Death *heart* Hello Kitty, originally uploaded by mind on fire.

A photo commentary on the export of various Japanese media phenomena and the increasing incorporation of anime and manga-inspired sexist and escapist fantasy elements into American popular culture
Pictures of anime babes and stuff.

[Read more →]

When I was seventeen, I had this conviction that my high school was better than yours. I held this cherished belief even though Vacaville kicked our asses in wrestling every year (metaphorically, because even though you drag your opponent’s elbow against his testicles, no kicking is allowed) and cross-town rival Armijo sent their best […]

[Read more →]

Kitsune is the sly and shape-changing Japanese fox.
Neko Case is a Seattle punk rocker turned alt-country crooner. It could be just me, but her Ukrainian heritage isn’t evident in her name. Before I ever heard her incredible voice, I was drawn to her name: Neko means “cat” in Japanese. The title song […]

[Read more →]

I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so busy.  I applied to a prestigious writer’s workshop last night.  I should hear back in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll reveal more details then, for better or for worse.
Reading takes time, and since my free reading time is at a premium,  books are investments.  I’d rather […]

[Read more →]

Detail from the Scroll of Hungry Ghosts showing ghosts devouring corpses in a graveyard. Click to see the full image.
A few years back, I took a graduate course called “Japanese Ghosts.” It was a fascinating blend of cultural, folklore, literary, feminist, political and religious studies. One article argued against the common assumption […]

[Read more →]

I’ve been quoted by Andrew Sullivan on the Daily Dish again. The first time was for my specialist linguistic knowledge. Today I drew on my rich bi-cultural heritage to provide an explanation of the following picture:

Andrew Sullivan averages nearly 75,000 visits each day, which is about 74,963 more than I get at Mind […]

[Read more →]

My brother forwarded a link to this video, which sent me into the worst case of cubicle giggles I’ve had in years.

[Read more →]

Forty years today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously against state anti-miscegenation laws. I’m too tired to analyze this right now, but I wanted to acknowledge that I’m the child of a mixed-race marriage, and though I rarely think of it in this way, I guess you could say I’m in a mixed-race marriage […]

[Read more →]

I’m not sure what it is about this video, but I’ve watched it dozens of times in the past week:

Every bit of this video is dense with artistry–the expressions on the father’s and the grandma’s faces and the stories embedded in them, the lines of the apartments in the background, the washed out coloring. […]

[Read more →]