Befriending Death and Living An Authentic Existence — Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I found myself contemplating my own death. The pandemic took us all by surprise and wreaked havoc on our lives. In the past year, I wasn’t so afraid of it. Yes, infections rose day by day, but recovery rates are far higher than death tolls…

Beauty in Japanese philosophy — The other day, I met with a friend whom I had not seen for three years. He is one of my closest friends, and I felt joy when he asked to meet and catch up. When we met, he told me that 2022 wasn’t his favorite year. He added that…

How to Make the Most of Miyazaki’s Final Film — NOTE: This article contains spoilers from the book How Do You Live? Today, July 14, 2023, is the much-awaited date for Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki fans. Miyazaki’s (possibly) final film, How Do You Live? …

Finding Peace In What We Can’t Control — Last week, my brother and I went to Kyoto for vacation. Kyoto is famous for its Buddhist temples and serene traditional atmosphere, so I wanted to make the most of our trip. I also wanted to find time and meet a Japanese friend I met from a Language Exchange, so…

On Pursuing What You Love — INTRODUCTION & PLOT High school student Reki is passionate about skateboarding. Every night, he heads to “S,” an illegal underground race in a mine where skaters compete in dangerous situations. After he loses a match, his arm and skateboard end up broken. Because of his injury, Reki is now unable to practice. At…

On Accepting Who You Are — INTRODUCTION While Demon Slayer is an entertaining, heartfelt, and emotionally charged shounen anime, I didn’t think it would delve into heavier themes as it did in the Swordsmith Village Arc. One can argue, though, that the prior seasons: (1) Unwavering Resolve, (2) Mugen Train, and (3) Entertainment District Arcs are also…

On the Absurdity of Violence — INTRODUCTION A few weeks ago, I woke up to the news about Japan’s remilitarization initiatives. This was shocking to me because Japan held pacifist views for the longest time as they learned the destructive effects and long-term repercussions of war the hard way. As rumors of an impending World War III…

On Learning To Walk Again — INTRODUCTION & PLOT Garden of Words follows Yukari Yukino, a 27-year-old high school teacher, and Takao Akizuki, a 15-year-old high school student, as they cope with the mental strains of their situations. On a rainy morning, Takao Akizuki, an aspiring shoemaker, skips class to sketch designs…

On Accepting Whatever Happens — INTRODUCTION “If only I could … I would finally be happy.” Most, if not all of us, have fallen into this kind of thinking. We associate the attainment of our desires as the remedy to our dissatisfaction. Most of the time, however, we end up unfulfilled even if we get what…