hyperbolehyde!

Hard to remember that there was once a time in which I barely knew that the Japanese had contributed anything to world culture other than Noh plays, origami and Kero-kero-keroppi. Then I started watching anime.

It all went downhill from there.

As a product of The New Criticism - that is, I heard a bit of modern literary theory and promptly twisted it into a personal credo - I believe that popular culture can have its own semiotic worth as much as 'great literature'. Which is a flashy way of saying "I'm pretentious. Love me.". I like theorising about things and approportioning meaning in its absence: fleshing out worlds, geeking over symbolism, finding cultural criticism in the most unlikely places. Anime, Manga and RPGs are /perfect/ for this.

Without further ado, I present hyperbolehyde!: a textbook definition of why it's a bad idea to let kids like me near stuff like this, and chock-full of spoilers.

life in a glasshouse

Shoujo Kakumei Utena, the anime:
Flowers, castles, princes and princesses, and more crack than is good for anyone.

the punch and judy show

Cowboy Bebop, the anime:
Beats and the blues; spaceships and satellites; sexy artillery and attractive lighters. Yes, that's right, it's time for Bounty Hunting In Space.

(oh, it's hard to be in love)

the miscellany:
Essays, disturbed mumbling and shrines for other anime and manga.

nightmares by the sea

Final Fantasy viii, the rpg:
Sorceresses, Guardian Forces, memory, self-determination, isolationism. And no romance. Well, not the kind you'd expect, anyway.