Backlash on the Recast
In an industry where whitewashing is common, casting minority actors in movies based on comics often results in ferocious backlash. What causes this reaction and what does it reveal about fans?
Artifact: Anime
Bury Your Gays
Many forms of media play into specific troupes. One such troupe is the killing off of LGBTQIA+ characters more quickly than others. When viewers see relatable characters fall to the axe much quicker than others, it seems that their lives are not as important and their stories are only used for emotional plot development. Queer…
Horror in Anime and Gaming
Today’s Zen and the Art Screaming examines the methods and techniques employed by Japanese content creators to produce unique horror that spans numerous genres.
J-Rock Invasion
A retrospect on the J-Pop, J-Rock, and Jazz fusion and other musical sub-genres featured in anime.
Bleaching the Kool-Aid
Representation matters, and how People of Color are represented in speculative fiction and pop culture matters even more. Join a former U.S Navy electrician, father, cosplayer and African American public speaker as we take a look at African American Stereotypes Appropriated in Fiction: Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy, and The Lone Ranger.
Bright Lights, Big City
An epic journey for our exclusive travel blog, examining various geeky and nerdy scenes. Today we’ll examine all the great opportunities New York City has for appreciating fandom.
Blaxploitation Throwbacks
Representation matters, and how People of Color are represented in speculative fiction and pop culture matters even more. Join a former Naval electrician, father, cosplayer and African American public speaker as we look back at some significant (signifying?) central characters and their contexts.
Courting Disaster – Series Conspectus
An overview of otaku and gamer fandoms, their interrelations, and engagement with pop culture. From GamerGate to syncretic mythology, to the underlying social justice issues, this telescopic lens will be aimed through the prism of intersectional feminism that pulls no punches and takes no prisoners. From Amazons to Zelda, we’re going to get gritty with…
Nuts and Bolts on the USS Defiant
An editorial blog “behind the scenes” of The Unconventional. A look at the sweat, blood and tears, techniques and ethos behind this journey. The raison d’être, DNA and agenda of this intellectual Mecha.
Fandom Without Borders – Series Conspectus
An epic journey for our exclusive travel blog, examining various geeky and nerdy scenes. From Japan and Ireland to major cities across the continental United States, join this whirlwind trek and partake of our robust sample of “local flavors”.