demographic: shōjō

Four manga adaptations of Sōseki Natsume's classic novel range from mere Classics Illustrated versions to a radical modern-day reinvention that rediscovers the story's heart of darkness

Far more than just a 'romance' or a 'love story', this is a story about becoming worthy of being loved -- and a sprightly, funny story at that

Somewhere between thriller, noir, mystery, erotica, and tragedy lies this absorbing, if convoluted, story of the thefts of both ideas and lives

After a wave of successors and deconstructions, the sweetness and directness of one of anime's most-beloved magical-girl shows still holds up

A gem of a show that confronts what it means for Japan and the West to be curious about each other -- and also how 'moé' can be an actual theme and not just a fetish

We've not only been promised the moon with the new 'Sailor Moon'; there's a good chance we'll actually get it

Despite a meandering plotline, this mini-fantasia about one girl's spiritual powers is still worth the time

A show this allegedly outlandish on the outside shouldn't try to play it so safe under the skin

Under the glossy, inviting surface of this overplotted and underwritten story is a far better one waiting to get out

It's always fascinating how Japan does mutant fantasy versions of its own history, even if the results aren't always worth the effort