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Gachiakuta

Semiu appreciation post! I loved Season 1 of Gachiakuta, and I especially loved this character. I’ve been watching anime for well over 30 years and it is still so rare to encounter Black characters, especially Black women. And as a glasses-wearer, I LOVED Semiu’s vital instrument. I really enjoyed this show, and it somehow managed to be so original in almost every way, from the character design to the grimy, anarchic setting, to the magic system, which fit so well with the th

M. H. Ayinde

Dec 24, 20251 min read

Wake Up Dead Man! A Knives Out Mystery

Knives Out does religion! (Mostly spoiler free below.) And I felt it managed the skilful feat of simultaneously acknowledging the flaws and hypocrisies of the church as an institution, while paying tribute to the core ethos of Christianity and faith in general. What for me started out as an indictment of a particular brand of Christianity in America ended up being a surprisingly touching exploration of true faith and spiritual service. As a character says near the beginning,

M. H. Ayinde

Dec 15, 20252 min read

Guillermo del Toro's FRANKENSTEIN

“Perhaps now, we can both be human.” There’s a reason why this is probably my favourite (non-Dickens) 19th century novel. It’s basically sympathetic zombies, and if you know me, you probably know I love both zombies and monsters with pathos. This Netflix adaptation is probably the most faithful I’ve seen, and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous. Oscar Isaac is perfect as the truly loathsome Doctor Frankenstein - a man driven by hubris, whom I despised despite his tragic origi

M. H. Ayinde

Nov 26, 20251 min read