Return to Paradise

Back in 2008, before the stabbings, Akihabara was a carefree place. Otaku ("geeks") roamed from shop to shop, maids…

This past Sunday, Akihabara was re-opened to foot traffic, two-and-a-half years after a brutal killing spree that…

THE FORERUNNER STORY-the history of my people-has been told many times, with greater and greater idealization,…

In 2008, everything came to a head in Tokyo's Akihabara. The frequency of public flashing was up, and cops worried…

It's been fifteen years since Pixar Animation Studios ushered in the age of the CGI movie with Toy Story, a candid…

It used to be that on Sundays and holidays, Tokyo's electrics and game mecca Akihabara closed off its streets to…

Gamers are always on the hunt for vindication. Some form of acceptance amongst the wider community. Thing is, we're…

[This essay was given as a talk at SUNY Buffalo, 28 January 2010, the day after Howard Zinn's death. I have left…

Jesus H. Christ we had a lot of original copy this past week - fueled by our examination of religion in games and…

Asuka Sawamoto is famous for one thing: flashing her tush in the streets of Tokyo's anime, manga and video game…