December Updates: 2022 Favorites

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Hello, all! Kate here.

In the latest episode of the podcast I mentioned some of my favorite things from 2022: Only Murders in the Building, The Glass Onion, and You Must Remember This: Erotic 80s. I decided to add a few more things to the list looking back on on the year:

I was glued to the Winter Olympics and enjoyed hours of figure skating.

Our Flag Means Death delighted me with its humor and originality. I’m so glad it is coming back for a second season.

Finding a work life balance has been tough lately, but Severence took it to the next most-unsettling level. WHAT. A. SEASON. FINALE.

I’m sad to say I don’t have any novels to add to the list this year. I have been reading at a fairly steady pace but nothing has grabbed me enough to say I really loved it.

And if you’re wondering why there is no anime and manga on this list, never fear those will be featured in our January podcast episode!

Join us on Discord and let me know some of your favorite non-anime and non-manga things from 2022.

-Kate

The Speakeasy #144: The Deer King, Belle, Goodbye Don Glees + More

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This month we talk our Anime Secret Santa pick and some other anime movies. Plus, we discuss a few of our favorite things from 2022 that aren’t anime and manga.

  • The Deer King
  • Goodbye, Don Glees!
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island
  • Belle

The Type-Moon (Moment) Minute

  • AnimeNYC panel

Join us on Discord!

Manga of the Month: Wandance

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Wandance by Coffee

Stories centering dance have a long history in manga especially when it comes to ballet, but Wandance takes us out of the formal theater and into the world of student led dance troupes highlighting hip-hop, house, breaking, and other styles and fusions of street dancing.

During his high school club fair, Kabo ignores the dance club presentation as it reminds him of an embarrassing episode in middle school. Later when he sees fellow 1st year student Wanda dancing by herself on the school grounds, the joy of dancing hits him. As Kabo and Wanda become friends, they realize neither of them is always comfortable communicating verbally. But dancing is a way to communicate, too.

The student led dance club is filled with dancers of all levels, but the best of the best are aiming to compete with other schools. Kabo is a novice and sticks out due to his tall stature and being one of the few (and currently only regularly attending) guys in the group. However, through a supportive club president, Wanda’s presence and partnership, and Kabo’s own self-determination he soon leaves behind his self-consciousness and embraces his love for dance.

Kabo is an earnest and sweet person so watching him gain self-confidence is really rewarding. I quickly became invested in Kabo and Wanda’s growth as dancers and their budding romance. The ease they feel with one another and their deep connection is beautifully depicted.

Manga-ka Coffee uses a fresh, frenetic line style that gives movement, energy, and a fast pace to the dance sequences. Plus, Wandance integrates plenty of dance theory, ways of approaching dance, and instructional sections into the story in a way that feels natural and helps you see each character more clearly. All of this for someone like me with zero dance knowledge has been illuminating.

Wandance is part coming-of-age manga and part sports manga, and doing both types of stories justice!

-Kate