Dark academia is more popular than ever before — a blend of literary fiction and genre fiction, gothic and grounded. Dark academia books come in many styles, but they all share the theme of, well, dark academia. Putting a firm definition of dark academia can be tricky but it generally involves places of higher education, …
The medium of manga (and comic books in general) is in a unique position to deliver horror to its readers like no other medium can, blurring the lines between prose that fuels the imagination and films that fling the terror at you in full force. You only need to flick through some of the best …
Representation saves lives. For non-cisgender people, finding fiction and nonfiction that speaks to our feelings and lived experiences is important, uplifting, and validating. As a non-binary reader and writer, feeling seen and inspired by non-binary books has changed everything for me, and it can do the same for you. Essential Non-Binary Books to Read What …
The world wars are a fertile creative ground for literature. The politics, drama, trauma, and action of World Wars 1 & 2 provide the perfect backdrop for big themes and philosophical questions. This is evident by the sheer number of best books on World War 1 & 2 that are out there for us to …
The 2020 Netflix anime Beastars turned a lot of heads upon its release. Created by the animation studio Orange, Beastars stood out as being, arguably, the first great 3D animated anime series. Beastars also utilised experimental voice recording and sound engineering, a stunning jazz soundtrack, a beautiful stop-motion OP, and complex philosophical debates wrapped up …
There is no end to the surrealism, the beauty, the variety found in Japanese literature. Japanese authors and stories expose the human heart; they travel through time and place and dreams. And the best of these tales can be found in Japanese short story collections. Many of the best Japanese authors, known for their award-winning …
For several years now, YA fantasy authors have carved out a beloved and celebrated niche in the world of fantasy and science fiction literature. YA fantasy books stand on their own in this crowded genre, attracting fans new and old. However, like its parent genre, YA fantasy has also become a bustling space. Thus, separating …
Alongside Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Jujutsu Kaisen is the biggest name in shounen manga and anime right now. Many, myself included, have praised it for revitalising the shounen space and ushering in a new age of shounen. When you watch or read Jujutsu Kaisen, you’re experiencing something wholly new; something that wears its inspiration …
Boys’ love manga (BL manga), like other romance manga, is an all-encompassing genre. You will find anything from fantasy to your standard slice of life stories. As the name suggests, the stories in Boys’ Love manga are always about a romantic relationship between two boys (or men). These manga often also often have a larger …
Much like how Netflix ushered in a new Golden Age of TV, a similar age has hit the world of shonen manga and anime. Every decade or so, we’ve had a wave of instant classic shonen manga, but the past few years has seen a real revelation. From future classics like Demon Slayer and Hell’s …