Contributing writer for The Artifice.
Junior Contributor III
The hit or miss quality of Manga to live-actionThough I am personally unfamiliar with the larger catalog of examples available, there seems to be a hit-or-miss quality to Manga transitioning to live-action shows and movies. It seems on average the live-action shows that are not action based are able to capture the essence of the original work. As an example, Netflix's "The Makanai" is based on a Japanese manga named Maiko-san chi no makanai-san, first published in 2016 by Aiko Koyama and has been praised for its accurate representation. In contrast, Oldboy and Dragonball flopped both with critics and the original fans. Is the ability to transition these works to screen dependent on the source genre, the director/script, or on trying to reshape it to appeal to a western audience? It seems the more gentle, low-risk mangas succeed in adaptations whereas action mangas fall short. Is this a cultural failing or an industry failing? And if they were adapted more accurately, would they succeed to a global audience? |
Fantasy and Historical ErasIt is interesting to note how certain genres or styles are inexplicably linked to specific eras in history. For example, fantasy video games, movies, shows or franchises such as the Witcher, Game of Thrones, and others are often stylized to reflect Medieval era.
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One More Time For The Cheap Seats In The Back:The Concept of the RebootAnalysis on the joys and failings of the reboot, addressing all female reboots, sequals, or revivals, such as Oceans 8, Gilmore Girls Revival, Twin Peaks revival, etc. It is easy to be swept up in the excitement on nostalgia, but it often doesn't deliver. Lets look at why we cant always take that fuzzy feeling to the bank, by observing the box office reports as well as the public response and universal criticisms found in most of these films. |
The Persistent Allure of Victorian Literature | |
I genuinely appreciate the delve into not only the societal, but cultural implications that come with this film. As a fan of old movies (including this one) its difficult to watch them and divorce yourself from modern awareness. We can get caught up in the romantization of the presentation and miss the underlying problems. Similar can be said of the cultural stereotypes rampant in films that are often played for laughs, mainly than anyone “foreign” is shifty and untrustworthy, but in presentation of the actual culture and complex identity it’ll be interesting to see the narratives of representation be widened. | The Quiet Man: A Classic with a Lot to Say |
I really appreciate the diversity of the list, proving that good literature is good literature no matter the age or genre. Any book can be used as an example and guide for good writing or as a balm in crisis, or as an inspiration. | Books That Will Leave A Lasting Impression on Its Reader |
It can be argued that the Victorian era was the first time the literary world indulged in genre. In the past there was non-fiction, moral fable, and religious, with the latter two sometimes merging into one. Here there was the birth of variety, and enough of it to supply multiple works within each genre. Its a fascinating boom of drama and intrigue and mystery that that took old concepts of storytelling, but adapted them in “modern” ways.