Aoi and Hinata’s Journey: A Retrospective on Encouragement of Climb Seasons 1-3

As busy as life has been for me these past several months, I’ve come to cherish even more the interludes of calm between all the little storms. One oasis that soothes me time and time again is this season’s continuation of Encouragement of Climb, the third in its series.

As the title implies, this is a journey along the trails and mountains of Japan as presented by a group of girls of varying skills and styles. We began with Aoi, but have since met with many others over the course of their adventures. Encouragement of Climb has always been about more than just the physical climb; it encompasses our characters’ personalities and their relationships not just within their immediate circles, but also with the people around them.

[OWLS] Food Wars! When the Mentor becomes the Student

It’s been a long journey with Soma Yukihira through the gauntlet that is Totsuki Academy: three seasons and countless meals served up to our pleasure. Through it all, Soma’s experience growing up in Yukihira’s kitchen gives him the inspiration to improve. His father, Joichiro Saiba, is a constant figure in those memories, a man looked up to by many, while simultaneously viewed as a hurdle on Soma’s path to becoming the best chef. We also see Saiba in Erina’s childhood as one of her rare moments of happiness. When adults in the culinary world, academic as well as professional, speak of Saiba, it’s with a tone of awe and, often, fear. What happens when such a man falters, when the person you look up to most in the world vanishes?

Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori’s Touch of Quality

One of the least-discussed shows of this season is Yotsuiro Biyori, a show centering on a Japanese tea shop called Rokuhoudou and the people who pass through its doors. The owner and employees who tend the shop and the people they encounter share their stories from episode to episode in ways that will bring a smile to your face and quell the ailing heart. This, like so many others, is a story about stories. A big part of how Rokuhoudou is able to succeed is thanks to the hard work put in by its staff and the pride they take in their work. No effort is wasted, be it finding just the right ingredient and technique for a new dessert, or recommending the correct item for a customer who at times needs more than to fill their stomach.

[OWLS Blog Tour: “Movement”] Boruto and a New Time for Shinobi

I haven’t talked about it much on Anime B&B, but I’ve recently become a fan of Boruto: Next Generations despite never having watched or read Naruto. By the time I began watching anime in college, the original series already seemed too far along to try and follow. I also had the misconception of inferiority of any long-running shonen series like Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. It’s been a long time since then, and my tastes and views have widened considerably. Now I’m fully invested in Boruto’s story, and constantly wondering about events that occurred during Naruto’s school days and whether or not the Hidden Leaf of today is truly a more prosperous place than the Hidden Leaf of yesterday.

Anime Tunes to Push My Pen

Several years ago when my dream shifted from teaching others how to write to creating something of my own to share, writing about anime started as a way for me to keep my chops sharp. No writing session was without music—I needed it to focus and get into my flow of thought. Much of the music I listened to back then remains with me to this day, though I have added to the playlist over the years. If you have the time, I encourage you to listen to the works I link in this post.