Take a flight of fancy with this under-the-radar gem. Annie (@annieothername) and Jeff (@jeffinitelyjeff) were kind enough to invite me onto their podcast Love It Or Weeb It to talk (and talk!) (and talk!!) about one of my all-time favorite anime, The Eccentric Family. Join us for a lively discussion of mythology, femme fatales, and adorable tanuki. No hot pots allowed. You can listen to the episode or keep reading for the full transcript. Transcript: Love it Or Weeb It, “The Eccentric Family” DEE: Jeff, stop trying to eat the tanuki! [Intro music] ANNIE: Hello and welcome to Love It or Weeb ..read more

The Summer of Saiunkoku continues, this time in article form! Once upon a time, a poor little girl named Hong Shurei did not dream of marrying a prince. Instead, Shurei saw the struggles of the people around her and dreamed of becoming a civil servant—an impossible dream, for women were banned from public office. Yet when the law changed to allow her entry, Shurei soon learned her dream was not without its nightmares, for deep-seated prejudices loomed everywhere she looked, and these were not the sort of monsters one could draw a sword and slay. Despite its fantastical shoujo settin ..read more

Let’s put some shine on this buried treasure. I was beyond delighted when Ashley (@AshMcD00) invited me on to Shojo & Tell to talk about one of my favorite series: The Story of Saiunkoku, a.k.a. “the shoujo gem that time forgot.” Hear us gush about Shurei, marvel at wild plot twists, discuss the manga’s feminist undercurrents, and pick our favorite pretty boys. You can listen to the episode or keep reading for the full transcript. Transcript: Shojo & Tell, “The Story of Saiunkoku” ASHLEY: Welcome to Shojo and Tell, where we discuss shoujo manga and tell who’s hot and who’s not, talk a ..read more

Set in 1900 England, Goodbye, My Rose Garden tells the story of the young noblewoman Alice and her maid Hanako as the two connect over their shared passion for fiction and eventually fall in love. Steeped in references to the history and literature of the Victorian era, the series draws on turn-of-the-century reality and fantasy alike to highlight the intersectional struggles of queer women of the period. Utilizing the narrative devices of early feminist and women-loving-women (wlw) literature, Rose Garden encourages its audience to expect a melancholy love story. How ..read more

Over the decades, the number of fantastical stories starring female characters has slowly but significantly risen. As that number has gone up, so too have the number of lady action heroes. Girls and women are no longer relegated to the roles of “white mage” or “brainiac”; they can sling spells, slay vampires, and punch supervillains in the face right alongside the menfolk. And this is a good thing… for the most part. But the ability to enact violence shouldn’t be the only way we measure someone’s value. It’s important to showcase a variety of roles—not just soldiers, but politicians, doctors ..read more

Created as an anime-original project in 1998, Princess Nine spends the first three-quarters of its 26-episode run with an often spot-on understanding of the sexism girls and women face when trying to enter traditionally masculine fields. Through its narrative and characters, it challenges gender norms and argues for female participation both in boys’ sports and adult leadership positions. Unfortunately, the series falls into its own sexist assumptions in the last act, becoming mired in a melodramatic love triangle and undercutting its progressive messaging in the process. It ma ..read more

No witch left behind. Witch Hat Atelier begins with the premise that “anyone can become a witch” and then spends practically every volume introducing us to someone who’s been told “no, actually, you can’t,” whether because of their family, their learning speed or style, their physical abilities, or their mental health. Thankfully, the series always proves these naysayers wrong, telling hopeful stories not about “overcoming” differences, but working with and even embracing them. Using its “magical school” premise, Witch Hat Atelier explores diversity among students and argues fo ..read more

Bring on the lovers, liars, and clowns! Caitlin, Vrai, and I dust off some obscure musical references and recommend a slew of comedy series to help give you a little reprieve from the whole… well, Everything going on in the world nowadays. From the wacky to the sweet, the school life to the pet life, there’s something for everyone in this batch of feel-good comics. Click here to view the show notes and download the SoundCloud file, or find it on iTunes and Stitcher by searching for “Chatty AF.” Wanna help make AniFem happen on the page and in your ear? Consider becoming a patron for as l ..read more

A season so strong, it’s not just bueno. Vrai, Peter, and I team up again for the Winter 2020 retrospective. This season was chock full of good pets, great girls, and cheeky ghosts, so take notes and get ready to binge! Click here to view the show notes and download the SoundCloud file, or find it on iTunes and Stitcher by searching for “Chatty AF.” Wanna help make AniFem happen on the page and in your ear? Consider becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month ..read more

In which I finally, truly understand the concept of “Best Girl.” After a somewhat rocky start, Toradora soars with a fantastic school festival arc that had us all blinking back more than a few happy tears. Click here to view the show notes and download the SoundCloud file, or find it on iTunes and Stitcher by searching for “Chatty AF.” Wanna help make AniFem happen on the page and in your ear? Consider becoming a patron for as little as $1 a month ..read more