TV TV Articles

It’s time for… some piracy!: Examining fictional pirates in animation

Earlier this month, there was news that a new spinoff sequel of Steven Universe was in production, entitled Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars. Animation Magazine described protagonist Lars Barriga as an “eternal teenager and space outlaw.” It said that the series will follow him “and his pirate crew” as they “smuggle contraband, evade the authorities, and […]

TV TV Articles

“The King is the crime!”: Commoners, royalty, and animated depictions of monarchy

Over forty-four years ago, on September 3, 1980, the series finale of the now-classic Rose of Versailles, entitled “Adieu, My Beloved Oscar,” aired on Japanese television. It depicted revolutionary leader Louis Saint-Just telling an assembly of Frenchmen, in 1792, that “the King’s own existence is itself an unforgivable crime” and “The King is the crime!” […]

Film Film Reviews

Love Me Review

The core theme of Love Me destined it to be labeled a pandemic-era movie. While Americans had already been experiencing epidemic levels of loneliness in the late 2010s, the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns highlighted what was already there while deepening that isolation. We were drowning in a preponderance of think pieces and studies […]