Abe no Seimei is a figure surrounded by myth, from his rumored kitsune bloodline to his mystical powers. But who was he, really? Join us for a deep dive into the life of Japan's most famous onmyouji.
Description:
Abe no Seimei is a figure surrounded by myth, from his rumored kitsune bloodline to his legendary powers of divination. But unlike his Western corollary Merlin, Abe no Seimei was a real person with a life recorded in court and legal documents. Who was he, and how many of the fantastic deeds attributed to him might be real? Join us for a deep dive into the life and times of Japan's most famous onmyouji.
We love our Chinese dramas, even with (especially for?) their flaws! Join us for our favorite gaffes, marketing stunts, production disasters, and behind-the-scenes nonsense from the world of C-dramas.
Description:
As the world's most prolific producer of live action dramas, sometimes China's TV industry cuts corners, with hilarious results! Join us for some of our favorite gaffes, marketing stunts, "borrowed" designs, production horror stories, and behind-the-scenes nonsense from the delightful world of C-dramas -- all told with the greatest affection.
How did a hostage situation lead to the rise of Cup Noodles? Who were the Shitennou before they were Sailor Moon villains? Come pick up a few more intriguing stories and facts from Japanese history!
Description:
How did an earthquake lead to the development of ramen and a hostage situation to Cup Noodles? Who went "Gotta paste 'em all!" about religious stickers? Who were the Shitennou before they were Sailor Moon villains? What will you eat at a Buddhist temple, and why is it so good? Come pick up a few more intriguing stories and facts from Japanese history!
The First Superhero: A History of The Scarlet Pimpernel
Summary:
Long before Zorro or Batman, a colorful crusader with a secret identity revolutionized the world of adventure fiction. Learn the origin story of this seminal hero and the woman who created him.
Description:
Plus, see rare antique Scarlet Pimpernel memorabilia from a local collector's archives!
Welcome to the Jianghu: An Introduction to Chinese Fantasy Drama
Summary:
Cultural context can help you more fully enjoy Chinese media! Well cover the history of the wuxia & xianxia genres, Confucianism, censorship, fantasy tropes, Daoism, forms of address, recs, & more.
Description:
More than half the worlds TV dramas are produced in China, with some titles achieving international mainstream popularity. Dont miss out on this global phenomenon! This overview of the wuxia and xianxia genres will give you the necessary background and cultural context to enjoy these hit films and TV shows to the fullest. Well cover topics from Confucianism to censorship, from fantasy tropes to forms of addressand throw in some of our recommendations as well!
How did a hostage situation lead to the rise of Cup Noodles? Who were the Shitennou before they were Sailor Moon villains? Come pick up a few more intriguing stories and facts from Japanese history!
Description:
How did an earthquake lead to the development of ramen and a hostage situation to Cup Noodles? Who went "Gotta paste 'em all!" about religious stickers? Who were the Shitennou before they were Sailor Moon villains? What will you eat at a Buddhist temple, and why is it so good? Come pick up a few more intriguing stories and facts from Japanese history!
The Kumano Kodō is 1 of only 2 UNESCO pilgrimage trails in the world, used since the 10th century by ascetics, samurai, emperors & monks. Learn the trail’s cultural history from someone who hiked it.
Description:
The Kumano Kodō is one of only two UNESCO-honored pilgrimage trails in the world, used since the 10th century for physical and spiritual journeys and helping to create a millennium of peaceful religious syncretism. Join a thousand years of ascetics, samurai, emperors, and monks to learn about the cultural history of this trail network from someone who has hiked it herself. We’ll discuss the historical context, the development of the trail network, the purpose of the pilgrimages and the resulting thousand years of religious syncretism, political implications, and how the trails can be experienced today.
Learn about a few of the amazing moments in Japan's long history—from the Genpei War to the Meiji Revolution, girl power to magical red cows, archery contests to smallpox. With illustrations & photos!
Description:
As the oldest monarchy in the world, Japan's had plenty of time for some amazing moments in history. Hear a few of the most important, most famous, or most fun—from the Genpei War to the Meiji Revolution, from girl power to magical red cows, from archery contests to smallpox—with illustrations, photos, ties to your favorite anime/manga, and plenty of geekery.
The First Superhero: A History of The Scarlet Pimpernel
Summary:
Long before Zorro or Batman, a colorful crusader with a secret identity revolutionized the world of adventure fiction. Learn the origin story of this seminal hero and the woman who created him.
Description:
Plus, see rare antique Scarlet Pimpernel memorabilia from a local collector's archives!
Welcome to the Jianghu: An Introduction to Chinese Fantasy Drama
Summary:
Cultural context can help you more fully enjoy Chinese cinema! We’ll cover the history of the wuxia & xianxia genres, Confucianism, censorship, fantasy tropes, Daoism, forms of address, recs, & more.
Description:
More than half the world’s TV dramas are produced in China, with some titles achieving international mainstream popularity. Don’t miss out on this global phenomenon! This overview of the wuxia and xianxia genres will give you the necessary background and cultural context to enjoy these hit films and TV shows to the fullest. We’ll cover topics from Confucianism to censorship, from fantasy tropes to forms of address–and throw in some of our recommendations as well!