The Next Red Velvet?

August 3, 2026

No one will replace Red Velvet. If I were to suggest that, I should be summarily executed. Anyway, as you well know, I’ve been hesitant to explore the fourth generation of K-pop, a hesitance so lengthy there’s now a fifth generation. The reasons were twofold. One, as previously outlined, the idol experience is more than the music itself. My interests in groups like Red Velvet and Oh My Girl began with the music, and then gradually I’d fall in love with the members and their dynamics. I love Solar’s chaotic energy and artistry and her chemistry with Moonbyul, and Moonbyul’s no-bullshit attitude and friendship with Seulgi, and Seulgi’s curious mind and so on and so on. I love the demystification of seeing the idols in music videos either playing characters or performing with uniform professionalism, only to then discover their individual selves, which are sometimes dramatically different. I tried this with Kep1er, who are so cool in the video for “Killa,” but in the behind-the-scenes material, they’re a little too kidlike. Only in their early 20s, they’re not too far removed from their teenage years, and it gave me a visceral reaction. As someone in his 30s now, I shouldn’t be so concerned with the interior lives of people that young. No, no, please, hold your applause. Xiaoting just put out a solo track called “Legend,” though, if you’re interested. … More The Next Red Velvet?

The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 4

July 28, 2026

Ghost in the Shell 2! It’s Ghost in the Shell 2! Now, dear readers, how long will I make it into this post without mentioning Ghost in the Shell 2? Oh, I see. Let’s call this the elephant in the forest, because Mamoru Oshii’s 2004 sequel undoubtedly colored my experience with the fourth episode. Both pull from the “Robot Rondo” chapter in the manga, all three dealing with a potential robot uprising, like something out of a pulp sci-fi novel, as Batou notes here. It seems that even in 1989, this was well-trodden territory. And while Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence retains several key elements, like an attack in an alley (and Batou’s Power Glove), a yakuza connection, and even the doomed shipping inspector, it adds a layer of techno-philosophy derived from the writing of Donna Haraway atop the basic science fiction setup. In the end, we’ll learn that child trafficking victims being “ghost dubbed” into sex robots were sabotaging the machines to lash out and attract police attention, a morally grey solution to yet another instance of systemic child abuse that Masamune Shirow views with distance. Innocence Batou’s chief objection, however, is that the sex robots had ghosts, too, a conclusion which helps him accept the Major’s mysterious, transformative fate. … More The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 4

The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 3

July 21, 2026

With the promise of next week’s episode being “Robot Rondo” and only that, I’m wondering if episodes two and three are a kind of toll, accidents of format and adaptation that anticipate better later material. The fireball premiere aside, I’m enjoying The Ghost in the Shell about as much as I enjoy the manga, whose darker, serialized final arc appealed more than its, let’s say, standalone episodes. This leaves “Junk Jungle ii + Megatech Machine i + ii” a curious piece of television. Not entirely satisfying on its own, but certainly interesting. As with its predecessor, it features elements which were adapted previously, into Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 film, that gorgeous, thought-provoking classic of science fiction cinema. By contrast, this latest rendition feels like scattered, disorganized notes scrawled by a mad genius concerned with technical detail and the implications of future technology, in need of fastidious cleanup by a different mad genius more concerned with spirituality and the human soul. … More The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 3

Human Vapor | Monster Movie Perfection

July 19, 2026

As the first part of this post is a recommendation, like “I give Human Vapor two thumbs up!” I ought to try for a hook. Perhaps a description of the gory opening scene, a live broadcast where our journalist heroine Kyoko Kono watches her interviewee lifts in the air, smoke swirling into his nose and mouth, and explode. A sensational set piece punctuated by Kyoko splattered with blood, it was not, however, my introduction to the show. Once again, I’m honor-bound to acknowledge the algorithm. Scrolling on whichever one it was, I recognized the term “Human Vapor” as the title of an old Toho movie, and my curiosity about the prospect of its reimagining for Netflix was piqued by a neat-looking teaser trailer. Hazmat suits and journalists and the military in secret labs and boardrooms and underground mines, it was so much of what I love about Japanese monster movies. A dash of gooey body horror with the vapor transformation, and the only piece missing was the loud, brassy score doubtlessly inspired by the work of Akira Ifukube (the trailer was auto-playing on mute). Altogether, it looked like an exciting, rare new series, with surprising implications behind the scenes. … More Human Vapor | Monster Movie Perfection

The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 2

July 14, 2026

The first weeklong wait between episodes was brutal. I watched the first episode about three times, as well as the first two episodes of Stand Alone Complex, and if it wasn’t for Human Vapor (another Japanese procedural with a twist), I’d be in nonstop Ghost mode. So, was the second episode, “Super Spartan ii + Junk Jungle i,” worth all the teeth-gnashing? This one’s tricky, and surely trickier than the satisfying premiere, laying bare the broader shortcomings with this particular adaptation project. One couldn’t be blamed for assuming that each chapter of the manga might translate to an episode of the anime, but possibly because of the “Prologue” being a short but crucial chapter, everything is bumped forward a bit. For example, episode two opens with the final pages of the “Super Spartan” chapter, meaning it properly concludes the first episode before beginning the “Junk Jungle” chapter after the opening credits, itself left unfinished pending episode three. Perhaps a future short chapter evens things out, but in the meantime, this awkward timing ensures that “Super Spartan ii + Junk Jungle i” doesn’t feel like an episode of television, just “the next part of the story,” and it isn’t even clear what the story is yet. … More The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 2

The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 1

July 7, 2026

The Ghost in the Shell is so much. For reasons within and without, it feels precious and rare like a gemstone in every second, every frame. It is true there hasn’t been a recent installment, the latest now six years old, but it’s also an example of anime, a craft initially defined by limited movement in comparison to Western animation, and yet Science Saru adapts Masamune Shirow’s kinetic manga with buttery-smooth animation, an active camera, and generous colors. The only visual element withheld is the gore, the opening body explosion covered in a digital mosaic – which somehow makes it more obscene – leading to the splat of a bloody stick-figure against the wall. Where traditional adaptations pare back the farcical, even manic quality of the source material, opting instead for deadly serious meditations which, honestly, better fit the subject matter, The Ghost in the Shell is paced with a punchline rhythm, and is altogether a carousel of great faces. One of the small joys of the manga is the candid glimpses of characters in repose, where Batou might be wearing an enormous grin or otherwise be looking silly (or pervy). This is practically the animating philosophy at the heart of 2026’s Ghost in the Shell, if the first episode is any indication. … More The Ghost in the Shell | Episode 1

I Understand There’s an Issue Here

July 5, 2026

Rare situation. Late last year, I became somewhat enamored of this actress Jung Eun-chae, right? That’s totally normal. Lots of people are like me. Beyond her striking appearance is an exciting talent, as she selects roles for their substance rather than billing in the credits. Admittedly, this is a double-edged sword, because while supporting roles tend to be the most interesting – especially in K-dramas – in practice, the dearth of leading roles means a lot of Jung Eun-chae material without a lot of Jung Eun-chae. To date, the best performance of hers I’ve seen is in the Bae Suzy drama Anna, in which she bares her fangs as a villainous socialite, but isn’t featured in every episode. The cumulative result is that she’s done just about everything, from cameos and guest spots to indie films and international productions, donning the right outfits for lawyers, judges, detectives, opera stars, middle managers, and even the prime minister. Surprisingly, no doctor yet, as far as I can tell. And while “detective” would catch my eye on that list, it’s in a supernatural show about demons, which is a bit of a no-fly zone for me personally (it’s bad enough Park Shin-hye is gonna make me sit through another season of The Judge from Hell). … More I Understand There’s an Issue Here

Who You Callin’ Stupid?

June 18, 2026

I posted a review for The Furious one week ago, and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it – not the movie but the review. And not just because it was a brilliant piece of film criticism, but because the apparent dichotomy between its near-perfect star rating and the more negative text of the review indeed represents a confusion I’m still processing. To go back, it wasn’t too long before my learning about The Furious and hearing the swell of excited reactions out of the festivals. This was the next Raid, and unlike the other Raid-likes over the years, it was coming to U.S. theaters. That had to mean something. Then the trailer releases online and, in addition to being phenomenal, is filled with enthusiastic, superlative sound bites. “One of the best action films of the decade” (in a decade which includes RRR, John Wick 4, and for me, Baby Assassins 3). I click around on Reddit and read similar opinions, though one person comments that the trailer pretty much gives everything away. “How could that be possible?” I huff. Well, one punch at a time, and I think this was a huge part of my reaction. … More Who You Callin’ Stupid?

No-Brainer | The Furious (2025) Review

June 11, 2026

We’ve got to talk about Joe Taslim and Kensuke Sonomura and Jeeja Yanin and all the With Eyes East favorites who’ve assembled for this action movie Super Bowl, but the story of The Furious might begin with a different name: Bill Kong. The last (and first) time producer Bill Kong came up on this site, it was in the comparison between live-action Blood: The Last Vampire – which he produced as a vehicle for Gianna Jun – and Kingdom: Ashin of the North, the homegrown Korean product which more successfully showed off Jun Ji-hyun to the world. If there’s one thing Bill Kong likes, it’s an American audience, as he also helped foster such crossover hits as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the Disney live-action Mulan. He may have found a fellow traveler in director Kenji Tanigaki, the Japanese action coordinator who cut his teeth on Hong Kong productions like SPL, Flash Point, and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (not to mention odds and ends like Blade II and Takashi Yamazaki’s Always: Sunset on Third Street). Together, they’ve brought The Furious to the international market, starting with the Toronto International Film Festival, up to and including American screens the same day as the latest Spielberg release. That’s confidence. … More No-Brainer | The Furious (2025) Review

I Will Be So Sad if This is Bad

May 28, 2026

Mark your calendars, folks, for a new Ghost in the Shell on July 7th! “Ghost in the Shell?!” I hear you erupt, indignant, “You mean the Japanese cyberpunk media franchise which hasn’t been good in over ten years, being generous?” “Ah,” I say, with scholarly poise, “Japanese postcyberpunk media franchise.” How clever indeed. The plan was to totally play it cool and wait to write about Science Saru’s The Ghost in the Shell only upon its release, theoretically doable as I haven’t been trapped in a hype cycle (hype psyop) in what feels like ages. And frankly, the first two teaser trailers weren’t doing much for me, beyond providing excellent music samples – the second like something out of Metroid Prime – and selling the concept of animating the artwork of Masamune Shirow with a budget larger than, say, the Appleseed OVA. So, what happened to turn things around? The third trailer. And so, I want to tell you a story in three trailers, and it’s my favorite one: the story of the Major. … More I Will Be So Sad if This is Bad