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The Exotic Food in Shokugeki no Soma

In the Shokugeki no Soma anime, we can see a diversity of delicious dishes from around the world with exotic ingredients, in one chapter they prepared "Causa Limeña" a famous Peruvian dish prepared with potatoes and seafood. Do you think this anime encourages you to cook and learn about international cuisine?

  • Whoever writes this should compare the "exotic" foods, as well as look at who the chefs are (are they international chefs? Why did they choose this dish?). Also, see if any interest in international cooking was sparked in Japan when this anime aired. – OkaNaimo0819 5 years ago
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Isao Takahata doesn't get enough respect

Because Hayao Miyazaki has been the most well known renowned figure of studio Ghibli, many people sometimes forget that he's not the only ingenious individual at work. Isao Takahata the co-founder of studio Ghibli has also made many good films amongst them some are on a par with Hayao Miyazakis work and some of them even greater than Miyazaki features. Don't you think?

  • I think if anyone is taking this topic, they should explain who Hayao Miyazki and Isao and Takahata are as not a lot of people know the Ghubli studio. Indigenous films should be talked about more. Can't wait to see how this article goes. – Amelia Arrows 5 years ago
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  • For anyone thinking of taking on this topic suggestion, I'd recommend first reading an article published in the Artifice on 1st April 2018, written by Matchbox: https://the-artifice.com/isao-takahata-retrospective/ It addresses the issues raised above. On a personal note - I'd love to see more written about Isao Takahata. A fascinating character in his own right. – Amyus 5 years ago
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What does Mob Psycho 100 say about individuals?

Mob Psycho 100 is a series from the creators of One Punch Man. Focusing on the title character of Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama. Mob is a esper, he learns as a child that his powers are link to his emotional state. As a result he is emotionally muted and appears with a blank expression. He has no friends (in the beginning) and is social awkward. In contrast, the character of Reigen is the opposite of Mob.

Reigen is the boss and master of Mob. He is a con man, whom, uses the power of his words to manipulate his clients into believing he is helping them with their problems. A common theme that is brought up in the series is the idea that Mob's psychic powers are one aspect of him and he is no better than other's. Reigen believes that his powers are really no different from someone who can sing, dance or play a sport. Basically, everyone has something special about them.

Explore the theme from the series, that we all are special in different ways. Question what the difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is. Explore how the various characters, specifically, Mob and Reigen display the theme.

  • Yes, so much yes. The idea of "being the protagonist of your own story" is a great theme to delve into, as well as the emotional lessons of the story. I would also touch on additional characters and how they negotiate having powers, i.e. being special, with their level of emotional maturity. Ristu, Serizawa, Sho, Hanazawa, and Toichiro all cope with being "special" in healthy and unhealthy ways. I'd be very excited to read a piece about this. – Eden 5 years ago
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The Depiction of Religion In Anime

Religion is an important orienting concept for societies so it is not surprising that anime has often dealt with it in many different forms. An article examining religion in Attack n Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist and D Gray Man would help provide for exciting reading. One could look at either the depiction of the organisation or religious themes within them.

  • That would be an interesting article. Especially in how Christianity is portrayed (or referenced). – OkaNaimo0819 5 years ago
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  • You might add Avatar: The Last Airbender to that list. Hindu and Buddhist concepts are all over that, not to mention the usage of the elements (I'm not sure what religion that's tied to exactly, but I have seen it in a lot of fantasy/anime-type literature and movies). – Stephanie M. 5 years ago
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The Religious Politics of Hellsing Ultimate

Examine the religious politics of Hellsing Ultimate and how the conflict between the Protestants (The Hellsing Organization) and the Catholics (The Iscariot Organization) impacts the narrative and echoes past and current real life tensions. Possible real life issues to explore are the differences between Protestant and Catholic doctrines and the cultural influence of the Protestant Reformation, especially in England, given that the main setting of Hellsing is London.

  • This looks like it would be a great topic and help promote Japanese anime for those of us who are not familiar with it but would love to learn. – Munjeera 9 years ago
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The Portrayal of Demons in Anime

Demons are quite common in anime, whether it's the sexy Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler or the lovable Inuyasha from the anime of the same name. In fact, demons are more common in mainstream anime than angels. And when they do interact, it's usually the demons that come out as the good guy. Why is that the case? What appeal do demons have? What are some other portrayals of demons?

Note: You can focus on just humanoid demons, like Sebastian and Rin Okumura from Blue Exorcist, or you can expand it to include Inuyasha and creatures like Kurama from the Naruto series. For an additional challenge, you can also include interactions between angels and demons, like Sebastian and Ash/Angela, and compare the characters.

  • I was also curious where the story of "the demon lord" came from? Is this a folklore thing? – Busyotaku 5 years ago
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Why Is Anime So Popular in the West?

What do Western audiences (Canada and Europe as well as America) find so appealing in anime? Analyze and compare the more popular/recent series and see what conclusions you make with them.
An additional challenge would be to compare the anime are more popular in the West with the anime that are more popular in Japan. Or, if that is too difficult, then compare the genres that are more popular/well-known in the East and West.
e.g. Is My Hero Academia as big in Japan as it is in America? What about Death Note?
You can also research less mainstream anime that is big in either Japan or the West.

  • I generally agree with the comments made by M.L.Flood, but please be a little less ameri-centric. The 'West' consists of more countries than just America and Canada. – Amyus 5 years ago
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  • I like the topic so much and I think that approaching why certain anime are more popular in the West and why others are more popular in Japan would be interesting as well. There may be cultural and social reasons for it. Other than that, great topic! – MC07 5 years ago
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Revenge in Anime

Vinland Saga began it's first animated season this summer. The series focuses on Thorfinn Thorsson, as he embarks on a quest of revenge. His father, Thors is killed by Askeladd. Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band of Vikings, waiting for the day that he's strong enough to kill Askeladd in a duel. Revenge is a common theme in anime. Analyse how revenge is depicted, what are the effects on the main character and secondary ones.

Consider comparing and contrasting how the theme is presented in anime. You could focus on popular series like Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan, Kill La Kill, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Goblin Slayer. Some of these series are more violent than others. How does this effect the depiction of revenge? What happened that warrants revenge? Are the characters justified? Do they attempt revenge in different ways? Do they succeed? Are they all sympathetic figures? Finally, how does the pursuit of vengeance change them.

  • When it comes to the topic of revenge in anime, it often leads to characters going through radical changes in their demeanor and motivation (take Sasuke from Naruto or Eren Jaeger in Attack on Titan). When analyzing this topic, it's important to compare and contrast the differences these characters have when they perform an action that was based on their vengeful behavior. – CAngeloCruz 5 years ago
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  • A classic revenge story with hands down the most cultural impact is Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. There's an an anime adaption of it called Gankutsuou and it does a wonderful job of reinterpreting Edmund Dantes' story of retribution amidst a futuristic setting where it's planet Earth vs. an encroaching alien empire. It definitely contributes a different perspective to how revenge is portrayed in anime and I think it shouldn't be ignored in an analysis of said topic. – darthzia 5 years ago
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  • Naruto... – OkaNaimo0819 5 years ago
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