π An interest
Hello to you, dear reader.
You are probably here wondering what this place is and who I am, so I'll let you off the hook. My name is Cami, class of 1992, Japanese translator, comic artist and Italian pest.
I have always had the feeling I could explain my point of view on a type of media I have been a fan of since my early childhood: anime and manga. It all began when my sister handed me a Card Captor Sakura volume (which I read from left to right, like a dumbass) at the age of seven and I was immediately transported to a different world.
That feeling, also known as escapism, was what dragged me through middle and high school; my mind fixed on the desire to learn Japanese-- which, in retrospect, I know sounds extremely naive. However, differently from a lot of kids who say they want to learn Japanese more as a phase before finding their own, actual field of study, I did end up studying the language and culture. I even got a Master's degree, back in the ye old times of 2017. Fingers crossed for my PhD.
So, now I'm currently branching out into the translations bubble, with personal projects, too. Yet, my mind still circles back to that itch I could not scratch as a teen: write down my opinions on Japanese pop media.
π The blog
Whether this will be a hobby or something I might plan on taking more seriously in the future, a long journey begins with the first step. So, here I am.
What is mogu mogu (γγγγ)? It is a Japanese onomatopoeia meaning to "munch", much like a small critter or a hamster would. But it can also mean "mumbling", so I thought it would be a cute mix of munching media and mumbling about it. πΉ
I enjoy feedback, so I would love to see your comments under my posts (or on Twitter/Instagram/wherever I post these essays). However, I also have a lot of paranoia related to the modern hellscape that is the internet: thus my choice of writing on a private blog instead of full-on open-to-everyone websites like MAL or Anilist. That is, I know I know myself and my opinions.
Not to say I am a party pooper, but I am extremely critical of media and my access to the Japanese side of the conversation helps me get a more rounded experience, or so I believe.
I am by no means someone to be looked up to for his critiques, language skills or opinions in general. These reviews are for fun, for me and for you to read and enjoy! I am trying to write them as essays, though they are not academic pieces, nor they are supported by anyone else besides myself.
Just to let it out of the basket: I am a feminist, I am also a queer trans man and Italian. All of these personal experiences of mine shape my criticisms. That is also because criticism (in the neutral meaning of the term) is exactly that: the author's experiences are applied to their work and the critic analyses it, adding their own perspective to it.
In my posts, I want to show some interesting cultural tidbits related to Japan, providing the Japanese original (with romaji and kana+kanji) and, generally, give a well-rounded explanation to my writing. In reviews, I keep a score on the X/100 system.
Coming from an academic background, I am going to put sources for what I quote (whenever possible) and if there's a need to. For example, a link or a source will not be provided for something like "in Japan, high schoolers wear uniforms", but I will for something like "in Japan, high schoolers are still supposed to wear uniforms but there have been great pushes to change the legislation to a more 'choice based' mix". Exactly like this, with hyperlinks! In essays, I will add a bibliography or sitography at the end, so you can check them out yourself.
I hope you'll have fun. π
