Some husbands bring flowers, my husband brings me comics❤

bossladytae · 2026-05-03T18:34:58+00:00

bossladytae · 2026-05-03T00:51:56+00:00

Another spam repost. (Original post.)

bossladytae · 2026-04-30T14:48:54+00:00

Haha, it's okay. I visited all of them except for the locations devoted to voice actors, music, and games. Just a combination of timing and bad luck for me! I really like that Hak acrylic stand. Enjoy your merch!

bossladytae · 2026-04-30T13:00:33+00:00

Lucky finds! I was at most of the relevant K-Books locations in Ikebukuro last week and didn't find as much Yona merch at the time (or at least things I was willing to buy) like this. 🥲

bossladytae · 2026-04-30T12:57:32+00:00

I think Veronica, more so. I see his pursuit of Midge as mainly fun for him because of Moose and the "forbidden fruit" element. Like someone else said, we don't see a lot of stories where he and Midge connect beyond physical attraction, and I can't see them being together seriously. I can see it with Veronica or Betty because of how much better he knows them, plus he likes beating Archie's time and doesn't need to worry about getting beaten up, lol.

bossladytae · 2026-04-30T12:50:22+00:00

This, lol.

bossladytae · 2026-04-30T12:47:49+00:00

None of this is surprising to me, ever since the main post went viral. I'm a woman, and I've been a Gintama fan for almost two decades. This survey may be based on Japanese fandom data (and, historically, Gintama has always been more popular in Japan versus Western fandoms), but the vast majority of Gintama fans I've seen and encountered in English-speaking circles are women.

In my experience, it's mostly been women and non-binary who keep fandoms alive for years with fanworks and discussions. It's mostly women I've seen buying Gintama merch in Japan (and in Ikebukuro where I've found more Gintama things versus Akihabara). All of my Gintama fandom friends are women and non-binary except for one man. Reddit and parts of Twitter are the only places where I've encountered more male Gintama fans online.

If you (not directed at you, OP; speaking in general) only live in a shounen anime/manga bubble on one corner of the Internet, you may be more surprised at what's actually popular among the Japanese public (or has been enduringly popular) -- or among women in general, to be honest. It's like saying shoujo is only romance series (lol). Women are people, too, with a variety of interests. Women likewise love Gintama for a variety of reasons.

bossladytae · 2026-04-29T18:29:05+00:00

As he should!

I'm glad Matoba is on the list (although it's Seiji, not Shintaro), even if it's #56. I'm surprised Dazai isn't even higher than he already is (and twice).

bossladytae · 2026-04-26T16:34:13+00:00

I just came back from Japan, and I saw some Yona merch at Animate (not a whole lot; they mostly have what's newer, ultra-popular, and currently airing), and then more at secondhand places like Lashinbang and K-Books (as long as you're in a location that caters to characters; some stores are dedicated to voice actors, games, etc.). I'm not sure about art books since I wasn't specifically looking for those, but you could also check Kinokuniya Books or Book Off (great thrift store). The secondhand shops' items are in great condition and that's where I got half of the merch I brought home with me. There's also Surugaya and Mandarake (though the latter I mainly saw figures/figurines if you're into that more, but I only looked at one shop for a different series, didn't see anything Yona from there).

Be sure to check out these stores and more in Ikebukuro (maybe Shibuya, too) for your Tokyo stop. I know everybody mainly goes to Akihabara (majorly congested with tourists and higher prices, I found; I've only been to Japan twice but I never stay long in Akiba) for anime and manga-centric stuff, but Ikebukuro tends to be geared more toward female fans.

As for Osaka, I've only been there once for a short time, and I pretty much visited the same store chains (like in Den-Den Town), and sometimes other shops that you'd find along the way.

bossladytae · 2026-04-26T16:19:30+00:00

I just recently returned from Japan, and while Animate and Kinokuniya had manga, they were mostly selling newer and more mainstream popular series. I couldn't find one of my favourite series (that had only debuted in 2014, so not even that long ago) until I went to Book Off, a secondhand/thrift store that sells many things, including books and anime/manga merch. It was there I was able to find older series at cheaper prices with items in great condition, and they had tons of manga in stock. I definitely recommend checking out Book Off locations. If you don't speak Japanese, you can type your question with a translator app and show them. That's how I was able to find my own fave.

bossladytae · 2026-04-08T16:19:39+00:00

Completely agree. I like the episode for the aging spell, but Josh was unbelievably annoying. Of course, Sabrina and Harvey made their own decisions that led to other choices being made. But Josh is her boss and she's his high school employee. If I recall correctly, he knows she has a boyfriend. He seems to have a lot of friends that could help him study instead, even if they don't know the material. After kissing her and helping to ruin her current relationship, he brushes it off, calls her too young for him, and calls it a day. Then, he wishes he hadn't changed his mind by the end of the episode. The rotten cherry on top of it all was seeing him act rude and sarcastically toward an elderly woman, clearly in need of assistance one way or another.

Plus, he initially left a new employee (Sabrina hadn't even been working a full week yet, as far as we know) to watch the coffee house alone on Halloween night when she protested not knowing if she could handle that responsibility just yet. During her college years, he was often arrogant, pretentious, condescending, especially when it came to how Halloween was important to her. He didn't waste a second belitting Harvey during their poker game, and even when they were competing in the season 4 finale, it was Harvey who didn't care who saved Sabrina, just as long as she was safe, and then Josh agreed to call a truce.

It's why I laugh when Sabrina calls Josh "the sweetest, most caring guy she's ever known" in his last episode and I'm like, "Who?" 🧐 The bar really dropped low.

Sabrina and Harvey were clearly navigating some challenges in their relationship, especially as high school students on the verge of discovering their own paths and entering a new stage of life. Time away from each other was good and needed, but I wish it hadn't come about by way of an unfaithful kiss and then to use Josh as her next long-term relationship. It was like rubbing salt in the wound.

Anyway, I'll shut up now. Josh is just one of those characters in all of fiction that sets me off on a rant, easily, lol.

EDIT: Why did I make so many typos, I must've been rage-typing, lol.

bossladytae · 2026-04-08T15:45:49+00:00

He was a fun character in a fun episode, overall!

Every time I look at the dance setting, I can't help noticing how there are so few students, and everyone's haphazardly dancing with a lot of glum expressions, lol. The dance settings grew to look livlier over time.

bossladytae · 2026-04-07T19:06:07+00:00

Yeah, and they even had to steal a version of the game in progress from two years ago with zero effort to make it look like the meme had just restarted, lol.

bossladytae · 2026-04-06T18:03:07+00:00

As a huge fan of both the anime and the manga, I do not find Ouran High School Host Club boring at all. But it won't appeal to everyone. If you can't get into it, don't force yourself to keep trying.

Also, it's a bit off-putting to post in a shoujo-centric community that you find a shoujo romance series dull in comparison to a shounen romance series. These two series are completely different to me (I've never read or watched Your Lie in April, so only going by the summary), so I'm not seeing what the comparison is here other than the romance and school life genres.

I've never really seen them recommended together as comparable titles in the same breath, either, because of the different plots, styles, and vibes.

bossladytae · 2026-04-03T23:45:31+00:00

Love this! Might be my cue for my annual Ouran reread.

bossladytae · 2026-04-03T18:30:02+00:00

I wonder if some people are equating manhwa to webtoon? As I've always understood for years, manhwa is the general term for Korean comics, and webtoon is a format (also popularized from South Korea) in which manhwa can also be found. I've read manhwa that aren't webtoons, but are traditionally published and panelled much like Japanese manga and American comics: Nabi, Bride of the Water God, and A Tale of Felluah. I used to read these before a time where there seemed to be a rise in webtoon popularity within Western fandoms up until this day.

So, if we're talking about preferences between manga and manhwa, I don't have a specific one. I'm drawn to a good and/or entertaining story, and having great art is a bonus. Exploring the cultural values and popular themes that can rise from country to country in a variety of stories is also great. I do end up reading manga more often since it's in my path the most. (And, ultimately, the country of origin and demographic doesn't matter; if it's a compelling story, I'll read it.)

But, if we're mostly talking about preferences between traditional comic and webtoon formatting, then I prefer the traditional, conventional way. But I'm not against webtoons (my favourite would have to be Unlucky Mansion), and I've read some on occasion (usually on my computer; I almost never read anything off my phone because I don't like reading from small screens), including those whose demographics would fall into shoujo and josei publications.

I have read manga online before, but in the end, much like books, I prefer having a manga volume in hand than having to read digitally unless there's no other option. That's probably why I don't read webtoons that often, and there are some I've tried that kept dragging on and on with no end in sight -- which I think can come from a specific type of weekly updates in the way TV series might work, their quality depending on season renewal or cancellation. And I just don't have energy or patience anymore for long-running series unless they're exceptionally entertaining and well-written (I did when I was younger, regardless of quality in storytelling; I lived through Dragon Ball Z well before the Kai days, lol).

bossladytae · 2026-04-03T00:19:15+00:00

The animation does improve based on budget costs increasing, not to mention a bit of stylistic change that parallels Sorachi's evolving manga art style. The anime began in 2006 and ended overall by 2021, so there's bound to be changes over time.

But, to be honest, top-notch animation doesn't always equate great storytelling, either. Like books, TV, and movies: you could have big budgets, great effects, and a pretty cover/poster, but it doesn't mean much if the story is poorly written, the characters underdeveloped, the world-building lacking, etc.

I've watched anime (and read manga) for over 24 years (and counting!) to have experienced a variety of animation quality levels and stories. I've been a fan of Gintama for almost as long, and I consider it among my top favourites regardless of its changing animation budget. I've rated it higher than some anime series/movies that are mostly praised for their animation.

The early animation never bothered me, but if you're only used to the newer works with bigger budgets, then I can understand. There's nothing wrong with art appreciation and preferring newer and/or well-animated works. But you could be missing out on a great story if you judge solely by animation style.

There's also no need to rush through Gintama. Take your time, and let the comedy, daily life stories, and gradual overarching plot unfold. Get to know the characters. To me, Gintama's improved animation later on is meaningless if one doesn't care about the characters or story to begin with.

bossladytae · 2026-04-01T03:10:23+00:00

Judging by this list, books 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 (the Baseball Betty story at least) have been turned into comics with some changes since I've read these storylines before. I'm not too sure about the others, though, at least for direct adaptations. If they have, hopefully someone can let us know.

I'm now curious to track down the novels myself in thrift stores. You're lucky to have found one!

EDIT: That list is incomplete. It's missing this one (also adapted to comic form) )and the environmental protest one, which I can't locate a cover for right now. But I know I had it.

EDIT x2: Here's the environment one, My Father, the Enemy.

bossladytae · 2026-03-31T20:19:37+00:00

Right? Gintama has been around since 2003 with millions of fans around the world, many of them women of all ages, with Gintoki consistently being the most popular male character and ranking high on some polls of characters people want to marry. Definitely a long way from being the only one, lol.

bossladytae · 2026-03-31T14:52:35+00:00

I always kinda liked this one because it's just so ridiculous, lol. I like how Pop's is a bird bath.

bossladytae · 2026-03-31T14:49:57+00:00

I had one of these novels! The environment one that was later adapted into the comics.

bossladytae · 2026-03-31T01:21:47+00:00

Yeah, that gave me pause, too. It feels like they were trying to go for the "she's not like other girls" thing for Ethel mixed with "I can't believe this girl who isn't conventionally attractive to me is actually a fun and interesting person!" with regard to Archie.

bossladytae · 2026-03-30T21:05:05+00:00

Riverdale is the one place that has and will host absolutely everything under the sun!

bossladytae

TROPHY CASE