Here at Reverse Thieves we try to entertain the notion that we are intellectuals. We like to think that sometimes we have tread new ground or started deep discussions. (Feel free to debate these ideas.) We also like to be engaged by others taking such lofty ideals and exploring them through anime and manga. So in the spirit of that Mechademia was picked up.

I first heard about Mechademia on an episode of Anime World Order. It intrigued me because as I get deeper into otakudom I become more and more interested in the mechanics of anime, manga, and the associated fandom. Where does anime and manga draw its inspirations from, what is its history, what makes stories captivate the viewer, and how does it effect society and how does society effect it in turn? I have seen individual papers being quoted and there are several books done by individuals that are quite informative but what I really wanted was a collection of papers from different authors. An anthology of analysis. My first sampling of such was Mechademia.

Continue reading →