The Kami Behind the Manga: Japanese Gods Hiding in Plain Sight
You Already Know Their Names Kami stands high above the world in Dragon Ball, watching over Earth from a palace in the sky. Sasuke Uchiha releases black flames called Amaterasu. Itachi traps enemies inside Tsukuyomi. Members of the Uchiha clan summon towering warriors called Susanoo and gamble with forbidden techniques named Izanagi and Izanami. Even […]
A Layman’s Guide to the NFL: How Pro Football Became America’s Weekly Ritual
We made it. We made it through spring baseball, when everything felt new again. We made it through the NBA Finals. We made it through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We made it through the dog days of summer, where two MLB teams can play some random Tuesday afternoon game in Cincinnati and somehow it still […]
Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill
Another world. A magical kingdom. Monsters roam the countryside. Adventurers gather at guilds. Heroes have been summoned from another world to save the day. And our protagonist has received a unique otherworldly ability. We’ve been here before. Surely Mukohda is about to discover that he possesses some legendary magical power capable of reshaping the entire […]
EA Sports College Football: Celebrating the Tradition We Got Back
Some traditions announce themselves. Opening Day. Selection Sunday. The first Saturday of college football season. Others quietly become traditions through repetition. For years, summer brought another college football video game. Another cover athlete. Another roster. Another chance to choose a forgotten program and convince yourself that you could transform it into a national powerhouse. Then […]
San Marino: The Tiny Republic That Refused to Disappear
There is a little country inside Italy (technically, there are two. Not a province. Not a city with an unusual amount of local pride. An actual independent country…with its own government, laws, flag, military, Olympic team, national football squad, postage stamps, and two heads of state. It covers approximately 61 square kilometres, or about 24 […]