Hi, do you recall how long the application/interview process was for your VIZ internship experience? I applied for the editorial internship exactly a week ago but I haven't heard anything from them at all. I'm really scared they simply overlooked my application even though I'm really confident that I am a great candidate for the position. Thanks a lot!

Sorry if this is beyond late to be irrelevant, but if anyone ever needs to know the answer for this again, I received a reply literally the next day after emailing in my resume and cover letter.

Now, this was four years ago at this point and before they offered a wage for interns i.e. when their internship program was less popular. I also got lucky and applied out of sync with their internship program (I was on a quarter system and applied in February, when most of the other interns had already been selected). But if you haven't heard back from them after a couple weeks, they probably passed on you.

Sorry again if this is super belated, and just keep applying! Worst case scenario, they remember who you are and give you a chance. 

Hey you! Thank you for this blog. I was wondering if its possible to make an internship as a foreigner? I'm currently studying Japanese Studies and I'm a graduate in B.A. Graphic Design. I'm looking for a design internship abroad after I'm done with university. Does VizMedia accept those kinds of applycants like me?

Uh.. hello. Sorry if you were waiting on the answer for a while, whoever you are.

To answer your question, I would have to say maybe? From the way you worded it, it doesn't sound like you're from the U.S. and VIZ will definitely not fly you into the country just to work. VIZ only accepts student interns who are working towards a four year degree or are receiving college credit for their work, so unless you plan to further your education in the States, you'd probably have more luck applying to do some freelance stuff for them.

I should also state for the record that the hiring process has changed greatly. It looks like VIZ is much less reliant of interns, and it seems the popularity of their program has only gone up. The entire company is completely different from my time there, so my experience will inevitably become less and less helpful to you. All that said, it is definitely worth a shot. Being less relevant means that I'm more likely to be wrong, after all.

Oregairu Review - Episode 7

I made the n00b move of writing this review and then saving it as a draft for my own tumblr. By the time I noticed my mistake, it was too late to publish. But after reading it, it still holds up as decent, so I figured I would publish it here. It won't make much sense unless you've been following my Oregairu reviews on Population GO, so unless you're watching it on your own, I suggest going back and reading those.

You've gotta be kidding me. How does Hachiman have a better text notification than I do?

––––

I kinda wish this anime would stop preying on my incredibly depressing and embarrassing past. The frequency with which I empathize with any one character in this show is alarming. I hope (wish) that this isn't an individual issue because as far as I can see, Oregairu does at least tackle phenomena that happens in the real world. This week's spotlight is on the ostracized loner, something that is identifiable on some level for everyone, I'm sure. Still, it wouldn't be so unsettling if the tone of the episodes weren't so blunt and awkward. The actual dialogue doesn't seem like there would be this weird tension between all the characters, but the overall effect makes me cringe with second hand embarrassment. Mix in my actual embarrassment from having to relive some of my unsavory memories, and you have a show that is almost as big of a pain to watch as it is a pleasure.

The conflict between the Service Club and the popular kids is starting to feel like another one of those truer than life type deals. It's just one of those things that people coming from one point of view don't work well with those that come from another. Hayato's willingness to help doesn't mean he's particularly helpful, and Yumiko's pragmatic approach to getting Rumi to make friends doesn't really account for Rumi. The Service Club is not any better. Yukino's obstinate attitude is really just proving how unhelpful and aggravating having a know-it-all around can be. And then there's Hachiman's hemming and hawing about whatever he's taking offense to this time. Really, the only ones who are primed and ready to help are the characters that didn't really say anything at the round table discussion. Shame that they won't do it, but at least the group as a whole isn't completely off course. 

I know I'm going to regret saying this, but Oregairu might be the realest anime I have ever watched. That might become a good thing, but for now it just makes this show feel like a near perfect snapshot of every awkward moment of my life. And let me just say I am not grateful for it.

GO Rating: 2.5/5

This was just too cool to not share. It's brilliance condensed into a single song.

Tsuki Hana by nano.ripe (Hataraku Maou-sama! ED) x Drop it Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg

Hello, I just came across this blog in the process of applying to Viz Media's Marketing Internship for the spring and I was wondering if you could share your experience and advice on the application and interview process? If you still remember, that is, haha :) Thank you!

Sure, no problem!

Firstly, probably best to read some answers to similar questions here and here.

The second thing I probably have to say is that VIZ Media is now a very different company than when I interned there. The building and the people are the same, but the focus of the company has shifted a bit. The goals are very different and completely restructured. I know for a fact that the Marketing Department went through a major restructuring and might not be the same place I left. This is neither a good nor bad thing, just take my experiences with a grain of salt. 

Okay so, the competition for these internships has gotten a lot tougher from what I can gather, mainly because VIZ is now offering a wage which is something they implemented May 2012. What this means for you is that you need to make sure your resume is top notch. Previous work in an office setting is very good; anything clerical or other internships you've held before. Make sure you mention your interest in anime/manga if you have one. Basically sell yourself as well as you can and make it worth their time to hire you. The interview process was also fairly straight forward. If they think you're a match (very big if, made worse by a rather slow HR department), you will be asked to come in and interview. Pretty typical for an in person interview, so nothing worth noting there except learn how to behave during an interview.

Probably the hardest part of getting the internship is proving you're enrolled in a university course. You must give proof that you are a student and that you are actually earning college credit with the internship. I can't see this part changing much, and this was by far the most complicated part of the internship. VIZ didn't offer me the position until I got that sorted, so make sure you're ready to move back and forth between your school and your HR person. 

My last bit of advice is to be someone with a bit of seniority. Almost every one of the interns I met during my internship were fourth years about to graduate. This was probably because they were more experienced and have held previous internships or jobs before working at VIZ. So if you are younger than say 22, you are really going to have to work on making a stellar resume.

Let me know if you ever need more info and/or if you get the job. Non-anon, of course. I may have more information that I can't remember now if you ask later.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun Episode 1 - So if you read the premise for this show, the blurb says:

Mizutani Shizuku is the type of person who only cares for her own grades. But when she accidentally delivers lesson notes to Yoshida Haru, he becomes convinced they are friends. 

Now, if you're like me, you might have thought this sounded really stupid. Really stupid. Yet when you watch it happen, it works. And not just works; hits it out of the park. Because your instinct is totally right. It's a stupid premise. But they make it funny and cute and kooky enough that it just works. I imagine it's what Kimi ni Todoke is like with more comedy. Really the voices have a lot to do with it. For whatever reason, the VAs just sell this series so well. It's bright and mellow and just a great show visually. This is a really solid showing and I'm actually looking forward to watching these characters. 

Just check it out because it looks really promising. I mean, it has to be if I brought back this tired format, right?

Fansub: Horrible Subs Season: Fall 2012

Japanophiles - Can You Blame Them?

For those who don’t know, the word “Japanophile” has been thrown around for a very long time. As early as the 18th century, Europe was in love with Japan and its finer aspects of their culture (art, flora, etc.) Many Europeans appreciated how amazing the people were collectively. America didn’t get really affected by Japanophilia until the 1960s’, when American businessmen admired the Japanese way of doing business. At the same time, Japanese cartoons began to enter the American market. As the popularity of anime and other aspects of Japanese pop culture grew, a generation of non-Japanese fans who developed love and great appreciation towards Japan was born. In the West, a Japanophile (or weeaboo) would be considered someone who is unusually obsessed with anime/manga/video games, tries to incorporate Japanese words into their speech (e.g. SHE IS SO KAWAII DESU UGUU), and thinks extremely highly of Japan despite possibly never being there. The proper meaning of a Japanophile, however, is someone who has a huge interest in ANY aspect of Japanese culture. 

Hardcore Japanophiles do get a lot of hate sometimes, but can we blame them? Western audiences tend to find anything on the Eastern side of the world to be quite exotic. Though there are specific reasons on why certain folks love Japan so much. A Quora user responded to the “Why are so many people Japanophiles?” question with his reasons below:

Preservation of tradition and culture. Not that other countries are lackadaisical on these, but it is easy to perceive that Japanese themselves are much more serious and respectful of their own.

Craftsmanship. I’ve read somewhere that the respect for highly skilled craftsmen and artists go back to Tokugawa period, which indicates that craftsmen in Japan enjoyed more prestige for longer period than in China or Korea where they were classified as belonging to the lowest rung of the social ladder.

Manga and animations. Self-explanatory here. They have seen a steady growth for at least a half-century now.

Martial arts. Samurai [or warrior] culture is the very fabric of being Japanese, and they had continued to develop various martial arts (most famous being karate and judo) well into 20th century.

Easier phonemes for Westerners. This is usually underestimated, but the relative lack of vowels and consonantal sounds in Japanese (similar to other Polynesian languages but with little more sophistication) makes it easier to pronounce compare to other languages. The grammar and on/kunyomi readings make it difficult to learn the language of course, but easier sounding phonemes make it much more approachable for greenhorns.

A subsequent response talked about how there were two things that caught her attention when it comes to Japan: practical/simple ‘beauty’ and ‘cuteness’. Should we then ask: are some people highly attracted to design that appears “good” in our eyes?

Here’s something that might shock you guys: our eyes love 2D. When it comes to our eyes, the lens in our eyes interpret what we see as 2D and the reason why we see it as 3D is because the visual cortex (where what we see gets processed) puts the image in our brains. Apparently, the more 2D objects you see, the less stress your brain goes through. If you apply this to anime/manga/video games, there are crazed otaku out there that talk about how the 2D world (anime/manga/video games) is better than the 3D world (real life). Kinda makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Design brings out various emotions in people and successful Japanese creators know how to use it to full effect. Their character designs seem to be up-to-date with the times (with some notable exceptions in certain series). They have an amazing knack for imagination. After all, many creators have been inspired by literature, poetry, and other works of art. Another thing to ponder: do Japanophiles that are fond of Japanese otaku culture love it because of the open-ended nature of its works? Western art tends to be more clear and concise. Why do you think the anime/manga community is filled with passionate shippers/fanfiction writers/fan artists/etc.? Also, the “kawaii” factor perhaps reflects one’s desires to embrace their youth in the face of reality. Things aren’t easy for kids (the ones most likely to be hardcore Japanophiles) in this day and age and anime/manga seems like the perfect outlet because of its simple yet complex design and aesthetics.

Am I saying that we should blame animators/artists/character designers instead? Absolutely not. Art and design is essential in our society since they inspire and enhance the lives of people. However, if anyone wants to help calm Japanophiles’ obsessions down a notch because of the fear that they ruin it for other people, then take the responsibility of educating them for the better. Don’t wait for them to realize their behavior might be ridiculous. Take the initiative. At the same time, you better sound empathetic and be helpful yet not condescending. Or maybe some of us just need to take a look at the mirror about our own obsessions:

Stay kawaii, y’all. 

Angel Beats: Series Review

[via]

If you're going to watch this, don't marathon it. Or at least take breaks. Let it sink in because I found it to be pretty emotionally draining. Also a little confusing and dense. But mostly the draining thing.

Strong suit and advantage to having a visual novel writer as the head writer: you care about the characters really fast. So bummed when Iwasawa moved on in just episode 3.

I'm not entirely sure if I want to watch the OVAs. Could be fun.

Subs over Dubs on this one. The dubs were not terrible, but the pacing's off in English. I haven't even watched the subs, but I'm willing to bet it flows a lot nicer.

I think I would've liked it more watching the subs instead, actually. WHY IS THAT NOT A FEATURE IN NETFLIX?

I'm kind of blown away by Key's following. I mean, they write some quality stuff, but it's still staggering.

I honestly thought Angles Beats was a music anime. I had only seen the Girl Dead Monster scenes in AMVs. (For a quality anime, there is a serious lack of representation in AMVs) So when it got all introspective and looking at what makes life living and a live well lived and recapturing lost youth et cetera, it was a surprise.

Though to be fair, I can see why the Girl Dead Monster scenes are overused. The music and concert animation for them were really good.

I can't help be disappointed by the animation and art. I have no good reason why either, since it wasn't bad art. I watched it on Netflix, which might have something to do with it (lagging and whatnot) but I was still a bit underwhelmed by it all.

So this was written by Jun Maeda of Key who also had a hand in Clannad, Air, and other stuff. He's from a visual novel background and it shows in Angel Beats. It's just got that feel to it. Also explains the somewhat huge hitch that Kanade could not have beaten Yuzuru to Purgatory or whatever on account that she lived after she got the heart and he died giving it.

So I think that's it. Ends up being a semi-essay anyway.

Season: Spring 2010  Version: Funimation Dub Score: 7/10

SERIOUSLY?! FUCK. THIS IS NOT OKAY, GAME. I DON'T WANT TO PLAY YOU A SECOND TIME. YOU WERE HARD ENOUGH ON THE DS.

A mysterious new piece of art from the iOS remake of TWEWY. It seems to unlock itself after you get the secret ending.

Observations: Michiko to Hatchin - 1

Despite being set in Brazil, it is very Japanese. (duh)

It sounds and feels like it's trying really hard to be the next Cowboy Bebop.

I could see this on Adult Swim easily. Why haven't they picked it up?

Usagi Drop Live-Action: Film Review

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The film adapts the story of the first half of the manga/anime supremely well. I'm actually in a state of awe at how incredible it was. In order to do this, the film drastically changes some aspects of the characters and adds and subtracts others. But I come from a very John Green perspective when it comes to adaptations. To bastardize his words, movies are not in the business of retelling the stories from books. Personally, I think it would be really boring if a director, screenwriter, production company, basically anyone tried for a true retelling of a story that people already love. It's lazy, it's reprehensible, and honestly, it takes away from the whole point of wanting to watch the movie adaption for me.

So. What exactly are these changes? For one, Kazumi is a kindergarten teacher and therefore making Reina and her mom Haruka redundant. So already, the side plot of Haruka and her slowly failing marriage are taken out completely. There's also the addition of Daikichi's uncle, becoming the personification of societal pressures and views. There are of course more changes, but I don't want to tell you any of them (as if people read this blog. ohohoho) because it would ruin the movie in a huge way. It takes huge liberties from the source material, but that doesn't mean the story suffered. In fact, this was a story written for a feature film, not one for television adapted into two hours. There's a huge difference, and if you can't see that in my reviews or when you watch it, I don't think we'll be getting along. 

Basically, this film is a drastically different telling of the story from the manga. It's a "realer" look at the changes in Daikichi's life and his situation after Rin lives with him. And I don't mean "oh, it's live-action, so it's definitely realer than the anime". One of the opening scenes is Daikichi sitting in the doorway of his bathroom, face in his hands wondering why he had to show off and take Rin in. He struggles with reconciling suddenly becoming a father and his own sense of duty, though they're not necessarily at odds. His change in job, his shifted priorities, his suddenly busier commute, everything about this movie approaches his coping from a more realistic perspective. Instead of telling the story about Rin and Daikichi's relationship from Daikichi's perspective, the movie tells Daikichi's story through Rin and Daikichi's relationship. It comes out as harsher and not as sugar-coated, but thanks to that, more relatable and honest. 

TL;DR: This film was beautiful. It was unashamedly honest, wonderfully told, and a true joy to watch. I implore you to give it a chance, even if you're not a fan of the anime or manga. I promise not to judge you if you don't like it, but then, I don't expect any of you to dislike it.

Season: Movie/Film Fansub: monstervm? [youtube link - turn on closed captions] Rating: 10/10

Read Tristan's review of Naruto Ch. 599

I just... HOW DO YOU AND YOUR OPINIONS EVEN EXIST? I'm completely and utterly baffled.

Open Call: Writers Wanted

Pop GO is looking to recruit a few dedicated writers to fill multiple open, full-time slots! We’re especially looking for people interested in reviewing anime for us starting this Fall season and reporting gaming news (while reviewing an occasional game), but there are other slots we’d like to fill.

Those who have a passion for geek/otaku culture, love to write and are willing to review anime or report news (anime, gaming, manga, to name a few) please check the break for details. If you know someone who may be interested, please direct them to this post.

Hit the break for details!

Read More

作画 Sakuga: The Art of Japanese Animation

A good read for anybody who's into recapping (i.e. Population GO reviewers).

How Recappers Re-Invented TV Culture

“I hated tonight’s episode of Mad Men, but I’ll probably read something on the Internet tomorrow that will change my mind.”  So IM’d my girlfriend, and she’s not alone. Over the last decade — but especially its latter half — entertainment sites hired scores of writers tasked with the seemingly enviable responsibility of watching TV and writing about it online. TV criticism at a micro, episodic level has exploded, with content ranging from utilitarian descriptions designed to fill in those who missed last night’s episode to fanciful diversions into absurd fan-fiction and searing cultural criticism. We call it “recapping,” and it’s one of the most culturally potent forms of art criticism of our time.

Read More

K-ON! Movie: Film/Series Review

I haven't done one of these for myself in the longest time, I've kinda forgotten how to do them without the Pop GO format. But as I'm not writing the K-ON! movie review for the site and there are some things I want to say about this movie, I wanted to write something for it.

So first thing's first: I'm not writing to convince you, the reader, of anything. This is just what I found to be interesting about this movie and why I like this series as a whole. I'm not arguing that K-ON! isn't heavy on moe or lacks direction or anything like that. I also won't be talking about the small reasons why I love this series, of which there are many (it's beautifully animated and drawn, awesome direction, very well acted, the songs are too catchy, et cetera). From what I can tell, not a whole lot of people see past the cuteness of this series and I find that to be a damn shame. So I've written this.

Without focusing on the direction, I thought this was an excellent way to complement the second season. From maybe episode 5 onwards of K-ON!!, our main eyes into the story and one we follow is Azusa. And in the second season, we see her coming to grips with having her sempai leave her after they graduate. We see it from the first time they leave on their senior trip to Kyoto and Nara to the very end where Yui, Ritsu, Mugi, and Mio give her her own personal concert. I thought this movie did a phenomenal job looking at the other side of that relationship. We see Yui and the others worrying about their underclassman and what will become of the club and how to show their appreciation for what Azusa has done for them. It doesn't show these girls treating it as an afterthought; they obsess over it and try to perfect their gift until their satisifed with it. Erin, another anime reviewer on PopGO, said that this took away from the ending of the anime, but I'd argue the opposite. Showing how much effort these four girls put into that song makes it more meaningful as a present and as a gesture. That said, having it come in a 100 minute package caused for some massive dilution, but in the end it did it's job and I thought it was executed really well.

Now, as to why I love this series as a whole. A lot of people will say (correctly) that this was a moeblob show. It was just cute girls doing cute things. But it wasn't just that (at least, for me it wasn't). If it was, it wouldn't be a heartfelt ending and most people would not have reacted to the ending or even the series premise in general. This show does well because of the same reason most slice-of-life shows do well: it depicts relationships realistically. That might sound like an easy thing to do, but to have an entire series focus on just that is difficult.

And what's more, K-ON! and the slice-of-life genre in general depicts relationships that are difficult to come by or just plain impossible to have. This sempai/kouhai social structure does not exist in the United States or most Western countries. For someone to take a special interest in you as a person and help you would be going above and beyond the call of what most people expect, which is why not everyone has a mentor or a teacher that stands out to them; It's why in Western societies, these people are celebrated. But what K-ON! shows is not a typical hierarchical relationship. There's much more intimacy there than you'd see in other manga or anime. It's special because of it. These relationships that the four older girls have with Azusa and that Yui, Ritsu, Mugi, and Mio have with each other are atypical because it's such a close friendship. The actions may not be, so far as I know about Japanese culture, but the intent and feeling behind it makes it much more personal than it should be.

The other reason why I like the series is that its nostalgic. It's halcyonic, melancholic, idyllic, and innocent. This is what rose colored glasses are like for me. Take for instance, high school. I don't know really get why people bitch and moan about high school. I mean, yeah, it wasn't exactly the best time in any one's life. It sucks a lot of the time. But what about when you were having fun? For me, I remember the times I'm having fun with the same fondness I have for K-ON! This one isn't as good a reason to love a series, but it's one of the greatest for me. This mood that the movie and the series goes for makes the whole thing much more personally resonant because that's how I remember being happy in high school. Not to say I'm not happy now and that high school was easy. But the stuff that gets woven into American High School lore: the hanging out, the late nights, the stupid stuff that comes with youth, that was great. When I'm watching this show, it feels like I'm reliving a ghost of that time of my life and I love K-ON! for it. 

All that being said, I feel that I've out-grown K-ON! That or it has finally lived out its potential. If this is the last K-ON! inspired project ever, I'll be happy with that. It's given me everything I could ask for and I'm glad I watched it.

Season: Movie Fandub: CoalGuys Rating: 8/10

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt - OFFICIAL DUB CLIP- Transformation (by FUNimation)

I can't really remember the last time I looked forward to a dub coming out. Dialogue was good, as far as I can tell. F*ck if I know how accurate it is, though.

Complete UNCENSORED Limited Edition out on July 10th, 2012 on Amazon. [link]