tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70427146879466383472011-10-23T17:09:38.326-04:00My stream of consciousness on display.Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-82631260412606836852011-10-23T17:09:00.000-04:002011-10-23T17:09:38.338-04:00

Sunday I starting out Sunday by running the CBLDF booth in Anime Artist Alley. We had a few people return to the booth to take part in the daily manga give away. I again enjoyed the experience. After the manga raffle, we closed the booth. My only panel for the day was the CBLDF: History of Censorship. Charles Brownstein was the lone speaker at this panel. This was a much more detailed history

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-40182932498076037252011-10-23T11:38:00.001-04:002011-10-23T11:49:46.348-04:00

Friday Afternoon I left the CBLDF booth to attend the Anime Mythbusters panels. The hosts were Rukan Shao and Zhao Chen, both physics students who run the website Animechanics.com. The panel discussed topics like: How fast breasts must jiggle in High School of the Dead to dodge a bullet? (Mach 1.28). How strong would a character's legs have to be to jump 25.6 meters like in Naruto? (Strong

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-4053406059351574092011-10-21T18:45:00.000-04:002011-10-21T18:45:14.347-04:00

Wednesday This year I arrived in New York City a day earlier so I would have time to visit two exhibitions Johanna had mentioned to me. The first was Jim Henson’s Fantastic World. This is a traveling exhibit by the Smithsonian Institute and is ending it's run at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. The exhibit is a retrospective of Jim Henson's life. There are pictures he drew as a child

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-60457305789282247792011-10-18T20:28:00.001-04:002011-10-18T20:32:36.740-04:00

Like Johanna, I discovered Love Hina early in my anime/manga fandom. I had only been a fan a couple of years when the anime came out and it was love at first sight. I remember getting the manga as each volume came out and loving Akamatsu's art and storytelling. Kodansha's re-release of the series is like having a mirror that let's me look at my past self. I'm given an opportunity to

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-56366250599908807772011-07-12T12:09:00.000-04:002011-07-12T12:09:15.432-04:00

Sometimes, my mind just wanders. And here is the result. This based on the lyrics used by The Animals for thier version of The House of the Rising Sun. There is a convention in Baltimore They call the O-takon And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy And God, I know I’m one My mother was a cosplayer She sewed my sailor suit My father was a moe otaku Way down in Baltimore Now the only thing an

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-4738598634722239692010-07-23T18:53:00.000-04:002010-07-23T18:53:22.935-04:00

On occasion, I assume myself by rewriting song lyrics to coincide with some event going on in my life. It stems from a warped sense of humor. The scanslations debates are upon us hot and heavy. Driving home I heard Everybody Plays the Fool by the Spinners and the lyrics were just too perfect to ignore. I especially love it when I only have to peak and tweak a few places in the lyrics to make it

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-87220872694258737302010-07-13T09:19:00.000-04:002010-07-13T09:19:01.622-04:00

Every once and awhile, I try to figure out my political orientation. I won't lie. I vote Republican because it's quick and easy for me. Socially and economically conservative, with a nice helping of small government rhetoric on the side. But here’s the rub, I’m a staunch defender of freedom of consciousness. I go as far as defend a pharmacist’s right to refuse to fill a prescription based on

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-35921681028242616122010-05-17T09:42:00.000-04:002010-05-17T09:42:07.799-04:00

A recent conversation on Twitter got me to thinking about what it takes to be a fan. Let’s begin with a definition. The word ‘fan’ is a short for ‘fanatic’. Fans aren’t people who like something, those are dabblers. Fans don’t partake occasionally; they are devoted to their hobby. Be it sports, comics, movies, etc. Fans give their hobby a permanent place in their lives. Fans are lovers. Love isn

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-11364544201469450532010-04-26T18:36:00.001-04:002010-04-26T18:36:58.229-04:00

Aishiteruze Baby Vol 1 Story and Art by Yolo Maki To my shame, I don’t get to read much shojo manga. It’s not that I don’t like the genre, I just rarely think to pick up a shojo title with so many great seinen books currently vying for my attention. Not to mention, all the great older manga being published. Daneilla of All About Manga {http://allaboutcomics.wordpress.com/} has put together a

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-29280590178790419652010-04-20T08:14:00.000-04:002010-04-20T08:14:01.825-04:00

I have been playing around with podcasting. I wasn't sure if it was something that I would be any good at or enjoy. Well, turns out I'm getting some good feedback and I do enjoy creating podcasts. What really made it all worth the effort was getting to do a podcast discussion with Johanna Draper Carlson about the Pluto manga by Naoki Urasawa. It's no secret, I might be the biggest evangelist

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-8872538579426395542010-04-02T09:26:00.000-04:002010-04-02T09:26:45.272-04:00

I was very honored to be asked by Evan Minto to be on the Ani-Gamers podcast alongside Fred Schodt. Fred is someone I've admired for years. His book Manga, Manga! The World of Japanese Comics is foundational to my understanding of the manga and it's history. His work as a translator has included, Pluto, Ghost in the Shell, and Astroboy. You can listen to the podcast here: http://

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-69215307497269614122010-03-18T14:05:00.003-04:002010-03-18T14:10:37.051-04:00

Reading Mechademia and discussions on the Anime Manga Research Circle email list have gotten me thinking about how I dislike theory driven anything. Let me start off by acknowledging some prejudices that I have. When I was an undergrad studying philosophy I was being trained in what is known as the analytic tradition. This method of philosophy is based on using a specific set of rational and

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-76795889190577689992010-03-06T18:55:00.000-05:002010-03-06T18:55:55.089-05:00

I’ve read the first three collected volumes of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comics. I have to say I don’t like them. To people like Erica and Johanna, this will probably comes as no surprise. My main complaint with the series is how dark it is. Morpheus is suppose to be the lord of dreams, but all we have encountered so far is nightmares. In fact, I don’t find in the character of Morpheus any joy or

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-81059487110262181652010-03-05T20:14:00.001-05:002010-03-05T20:23:03.633-05:00

Tim Maughan (http://www.timmaughanbooks.com/) suggested that people share some of their favorite recipes. These are recipes I have loved from childhood until today. I grew up in a family of five. These recipes are designed to feed about six people. So you will need to cut them back if you are only cooking for 2-3 people. They all make for excellent leftovers and reheat well. These recipes can

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-43026173221019480872010-02-27T11:58:00.000-05:002010-02-27T11:58:18.628-05:00

Sorry, I haven't I 've been updating more frequently. You can listen to my thoughts on Christopher Handley's sentencing at the Otaku in Review podcast. Here is the link: http://otakuinreview.com/podcast/  This also marks my first appearance as a guest on any podcast. I had a great time. Thanks Scott for having me on. I have downloaded a lot of the documents from Handley's sentencing and it's

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-73831808281997416502010-02-03T11:11:00.003-05:002010-02-03T12:50:26.100-05:00

This is just thinking out loud. I don’t have this all worked out. In truth, I’m not smart enough to suggest a solution. Like many people, this current recession has me rethinking free market capitalism. The central flaw in the system is that it counts on people to act morally. The motto has been, “what the market will allow.” As we are now learning, the market will allow a lot, especially if no

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-46065064438694923612010-01-22T11:35:00.000-05:002010-01-22T11:35:51.746-05:00

Last night while watching the film, Encounters At The End Of World, I learned every once and a while there is a male penguin that for unknown reasons heads for the interior of Antarctica instead of the ocean. The director of the film, Herzog, asked the scientists why they didn’t stop them. The scientist replied that even if you put the penguin back in the center of the community, he would simply

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-66858282208256024342010-01-20T11:26:00.000-05:002010-01-20T11:26:15.636-05:00

I was given the opportunity to co-write a review with Deb Aoki the editor of manga.about.com. It was an incredible learning experience for me. Deb is an excellent writer and insightful editor. She gave me lots of great, concrete recommendations on how to improve my writing. It will take me weeks to really absorb everything taught me. I hope I prove to be a good student and implement her

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-15673374568191997472010-01-20T08:12:00.002-05:002010-01-20T11:27:47.379-05:00

I was asked to contribute a piece to SF Signal's Mind Meld section. I think this is my first piece published outside of ComicsWorthReading.com/MangaWorthReading.com. As I said on Twitter, I'm humbled by the caliber of the people I'm sharing space with. I enjoyed writing the piece. I hope you enjoy it to, here is the link: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2010/01/

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-37724168263840029142010-01-09T10:48:00.001-05:002010-01-09T10:49:45.013-05:00

Reading and participating in discussions on twitter, has made me aware that people either don’t know the basic rules of debate or in the fervor of live, online argumentation they forget them quickly. I’ve been guilty of this myself. So as a reminder to myself, and others, here are some ground rules that should help to make for more productive discussions. 1. Define Your Terms This seems obvious

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-38914671661951131552010-01-09T10:22:00.000-05:002010-01-09T10:22:50.899-05:00

I wanted this to be part of my upcoming post on the ground rules of debate. However, the post was running long so I had to cut this story. Still I liked it so much I decided to simply point it on it's own. When I was in seminary, I took seminar courses where you picked two weeks of the semester to present a paper. The day before your presentation you had to have copies of your paper available

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-21673178758750758042010-01-04T15:30:00.000-05:002010-01-04T15:30:44.162-05:00

I talked about writing a post sharing one of my more interesting dreams. Well, I'm still waiting to remember one of my more surreal noctural journeys. I remember my dream from last night, but it wasn't a pleasant one and it involved me having to punish my cats, something I haven't done in years. So I haven't forgot, I just don't have one worth retelling....yet.

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-30307490975445494422010-01-04T15:24:00.001-05:002010-01-04T15:26:40.084-05:00

I’ve been thinking about the two big technology purchases I’ve made in the last two months. The first was an iPhone in November and the second was a laptop on New Year’s Day. It’s hard for me to believe that that I didn’t buy my first cellphone until five years ago. I was about a year behind all my friends in getting one. What pushed me over the edge was being at a large outdoor event and

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-44713164944920297702009-12-19T18:14:00.001-05:002009-12-19T18:15:24.401-05:00

Mad Marvel Girl had a post on her blog about three stories that she keeps coming back to in her life. ( http://madmarvelgirl.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/three-stories-day-18/) They are the stories that tend to resonant the most with her even if they are her favorites in the genres they represent. She asked people to share what three stories did the same for them.  Go read her post, then read the

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-9936224337580078452009-12-17T09:46:00.001-05:002009-12-17T09:47:24.284-05:00

Here’s a peek inside the way my brain works. When I get captivated by something, I because very one-track minded on that object. Those who were around when I first started watching anime will remember and testify to the fact that all I could talk about for six months was anime. I read books by Schodt, Napier, Levi, Poitras, and McCarthy in that time to understand anime’s history and scope. My

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-34338538667463313012009-12-16T11:17:00.000-05:002009-12-16T11:17:13.567-05:00

Recently, Richmond was blessed with pea soup fog. I love thick fog. Reminds of scenes from the old Universal horror films. When I'm driving through the fog I have expect the Wolfman or the Creature from the Black Lagoon to come dumping out at me. As a creative writing exercise here are two descriptions of driving through the fog: The fog was so thick it was like driving through a cave. The fog

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-60777325455378006792009-12-16T10:56:00.001-05:002009-12-16T10:56:47.181-05:00

It’s no secret that I’ve fallen in love with the Monocle podcast (www.monocle.com). It’s professionally produced, intelligent, informative, and engaging. I listen to it during the drive to work in the morning. I actually look forward to hearing each episode. I dread the day when I’ve burned through the entire back catalog and will have to wait for new episodes to come out weekly. The appeal for

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-63570645892311180712009-12-07T13:42:00.002-05:002009-12-07T13:43:32.757-05:00

During a twitter conversation I was discussing the current attitude of irony found, and perpetuated, in our culture. However, upon reflection, irony isn’t the correct term for this. Others have used the term consumer mentality and that is a more accurate description of what is happening in our culture. This analogy isn’t original to me, but I can’t remember where I first heard it. Most likely I

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-20500912898531321582009-12-02T07:47:00.000-05:002009-12-02T07:47:09.363-05:00

I do have a few thoughts rattling in my empty skull. However, between traveling to DC every weekend for the Tezuka film retrospective and getting my first iPhone, I've been a litte preoccupied. I hope to do some more leisure writing when things settle down toward the end of the year. I will say, I love Cooking Mama on the iPhone. It's an additive game. Making Mama happy is so rewarding. Also I

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-72659017389546556932009-11-20T09:11:00.001-05:002009-11-20T09:13:28.854-05:00

I didn’t get to know my Grandpa Sizemore, he died when I was young. The last time I met him I was 2 or 3 years old and I don’t have any memories from then. However I got to know my Grandpa Kovach very well. I spend the four summers of high school helping him deliver mail. Grandpa Kovach was the first person in his family born in America. His parents and older siblings were all born in Hungary.

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-49923475099350640782009-11-16T13:49:00.001-05:002009-11-16T13:51:12.058-05:00

I have no problem with people posting comments anonymously. You have every right to protect your identity. However, it seems that most people are posting anonymously and that makes it difficult to address responses to the appropriate comment. For those who don't wish to share your name, could you at least make up a fake name for convenience? Call yourself, Sharon, Bob, Anne, James, etc. Just so

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-84591019704303777272009-11-10T12:23:00.001-05:002009-11-10T12:24:16.879-05:00

I love Superman. He is hands down my favorite superhero. He is the person I pour all my hopes and dreams into. He represents what I wish I could be. So I’m routinely disappointed by the Superman I encounter in comic books, movie, and TV. It’s not the fault of the various writers. They can’t possible know what I want in a Superman story. Even if they did, their writing could never match my

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-91987178824436986632009-11-03T08:49:00.003-05:002009-11-03T09:03:52.641-05:00

Well, I guess it’s about time to say a few words on why I have this blog when I’m already being published on Comics Worth Reading and Manga Worth Reading. I found I had hit a minor wall in my review writing. The enthusiasm that came with being a new reviewer had begun to wear off and the reality of the work and time it takes week after week set in. Plus, I was bedeviled by a serious case of

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-84395991088821330932009-11-03T07:24:00.002-05:002009-11-03T07:26:04.490-05:00

All along I realized, that if I had to, if I had to chose, Between love and my own sweet lives, love was bound to lose - Golden Road, Resurrection Band While on twitter, I was pointed to this story: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200991028017. It was heartbreaking to read people using the Gospel to bludgeon whichever group of people they find odious. Signs that say, “

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-41495254415268303982009-10-28T12:22:00.004-04:002009-11-20T08:34:27.190-05:00

At some point in the mid 80’s, the music industry and I parted paths. Everyone became obsessed with bass sounds. Subwoofers proliferated. Part of this had to do with rap music becoming part of the American mainstream. But even kids into rock and country are putting oversized subwoofers in their vehicles and houses. I just don’t get it. I come to music from a folk/pop/rock background. For me,

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-5235306969043835162009-10-26T15:07:00.005-04:002009-11-10T23:14:26.552-05:00

Christopher Handley was arrested in 2007 for possession of drawings that depicted minors engaged in sexual acts. He was arrested under the provisions of the PROTECT Act of 2003. Specially, Handley was arrested because the material was deemed obscene. There are so many unanswered questions about this case that someone is going to get their PhD in constitutional law showing all the legal

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-12327582697575335842009-10-22T07:58:00.000-04:002009-10-22T07:58:26.134-04:00

It's hard being a Christian in American. And not for the reasons you're thinking. There is a prevailing level of stupidity in this country that makes it most difficult to practice charity toward my neighbor. There are times when I simply would like to take a gun and clean out the gene pool. When I hear about parents that refuse to believe their precious baby boy is really a hellion and insist

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-50549984802702609602009-10-21T15:30:00.000-04:002009-10-21T15:30:03.600-04:00

I think everyone who’s really interested has heard this story, but I thought I would write it down in case there are others who want to hear it. Plus, this gives me the luxury of making sure I get the details right. I’m trying to be a devout Christian. I’m now part of the Eastern Orthodoxy tradition of Christianity. So people have found it interesting that someone as serious about his faith as

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-59816439186828498822009-10-21T09:14:00.000-04:002009-10-21T09:14:05.251-04:00

I'm looking at the photos from the premiere of Astro Boy, one of the underage actresses is dressed in a skintight dress and she is vamping it up for the cameras. The hypocrisy of the photo infuriates me. Hollywood has no problem dressing up 13 year olds in thongs and parading them around town. Then, they have the audacity to tell people it’s wrong to have sexual desires for these girls after

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-44724003537719156042009-10-19T14:46:00.000-04:002009-10-19T14:46:55.345-04:00

During a twitter conversation, I was told that morality is no longer relevant for most people. That is truly a frightening thought. If people no longer live by some code of ethics, then what governs their behavior? Are they simply reacting on unbridled wants and desires? How long before society collapses? That last question is not rhetorical, but honest. I can’t imagine not living by some moral

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042714687946638347.post-85335256352477589832009-10-19T08:20:00.000-04:002009-10-19T08:22:57.876-04:00

Driving to church yesterday, I heard an advertisement for Lifeguard identity protection services. It's amazing how a 30 second radio spot could encapsulate all that I find wrong with our culture. Mind you the spot was meant to be done in jest, but like all good jokes, it contained a strong core of truth. The company promises that their identity is so complete that you can engage in the most

Ed Sizemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039485764655828476noreply@blogger.com0