The Solitary (Window-)Shopper: 8 Enormous Benefits of (Window-)Shopping Alone Regularly
Shopping is often perceived as a social activity, where companionship adds to the experience – moreover, in an age dominated by social media and constant connectivity, the idea of spending time alone is often overlooked and/or undervalued. But engaging in activities like shopping or window-shopping alone can offer a multitude of benefits, both tangible and […]
Anne of Green Gables (1979): Life as a Fairy-Tale of Hope
The 52 episodes of the television animation series Anne of Green Gables (literally translated as “Red-Haired Anne” or “Anne with Red Hair”) were released by Nippon Animation in 1979 as part of the widely cross-themed animation project “The Theater of World-Masterpieces”. Shortly after its release, the television animation series Anne of Green Gables turned […]
Nonconformist Family Saga: Miyazaki Hayao’s Spirited Away (2001)
Considered the most successful cinema release in Japanese history, grossing over $396 million worldwide, Spirited Away (『千と千尋の神隠し』, literally Sen and Chihiro’s Sudden Disappearance, 2001) overtook Titanic (at the time the top-grossing movie worldwide) in the Japanese box office to become the highest-grossing movie in Japanese history with a 31.68 JPY billion in total, as […]
The Science of Toxic Love
Seductive Productivity and the Hijacking of Humans’ Adaptive Systems Toxic love refers to a relationship dynamic characterized by emotional manipulation, dependency, control, and a lack of mutual respect: while healthy love is generally marked by care, empathy, and growth, toxic love fosters resentment, insecurity, and emotional turmoil. Importantly, the behaviors which constitute toxic love […]
Beyond Orientalism: Magnetic Rose (1995)
When the tripartite animation production Memories was released in 1995, it shattered the Japanese audiences due to its unexpected ideological and aesthetical revelations, and despite a rather moderate box-office success. The short animation movie Magnetic Rose is the first part of this production. Besides Magnetic Rose (Kanojo no Omoide, literal translation: “Her Memories”) which […]
Turning-Point Experiments: Miyazaki Hayao’s Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Released in 2004 and loosely based on the 1986 eponymous novel published by English author Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011), Howl’s Moving Castle 『ハウルの動く城』 is a Japanese animated fantasy movie directed by Miyazaki Hayao, produced by Suzuki Toshio, released by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd. Initially, Hosoda Mamoru 細田守 (born 1967) was […]
At Peace with Myself: 6 Massive Benefits of Being Quietly Happy
Happiness is a universal pursuit, often portrayed as a loud, exuberant state, characterized by visible expressions of joy, excitement, and enthusiasm – yet the ways in which we experience and express it can vary greatly: while some may associate happiness with outward displays of joy, others find contentment in a more subdued, quiet happiness. […]
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
Identity, Legacy and Compassion in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019): An In-Depth Analysis of the Hero’s Journey Released in 2019, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the third and final installment of the beloved How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, directed by Dean DeBlois, continues to captivate audiences […]
Hôhokekyo: My Neighbours, the Yamadas (1999): Optimism as Healing
It is crucial to learn to move with the flow of times and to experience life as an eternal celebration despite or precisely due to its difficulties and disappointments: The animation film Hôhokekyo: My Neighbours, the Yamadas 『ホーホケキョ・となりの山田くん』 Hôhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun (1999) talks in a warmhearted, gentle, and simultaneously serious manner of the […]
Post-Apocalyptic Reunions: Wolf’s Rain (2003)
Released in 2003 as a 26-episode television animation series and four original video animation (OVA) by Bones Studio under the direction of Okamura Tensai on Fuji TV and the animation CS television network Animax, Wolf’s Rain ranked third among anime series airing simultaneously, such as Air Master and Dear Boys. Wolf’s Rain focuses on […]