I would like to sincerely wish everyone a happy new year! I sincerely hope you enjoyed your New Year’s Eve, and have a happy 2026! God bless you all!
Happy New Year’s Eve 2026 From Animangemu
Reply
Tag Archives: 2025
2025 In Review: The Year of Revolutionary Change, And Frustrating Setbacks
The year 2025 has been a huge roller coaster for me. It was a year of unprecedented revolution, but at the same time, a year when frustration and setbacks ultimately held me back from fulfilling my potential. For the first time in my entire life since I started Animangemu, I went fully social. I showed my face, dramatically changed Animangemu’s course, and transformed it from a simple brand into an interactive one that embraces social media, personality, and the importance of individuality. Meeting new people, finalizing Animangemu’s true identity, and finally awakening my passion for cosplay and events after years of keeping them on the back burner felt incredible. Animangemu also experienced unprecedented levels of growth and recognition. My knowledge expanded, and embracing this new Floridian otaku identity feels amazing—I’m truly glad I made this change for both myself and the brand.
Sadly, this year will also be remembered for the big plans that ultimately failed to materialize. I missed out on many amazing events and found myself more bitterly waiting for change than actually living in the moment—constantly walking up and down, watching others have fun while I did… well, nothing. Not to mention how angry and bitter I feel knowing how many awesome 2025 events I missed. My anime, manga, and video game consumption also hit its lowest point ever. The year suffered from massive droughts of activity, and in the end, the really big moments didn’t arrive until December.
So for 2026, I’m going to dramatically change everything for the better. Still, this year had some truly memorable moments. Here’s a recap of everything that happened for me in 2025.
When I first started 2025, Animangemu remained pretty basic, and most of my interests from 2024 simply carried over into the new year. For a short while, everything stayed the same. But during the winter of that year, something felt off—a glaring issue was beginning to surface. At first, I couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong, but by the time March rolled around, it became obvious: things were getting stale. Time was moving forward for me, and what once felt basic and mandatory no longer did. Indeed, things changed later on, and the ride was bumpy. I achieved some major milestones, but I also suffered some serious hits and setbacks. Around the middle of the year, I realized nothing was going to improve as long as I kept relying on the same stale methods as the sole foundation of my platform. So, I dramatically reshaped Animangemu’s brand along the way. By August, it hit me hard: as long as Animangemu stayed the way it was, things would never get better. Cosplay and anime conventions had been my constant desire, but they remained out of reach due to various issues. Eventually, though, it happened. I purchased a lot of awesome merchandise, and I genuinely enjoyed some notable anime, manga, video games, toys & games, and even some Tokusatsu. Finally, cosplay became the absolute highlight of 2025 for me—and so did my event schedule. This forever changed Animangemu and ultimately kicked off a new era of interactivity—not just for my brand, but for my life as a whole. In other words, I began to live life again, fully engaging with others over the cringe otaku stuff that still makes me happy to this day. Of course, none of this would have happened without the revolution of Animangemu’s brand change. Over the months, my brand grew bigger and bigger, and even some big-name figures in the community took notice of my work. Animangemu became a full-time job for me, and I loved publishing hit articles that caught the attention of so many people. Now, in 2026, expect things to go into overdrive. I already have a HUGE amount of big plans ready for next year, and unlike 2025, I won’t be missing out on any of them. I hope you enjoy what I have in store. Here’s a recap of everything that happened for me in 2025.
Continue readingHideaki Anno: “I’m sorry, but the audience will have to be the one to adapt.”
Death taxes and anime controversy. Ever since I started Animangemu, controversial topics with hot takes by famous figureheads of the anime industry have somewhat become the norm. Of course, this isn’t new, and this phenomenon dates back decades. Either it was Hayao Miyazaki saying that anime is made by people with unrealistic expectations—in a negative tone—which people mistakenly thought meant “anime is trash and was a mistake.” Nowadays, controversial issues have gotten more notable and a lot more common, especially this year in 2025.
Now Hideaki Anno joins the scene, and although he’s made previous controversial statements before, this one is his latest. But is it really controversial? According to some fans, it is—for them—and the reason why is clear. In a recent Forbes Japan interview, Anno stated that creators should not adjust anime for overseas or global audiences, emphasizing that works must first succeed domestically in Japan, and adding, “I’m sorry, but the audience will have to be the one to adapt.” Some fans (especially in Western discussions on platforms like Reddit and X) find this controversial because it feels like a rejection of global inclusivity, a pushback against localization pressures, or even a dismissal of “modern audience” sensitivities. Others, however, praise it as a defense of authentic Japanese storytelling against homogenization.
As we all know, in terms of popularity and industry business practices, anime as a whole has indeed globalized. Anime is more popular than ever, and people are watching anime—both old and new—racking up DVDs, buying up all the manga, and hogging all the merchandise. This year, we saw three anime movies dominate the box office worldwide: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc, and Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution. All three enjoyed unprecedented success at the box office in Japan and internationally. Most notably, in countries like the United States, China, and numerous nations in Southeast Asia and parts of Europe, anime has not only enjoyed explosive popularity but has equalized—and even dethroned—once long-time pop culture favorites among the locals.
So, with such success globally, it’s no surprise that a critically acclaimed and legendary director like Hideaki Anno would be asked such a question. So, what’s going on exactly, and what did he say?
Continue readingThe Return of My Passion For Anime and Manga: A 10th Anniversary Special
Expect Good News This Year – God
And all of the glory goes to the Almighty God above the beautiful heavens. Thank You, my Holy Father, for bringing this beautiful passion of mine back to life. What you just read isn’t merely an anniversary reflection—it’s a living testimony from me. This wasn’t just some random story that happened. It was a beautiful promise given to me by my Almighty God, foretelling good news that would come into my life, and in the end, it did happen—exactly as He said it would. Every single paragraph, every action, every turning point, every moment of heartbreak and rebirth… all credit, all praise, and all glory belong to Him alone—the Almighty God of Glory! Amen! – Kurai
On December 20, 2015, in the 87th minute of a Serie A match between Inter Milan and Lazio at the San Siro, Felipe Melo conceded a penalty with a reckless challenge on a cold late-autumn afternoon. Antonio Candreva stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, restoring Lazio’s lead. In the end, Lazio claimed the three points they desperately needed, leaving the San Siro stunned. Among those stunned was me—a passionate, 18-year-old Inter supporter watching from across the Atlantic in the Sunshine State. It was a typical gray, cold, cloudy day in the suburbs of Orlando. In a surge of rage, disappointment, and sheer exhaustion from years of constant Nerazzurri heartbreak, I hurled my slipper to the ground.
That moment crystallized something for me: the Nerazzurri were going to disappoint their faithful once again. After years of mediocrity—and with more to come—Inter had a well-earned reputation for spectacular collapses after crucial defeats like this one. Sure enough, the team imploded. They fell from 1st place to 4th by January, were out of the title race by March, and had dropped out of the Champions League qualification spots by May. It was a collapse so predictable it almost felt scripted. After that Lazio loss, I finally realized: enough is enough. I was tired of getting so worked up and heartbroken over something that, deep down, wasn’t even a true passion of mine anymore. I was tired of the stress, the anger, and the emotional rollercoaster over something that ultimately had very little real significance in my life. Most of all, I was tired of wasting time on a hobby that no longer brought me joy—time I could be spending on something I truly loved and wanted to build a future around. When those feelings finally surfaced, only one thing came to mind: anime, manga, and the otaku life I had once embraced so fully. After years of drought, with that passion lying dormant, something awakened inside me. I told myself: Kurai, it’s time to change course. Enough is enough. Stop wasting your energy on a team of billionaires living their dreams on the pitch, and start chasing your own. A few days later, on December 25, 2015, I began watching Attack on Titan. I finished the season on December 30.That week marked the moment I finally turned the page.
The question you’re probably asking is: what the heck does this have to do with anime, manga, and my otaku life? Well, please sit back, buckle up, and get ready—because this is the story of one of the most important turning points in my life. It’s exactly how my passion for anime and manga came roaring back. I first became an otaku in 2011, but between 2012 and 2015, I went through a long, slow drought. My enthusiasm faded, and I found myself feeling more miserable, depressed, and completely unable to take my otaku passion to new heights—the way you see me doing today, and the way I did for years after my revival began in 2016. In this piece, I’m going to tell you the full tale of how it all happened: how one small, unexpected moment brought me, as an otaku, back to life and led me to where I am today.
Continue readingGoogle Trends: Ranking The 10 Provinces in Canada That Identify As Otaku From Least to Most 10-1
If any of you follow me by now, I’m sure most of you—if not all of you—have read my article about which state in America identifies as the most otaku, from least to most, courtesy of Google Trends. In that article, I not only included basic information about the states and their landscape of otaku life (such as anime conventions, shops, etc.), but also detailed what life would be like for an otaku there. It was done through a quick yet in-depth analysis. The reception to these five articles that I published? Well…
They were critically acclaimed, and I’d argue these articles are what kick-started the growth for Animangemu. I received a wave of interest from fellow otakus in all 50 states. Some were dying to know who would be number one, or if California or Texas is better, or how the heck Florida ended up only at (insert rank). Because of this, I’ve also received interest from fellow otakus around the world—Europe, Latin America, Asia, etc.—to publish an article exactly like this. My fellow otakus around the world, as you all know, I work tirelessly to bring you the best content for the otaku life. Indeed I am, but believe me when I tell you: making articles like these IS NOT EASY!!! Of course, I sincerely hope to deliver them to you as soon as possible! Time after time, I would like to work on these types of articles more. So, who am I starting with? None other than our fellow northern neighbors, Canada! Like in America and the rest of the world, the popularity of anime and manga has grown significantly in Canada. In fact, check this out! Did you know that Canadian otaku life gave birth to many famous phenomena that are important in the anime and manga community?
First, Canada is known for dubbing many iconic anime in English dubs that became well known: Death Note, Inuyasha, and yes, Dragon Ball! That’s right—WAY before the Funimation dub. Numerous Canadian cartoons were inspired by Japanese anime, and some are even well known here in America. Canada is also home to well-known iconic anime conventions that even industry professionals from Japan and America attend. Anime and manga have enjoyed significant growth in Canada. Like many nations around the world, Canada had its first exposure to anime and manga in the 1960s and 1970s. However, it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that anime and manga began to build a massive stronghold in Canada, thanks to television networks. In the 2000s, the popularity of anime and manga experienced an unprecedented explosion in the country, all in part due to the rise of the internet and dedicated online communities. In the 2010s, the popularity continued strongly through the rise of social media and streaming services. Today, it’s stronger than ever, and like everywhere else in the world, the otaku life is thriving. The question is: which province is the most passionate?
In my previous article for America, I used Google Trends to see which state searches for anime the most, and the results were interesting. However, this time I wanted to see which province identifies most as otaku by simply checking which one looks up the definition the most. Not only that, but I will also be using sources and research to back up and explain why each province is ranked where it is. Now, for Canada, this list—unlike the previous one for the states in America—makes a lot more sense, and some of the provinces you will see ranked will probably surprise you. Also, unlike my previous article on the same topic which required five separate articles for all 50 states, I will be able to do the entire article in one go thanks to Canada having just ten provinces. That way, readers won’t be turned off by the horrific TL;DR issue of scrolling through a long page full of nothing but text, and instead can enjoy reading the article with a moderate amount of reading while waiting in anticipation for the next one on the same topic. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Continue reading
Animangemu 