Isaac Akers - Archive Writer Profile »

    Monday November 12, 2018
  • Tragedy and Healing: Why Maquia Makes Us Cry

    Mari Okada’s directorial debut is a celebration of motherhood and more

    Mari Okada's directorial debut, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, has had its US theater run, generating many tears in the eyes of viewers along the way. Now, with the film's Blu-Ray release coming in 2019, we take a moment to look back on Maquia, the ways it moved us, and the lessons it has to teach. Hit the jump to relive the journey!

  • Thursday June 14, 2018
  • The Ultimate All-Anime 2018 World Cup Team

    The finest starting XI in all anime is about to be unveiled!

    The World Cup begins today, which means it's time to unveil the 11 players who will be starting for the Anime National Team. Chosen by coach Isaac Akers as anime's finest soccer stars in every position from goalkeeper to striker, you won't want to miss this team in action. Hit the jump to find out who made the cut and see if your favorite anime character will be going to Russia!

  • Saturday May 5, 2018
  • Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple is the Movie Fans of the Series Deserve

    A perfect treat for people who love the Bungo Stray Dogs TV anime!

    Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple hits theaters around the country this weekend for Crunchyroll Movie Night! As a fan of the TV anime, Isaac had a chance to check out the film, and he came away pretty impressed! Hit the jump for a spoiler-free review of how Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple brings our favorite hot anime authors to the big screen!

  • Monday April 2, 2018
  • The Secret Charms of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online

    We know about the gunfights, but what other appeals is the new Sword Art Online bringing?

    Watching anime is supposed to be fun, and we don't always have to serious, well thought-out motivations to be excited for a brand new anime. Sometimes, it's okay to give an anime a shot for reasons other people might consider silly. Hit the jump to find out what those secret reasons might be for Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online!

  • Monday January 8, 2018
  • 4 Reasons You Should Watch Laid-Back Camp (Instead of Actually Going Camping)

    Camping's so much more fun when you can watch anime girls do it for you

    Isaac hates camping, but he loved the first episode of Laid-Back Camp! Whether you're a camper or not, this is one of the winter season's best offerings so far, so take a few minutes to chill out, cozy up to the fire, and read about why you should give Laid-Back Camp a try (instead of actually going camping). Hit the jump to find out the reasons!

  • Friday December 22, 2017
  • The 10 Best Faces of Anime: 2017 Edition

    Let's count down the top 10 best faces from this year of anime!

    Anime faces – both goofy and intense, silly and epic – are one of the most sacred bounties of the medium. Today, Isaac takes on the gargantuan task of sorting through the thousands of good anime faces from the year and putting together a list of the 10 best anime faces of 2017. It's not an easy task, but someone has to do it, and now you get the chance see the results. Hit the jump to see if your favorite anime made the list!

  • Saturday October 14, 2017
  • Getting Hyped for RWBY Volume 5!

    Here are 5 good reasons to be excited for RWBY Volume 5!

    With the first episode of RWBY Volume 5 releasing today on VRV and next Saturday on Crunchyroll, it's time to take a look into the future for what to expect from the newest season. Reflecting on where RWBY's come from in the past four volumes, Isaac takes a look at where the show might be going in the future. Hit the jump to read more!

  • Friday June 23, 2017
  • How "Concrete Revolutio" Redefines the Meaning of Heroism

    A Hero Week Essay.

    For Hero Week, Isaac takes a look at two of his favorite anime about superheroes and the ways they challenge our idea of what heroism means. Curious about two of the smartest hero anime of the last five years? Then make sure you hit that jump! Up next: Concrete Revolutio!

  • Wednesday June 21, 2017
  • How "Gatchaman Crowds" Challenges Our Need For Heroes

    A Hero Week essay.

    For Hero Week, Isaac takes a look at two of his favorite anime about superheroes and the ways they challenge our idea of what heroism means. Curious about two of the smartest hero anime of the last five years? Then make sure you hit that jump! Up first: Gatchaman Crowds! B-b-bird, go!

  • Tuesday May 23, 2017
  • FEATURE: Aniwords – The Best Anime Families of Spring 2017

    Which of Spring 2017's anime families is the best? Depends on what you like in a family!

    It's a season of anime families! From The Eccentric Family to WorldEnd to Alice & Zoroku, the spring 2017 anime season has brought us a varied selection of family dynamics. In this week's Aniwords, Isaac takes a closer look at the ways these different shows portray their ideas about what it means to be a family. Hit the jump to check it out, and weigh in on your favorite anime family of the season!

  • Tuesday May 9, 2017
  • FEATURE: Aniwords – Why I Want to Show "your name." to Everyone I Know

    A reflection on your name., its successes, and its meaning.

    After seeing Makoto Shinkai's hit film, your name., in theaters twice, Isaac's back with the Aniwords column to offer his thoughts on the biggest anime movie of the last two years—and why he wants to show it to everyone he can! Hit the jump to check out his thoughts!

  • Friday March 17, 2017
  • FEATURE: "Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale" Review

    It's time to review one of the biggest anime movie events of the year!

    The highly anticipated film Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale came out last week, so we sent Isaac to investigate the latest offering from one of the decade's biggest anime franchises! Hit the jump to check out all his thoughts on the movie!

  • Tuesday February 28, 2017
  • FEATURE: Bananya Character Poll Results

    Which banana cat is the best of the bunch?

    Mirror, mirror, on the wall—who is the ripest Bananya character of all?

     

    Well, the result of our Bananya character poll are in, so it's time to find out! Hit the jump to see which banana cat the voters loved most, and to see where your favorite ended up.

  • Tuesday February 21, 2017
  • FEATURE: Aniwords – What's the Deal with Kemono Friends?

    A closer look at Japan's favorite anime of the Winter 2017 season!

    Kemono Friends, the CG anime adaptation of a defunct mobile phone game, has come out of nowhere this season to become a hit with Japanese and English-speaking fans alike! In a special return of the Aniwords column, Isaac provides an introduction to the biggest anime you haven't heard about this season and speculates about the ways Kemono Friends seems to tap into the viewer's curiosity to make a seemingly normal anime feel like a whole lot more. Sound fun? Sound interesting? Then hit the jump!

  • Tuesday December 27, 2016
  • FEATURE: Aniwords – Making Anime New Year's Resolutions

    Let's find something new in the old!

    In this week's Aniwords, Isaac reflects on a couple of his anime-watching New Year's resolutions from 2016 and what he learned from them. Pondering how we often find ourselves caught up with the allure of the new with our yearly resolutions, he takes those lessons and offers his own thoughts on a few unique ways you can make your 2017 anime-watching resolutions ones that find newness in the past. Curious what those ways are? Hit the jump to find out!