May Favorites

Assassination Classroom [Anime]

This was an anime I started on a whim, but it won my heart so strongly. It's definitely not an anime that deals with super serious themes, but that's not what it's meant to be anyway. At its core, it gives wonderful lessons and does so in such an earnest way, never coming off as condescending. It's just a wonderful reminder to be kind, but to also be steadfast in fighting for one's self. I love how each character (student or teacher) got their own character arc, my favorite being Karma and Karasuma's subplots. But, my favorite character will always be Koro sensei. You can see how much he loves Class E and it shows in everything he does. It just makes the last episodes so much more heartbreaking. Overall, an amazing feel good anime! 

The Sympathizer [Book]

This book took me so long to read. But, through sheer determination, I finished it, and I'm glad! My favorite part of the book was the movie filming, especially the whole discourse about being represented by Hollywood and how it's an apparatus for American imperialism. Not gonna lie, I don't really understand the last few chapters (interrogation part). I think what really struck me was how different it felt from the two other POC-centric books I read (Joy Luck Club and The Kite Runner). I'll include a quote from an interview:

I did not want to write this book as a way of explaining the humanity of Vietnamese. Toni Morrison says in Beloved that to have to explain yourself to white people distorts you because you start from a position of assuming your inhumanity or lack of humanity in other people’s eyes. Rather than writing a book that tries to affirm humanity, which is typically the position that minority writers are put into, the book starts from the assumption that we are human, and then goes on to prove that we’re also inhuman at the same time.

It's a unique take on the experiences of minorities, and it's why the Sympathizer felt so different to me. Nguyen managed to handle a nuanced topic  delicately and roughly and straight-to-the-point. I feel like the Vietnam War and communism in general is viewed through a mainly American lens, putting communists in an antagonistic view. The Sympathizer offers the other take on it, though it never takes a side, which is something not a lot of writers can execute well. 

Boku no Hero Academia [Manga]

 I've read this manga before, but it was a long time ago, so this readthrough might as well be a new one. I honestly don't remember loving BNHA this much last time, though I chalk this up to more character development and finished arcs. Right now, BNHA is at its most intense arc so far and I'm honestly scared. The stakes are high now, with the antagonist reaching his full potential and my emotional attachments to the characters reaching an all time high. Prior to that, all the story arcs were written well and did their job in building up to the main fight. Personal favorites of mine were the yakuza raid and League of Villains arc! 

Villain by Stella Jang [Song]

This was a song I stumbled upon because of Youtube's recommendations, and for that I'm glad. The song is super charming, lyrically and musically. Stella Jang's vocals make the song even cheekier, its concept kinda reminds me of a Disney villain! I'm excited to hear more from her.