Category: Essays

On Satan, Gender, and Representation

[UPDATE: 11/2023 I wrote this post a few years ago, when I was going through something of a "they/them are the only valid nonbinary pronouns" phase, which I've since grown out of. I'm leaving this intact for posterity, but he/him and they/them are both perfectly fine choices for Satan.] Part I - Angelic Identity Politics … Continue reading On Satan, Gender, and Representation →

A Close Reading of Ichikawa Haruko’s “A 25-Hour Vacation”

Ichikawa Haruko is best known as the creator of Land of the Lustrous, but before that manga began publication, she published a number of one-shots which were collected in a two-volume edition simply titled Ichikawa Haruko Collection. These one-shots wound up being used as fodder for a rather infamous tumblr callout post accusing her of … Continue reading A Close Reading of Ichikawa Haruko’s “A 25-Hour Vacation” →

Shin Devilman, More Like SHIT Devilman

Let me be honest: I am not fond of Shin Devilman. For those blissfully unaware, Shin is a one-volume spinoff of the original manga drawn by Go Nagai and written by his novelist brother Yasutaka, serialized from 1979-1981, in which Akira and Ryo travel through time and confront demons in various historical contexts. Unfortunately, it's … Continue reading Shin Devilman, More Like SHIT Devilman →

“You know I’m a…”: On the Value of Liberal Translation

This post contains major spoilers for every iteration of Devilman. Devilman completed serialization in 1973, and didn't receive an official English translation until 2018, meaning that for approximately 50 years, the only version available to people who didn't speak Japanese (and even those who did, but couldn't get their hands on copies of the original) … Continue reading “You know I’m a…”: On the Value of Liberal Translation →