads in Magical Girl Anime, covering over 40 years of anime history and every flavor of subgenre from magical girl classic to surrealist deconstruction. Transform into your frilliest costume and join us!

Top 10 Female Leads in Superpower Anime

Top 10 Female Leads in Superpower Anime

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

It’s tough to find female protagonists in superpower anime, particularly within the testosterone-fueled shounen genre. But these wonderful women do exist, and we’re here today to talk about ten of our very favorites. They’re confident, capable, and can kick your ass into next week with their supernatural powers. Let’s check them out!

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