#shortblogs — Public Fediverse posts

Recently added titles (June 2026)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of this year, and January, February, March, April, and May of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No films, animated series, or other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in webcomics. There may be spoilers for these series, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

None for this month.

Anime series recently added to this page

• Ascendance of a Bookworm, “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s]” (s4 ep 11)
• Black Lagoon, “The Succession” (s1 ep 20)
• Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, “Zing!” (s1 ep 11)
• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, “Akiho Kashiwabara & Wakana Tabata” (s1 ep 9)

In the 20th episode of Black Lagoon, Yukio is reading a book by Martin Heidegger, as she tells her friend Maki, in the school library, calling the book philosophical and “very powerful.” In contrast, Maki says she likes skincare guides and modern horror books, with Yukio saying she remembered Maki saying she liked Anne Rice. They talk a bit more with Yukio saying she sometimes feels like she is caught inside of book worlds, and viewers see some of the library bookshelves. She says she doesn’t like Stephen King and Maki says she thought Yukio would like Edgar Allan Poe. She says she doesn’t like the ones that imagine the night, and she does not like the world as it makes her scared, that it is not romantic at all.

There is a second scene in the episode in the reading room where Yukio is thinking about the gang war between the Russian mafia and Japanese yakuza, and does not listen as much to what Maki tells her and decides to not tell her troubles. The reading room is shown briefly in the next episode, but not enough to mention it here. It is worth noting that Heidegger was directly involved with the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, and even banned from teaching after the war until 1949 (when the ban was lifted). He also never expressed remorse for being involved with the Nazis, which is funny because Hannah Arendt, who became known for her political theory against authoritarianism, including Nazism and fascism. I’m not sure why Heidegger was mentioned (in the manga as well), except to possibly indicate that Yukio was intellectual, nihilistic, and his existential philosophy was appealing. At the same time, I seriously doubt she was a Nazi as there was an earlier plot line in the series where the protagonists stole loot from a submarine filled by wannabe Nazis/neo-Nazis and killed a bunch of them, but rather a bit of a mob boss, if I have to guess. At the same time, during his life, Heidegger had intellectual contact with Japanese scholars like racist Hajime Tanabe (who later regretted defending claimed Japanese state and racial superiority) and pro-militarist Shūzō Kuki over the years, influencing his work, according to Reinhard May.

Otherwise, in the ninth episode of A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, there is a brief library scene of the students studying on the library together, learning about people at the school and searching on the local computers, even reading newspaper articles.

Lastly there’s an episode of Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, the 11th episode. Previously, in episode three (noted later), there was a library scene. In this episode, to relax from the festival and feeling he is taking up the time of Kotoko Ijichi and Amane, Takuya Seo (otherwise known as Otaku-kun) hangs out in the school library. While there he hears the rumor that the Mister and Misses from the contest begins dating, with mention of Amane and Ijichi, and some other kids dating them. After they find the book they want and leave, Takuya looks through his phone and sees images of him with Amane and Ijichi, and thinks they may have better matches than him, and he feels anxious about the idea of other people dating them. It seems he is starting to say that he would make the next move, somehow, although it isn’t clear what that would be.

Before this, there have been other episodes in this series with library scenes. In April, I noted that in the third episode of the series, saying that “Ijichi helps the two other protagonists…Takuya…and Amane) study in the school library for midterms but Takuya admires the two gyaru gals in front of him. Some of the books in the school library are shown. Despite Kotoko saying they should keep studying, instead Takuya and Amane have an art battle over their favorite characters of Glittermon in the library.”

Last but not least, Ascendance of a Bookworm FINALLY had an episode with a library, which has been an utter crime for a while, despite the focus of the series on books and the fact that the protagonist was a librarian in her former life. According to my records, the last episode with a library scene, “Re: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2”, a recap episode, was in late March 2022! There were no library scenes, at all, in season 3. Entitled “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s],” Myne finds a key to the rare books shelf of the cathedral library, which she happily checks out. She goes to the cabinet with rare books, unlocks it with a key (another barrier to entry). Her attendant, Fran, tells her that these “books” are not actually books. Instead, they are letters on parchment, inside of a box, which were addressed to the former High Bishop. She even agrees, after Fran says she can read the letters as she is now the High Bishop, and report the contents to the Head Priest (Ferdinand).

The letters are filled with bitter grievances about their bad position in life, revealing bribery, and deep ties between the viscount (Gerlach) and the former High Bishop (Bezewanst). She later describes these letters, to Ferdinand as “filled with wicked schemes and evidence of…wrongdoings” by Gerlach. The letter end up being helpful to Ferdinand in his schemes. It is also revealed that one of those mentioned in the letters, Veronica, was the mother of Ferdinand and his brother Sylvester, and charged with forging official documents and acting as an accomplice to Bezewanst. Apart from Myne later looking at the existing printing press and bringing together different tradespeople (a carpenter and smither) to create an improved printing press in this episode, with Myne buying the blueprint, among other plot points, Fran says her conduct as a noble is fine, “as long as it doesn’t involve books.” Then there’s a short scene of her laughing while reading a book, with Ferdinand saying it is best to keep her away from books (not good!). In the post-credits scene, one of the priests says he told Myne a story, to get over her drowsiness: the size of the collection, the types of books, names and ages of the librarians, and sealed archives at the Royal Academy. While the priest thought this was boring, Myne comes onto the scene saying the information was entertaining and useful. The ending credit illustration by Somchira Katsu has Myne smiling happily as she grabs one of the books in the church library.

Comics recently added to this page

None for this month.

Films recently added to this page

None for this month.

Other entries recently added to this page

I was reminded of Love Live! songs this month and came across, again, a song by Shioriko, entitled “Emotion” behind a library backdrop in  an episode of Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, which I wrote about back in August 2024. In that post I said:

Let me start with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, a series which ran from 2020 to 2022. In the episode “The Memory of Dreams,” of aforementioned idol music series, a library is featured. At the end of the episode, Shioriko sings a musical ballad which features her going through a library, touching the spines of books, and walking down stairs in the library. This might be indicating how academic she is, as a person. She also, during the song, changes outfits in the library and finds a key… within a book. The song isn’t about libraries at all as a translation of the lyrics makes abundantly clear.

Here’s the related video:

© 2024-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Recently added titles (June 2026)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of this year, and January, February, March, April, and May of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No films, animated series, or other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in webcomics. There may be spoilers for these series, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

None for this month.

Anime series recently added to this page

• Ascendance of a Bookworm, “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s]” (s4 ep 11)
• Black Lagoon, “The Succession” (s1 ep 20)
• Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, “Zing!” (s1 ep 11)
• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, “Akiho Kashiwabara & Wakana Tabata” (s1 ep 9)

In the 20th episode of Black Lagoon, Yukio is reading a book by Martin Heidegger, as she tells her friend Maki, in the school library, calling the book philosophical and “very powerful.” In contrast, Maki says she likes skincare guides and modern horror books, with Yukio saying she remembered Maki saying she liked Anne Rice. They talk a bit more with Yukio saying she sometimes feels like she is caught inside of book worlds, and viewers see some of the library bookshelves. She says she doesn’t like Stephen King and Maki says she thought Yukio would like Edgar Allan Poe. She says she doesn’t like the ones that imagine the night, and she does not like the world as it makes her scared, that it is not romantic at all.

There is a second scene in the episode in the reading room where Yukio is thinking about the gang war between the Russian mafia and Japanese yakuza, and does not listen as much to what Maki tells her and decides to not tell her troubles. The reading room is shown briefly in the next episode, but not enough to mention it here. It is worth noting that Heidegger was directly involved with the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, and even banned from teaching after the war until 1949 (when the ban was lifted). He also never expressed remorse for being involved with the Nazis, which is funny because Hannah Arendt, who became known for her political theory against authoritarianism, including Nazism and fascism. I’m not sure why Heidegger was mentioned (in the manga as well), except to possibly indicate that Yukio was intellectual, nihilistic, and his existential philosophy was appealing. At the same time, I seriously doubt she was a Nazi as there was an earlier plot line in the series where the protagonists stole loot from a submarine filled by wannabe Nazis/neo-Nazis and killed a bunch of them, but rather a bit of a mob boss, if I have to guess. At the same time, during his life, Heidegger had intellectual contact with Japanese scholars like racist Hajime Tanabe (who later regretted defending claimed Japanese state and racial superiority) and pro-militarist Shūzō Kuki over the years, influencing his work, according to Reinhard May.

Otherwise, in the ninth episode of A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, there is a brief library scene of the students studying on the library together, learning about people at the school and searching on the local computers, even reading newspaper articles.

Lastly there’s an episode of Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, the 11th episode. Previously, in episode three (noted later), there was a library scene. In this episode, to relax from the festival and feeling he is taking up the time of Kotoko Ijichi and Amane, Takuya Seo (otherwise known as Otaku-kun) hangs out in the school library. While there he hears the rumor that the Mister and Misses from the contest begins dating, with mention of Amane and Ijichi, and some other kids dating them. After they find the book they want and leave, Takuya looks through his phone and sees images of him with Amane and Ijichi, and thinks they may have better matches than him, and he feels anxious about the idea of other people dating them. It seems he is starting to say that he would make the next move, somehow, although it isn’t clear what that would be.

Before this, there have been other episodes in this series with library scenes. In April, I noted that in the third episode of the series, saying that “Ijichi helps the two other protagonists…Takuya…and Amane) study in the school library for midterms but Takuya admires the two gyaru gals in front of him. Some of the books in the school library are shown. Despite Kotoko saying they should keep studying, instead Takuya and Amane have an art battle over their favorite characters of Glittermon in the library.”

Last but not least, Ascendance of a Bookworm FINALLY had an episode with a library, which has been an utter crime for a while, despite the focus of the series on books and the fact that the protagonist was a librarian in her former life. According to my records, the last episode with a library scene, “Re: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2”, a recap episode, was in late March 2022! There were no library scenes, at all, in season 3. Entitled “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s],” Myne finds a key to the rare books shelf of the cathedral library, which she happily checks out. She goes to the cabinet with rare books, unlocks it with a key (another barrier to entry). Her attendant, Fran, tells her that these “books” are not actually books. Instead, they are letters on parchment, inside of a box, which were addressed to the former High Bishop. She even agrees, after Fran says she can read the letters as she is now the High Bishop, and report the contents to the Head Priest (Ferdinand).

The letters are filled with bitter grievances about their bad position in life, revealing bribery, and deep ties between the viscount (Gerlach) and the former High Bishop (Bezewanst). She later describes these letters, to Ferdinand as “filled with wicked schemes and evidence of…wrongdoings” by Gerlach. The letter end up being helpful to Ferdinand in his schemes. It is also revealed that one of those mentioned in the letters, Veronica, was the mother of Ferdinand and his brother Sylvester, and charged with forging official documents and acting as an accomplice to Bezewanst. Apart from Myne later looking at the existing printing press and bringing together different tradespeople (a carpenter and smither) to create an improved printing press in this episode, with Myne buying the blueprint, among other plot points, Fran says her conduct as a noble is fine, “as long as it doesn’t involve books.” Then there’s a short scene of her laughing while reading a book, with Ferdinand saying it is best to keep her away from books (not good!). In the post-credits scene, one of the priests says he told Myne a story, to get over her drowsiness: the size of the collection, the types of books, names and ages of the librarians, and sealed archives at the Royal Academy. While the priest thought this was boring, Myne comes onto the scene saying the information was entertaining and useful. The ending credit illustration by Somchira Katsu has Myne smiling happily as she grabs one of the books in the church library.

Comics recently added to this page

None for this month.

Films recently added to this page

None for this month.

Other entries recently added to this page

I was reminded of Love Live! songs this month and came across, again, a song by Shioriko, entitled “Emotion” behind a library backdrop in  an episode of Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, which I wrote about back in August 2024. In that post I said:

Let me start with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, a series which ran from 2020 to 2022. In the episode “The Memory of Dreams,” of aforementioned idol music series, a library is featured. At the end of the episode, Shioriko sings a musical ballad which features her going through a library, touching the spines of books, and walking down stairs in the library. This might be indicating how academic she is, as a person. She also, during the song, changes outfits in the library and finds a key… within a book. The song isn’t about libraries at all as a translation of the lyrics makes abundantly clear.

Here’s the related video:

© 2024-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Recently added titles (June 2026)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of this year, and January, February, March, April, and May of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No films, animated series, or other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in webcomics. There may be spoilers for these series, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

None for this month.

Anime series recently added to this page

• Ascendance of a Bookworm, “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s]” (s4 ep 11)
• Black Lagoon, “The Succession” (s1 ep 20)
• Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, “Zing!” (s1 ep 11)
• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, “Akiho Kashiwabara & Wakana Tabata” (s1 ep 9)

In the 20th episode of Black Lagoon, Yukio is reading a book by Martin Heidegger, as she tells her friend Maki, in the school library, calling the book philosophical and “very powerful.” In contrast, Maki says she likes skincare guides and modern horror books, with Yukio saying she remembered Maki saying she liked Anne Rice. They talk a bit more with Yukio saying she sometimes feels like she is caught inside of book worlds, and viewers see some of the library bookshelves. She says she doesn’t like Stephen King and Maki says she thought Yukio would like Edgar Allan Poe. She says she doesn’t like the ones that imagine the night, and she does not like the world as it makes her scared, that it is not romantic at all.

There is a second scene in the episode in the reading room where Yukio is thinking about the gang war between the Russian mafia and Japanese yakuza, and does not listen as much to what Maki tells her and decides to not tell her troubles. The reading room is shown briefly in the next episode, but not enough to mention it here. It is worth noting that Heidegger was directly involved with the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, and even banned from teaching after the war until 1949 (when the ban was lifted). He also never expressed remorse for being involved with the Nazis, which is funny because Hannah Arendt, who became known for her political theory against authoritarianism, including Nazism and fascism. I’m not sure why Heidegger was mentioned (in the manga as well), except to possibly indicate that Yukio was intellectual, nihilistic, and his existential philosophy was appealing. At the same time, I seriously doubt she was a Nazi as there was an earlier plot line in the series where the protagonists stole loot from a submarine filled by wannabe Nazis/neo-Nazis and killed a bunch of them, but rather a bit of a mob boss, if I have to guess. At the same time, during his life, Heidegger had intellectual contact with Japanese scholars like racist Hajime Tanabe (who later regretted defending claimed Japanese state and racial superiority) and pro-militarist Shūzō Kuki over the years, influencing his work, according to Reinhard May.

Otherwise, in the ninth episode of A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, there is a brief library scene of the students studying on the library together, learning about people at the school and searching on the local computers, even reading newspaper articles.

Lastly there’s an episode of Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, the 11th episode. Previously, in episode three (noted later), there was a library scene. In this episode, to relax from the festival and feeling he is taking up the time of Kotoko Ijichi and Amane, Takuya Seo (otherwise known as Otaku-kun) hangs out in the school library. While there he hears the rumor that the Mister and Misses from the contest begins dating, with mention of Amane and Ijichi, and some other kids dating them. After they find the book they want and leave, Takuya looks through his phone and sees images of him with Amane and Ijichi, and thinks they may have better matches than him, and he feels anxious about the idea of other people dating them. It seems he is starting to say that he would make the next move, somehow, although it isn’t clear what that would be.

Before this, there have been other episodes in this series with library scenes. In April, I noted that in the third episode of the series, saying that “Ijichi helps the two other protagonists…Takuya…and Amane) study in the school library for midterms but Takuya admires the two gyaru gals in front of him. Some of the books in the school library are shown. Despite Kotoko saying they should keep studying, instead Takuya and Amane have an art battle over their favorite characters of Glittermon in the library.”

Last but not least, Ascendance of a Bookworm FINALLY had an episode with a library, which has been an utter crime for a while, despite the focus of the series on books and the fact that the protagonist was a librarian in her former life. According to my records, the last episode with a library scene, “Re: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2”, a recap episode, was in late March 2022! There were no library scenes, at all, in season 3. Entitled “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s],” Myne finds a key to the rare books shelf of the cathedral library, which she happily checks out. She goes to the cabinet with rare books, unlocks it with a key (another barrier to entry). Her attendant, Fran, tells her that these “books” are not actually books. Instead, they are letters on parchment, inside of a box, which were addressed to the former High Bishop. She even agrees, after Fran says she can read the letters as she is now the High Bishop, and report the contents to the Head Priest (Ferdinand).

The letters are filled with bitter grievances about their bad position in life, revealing bribery, and deep ties between the viscount (Gerlach) and the former High Bishop (Bezewanst). She later describes these letters, to Ferdinand as “filled with wicked schemes and evidence of…wrongdoings” by Gerlach. The letter end up being helpful to Ferdinand in his schemes. It is also revealed that one of those mentioned in the letters, Veronica, was the mother of Ferdinand and his brother Sylvester, and charged with forging official documents and acting as an accomplice to Bezewanst. Apart from Myne later looking at the existing printing press and bringing together different tradespeople (a carpenter and smither) to create an improved printing press in this episode, with Myne buying the blueprint, among other plot points, Fran says her conduct as a noble is fine, “as long as it doesn’t involve books.” Then there’s a short scene of her laughing while reading a book, with Ferdinand saying it is best to keep her away from books (not good!). In the post-credits scene, one of the priests says he told Myne a story, to get over her drowsiness: the size of the collection, the types of books, names and ages of the librarians, and sealed archives at the Royal Academy. While the priest thought this was boring, Myne comes onto the scene saying the information was entertaining and useful. The ending credit illustration by Somchira Katsu has Myne smiling happily as she grabs one of the books in the church library.

Comics recently added to this page

None for this month.

Films recently added to this page

None for this month.

Other entries recently added to this page

I was reminded of Love Live! songs this month and came across, again, a song by Shioriko, entitled “Emotion” behind a library backdrop in  an episode of Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, which I wrote about back in August 2024. In that post I said:

Let me start with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, a series which ran from 2020 to 2022. In the episode “The Memory of Dreams,” of aforementioned idol music series, a library is featured. At the end of the episode, Shioriko sings a musical ballad which features her going through a library, touching the spines of books, and walking down stairs in the library. This might be indicating how academic she is, as a person. She also, during the song, changes outfits in the library and finds a key… within a book. The song isn’t about libraries at all as a translation of the lyrics makes abundantly clear.

Here’s the related video:

© 2024-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Recently added titles (June 2026)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of this year, and January, February, March, April, and May of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No films, animated series, or other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in webcomics. There may be spoilers for these series, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

None for this month.

Anime series recently added to this page

• Ascendance of a Bookworm, “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s]” (s4 ep 11)
• Black Lagoon, “The Succession” (s1 ep 20)
• Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, “Zing!” (s1 ep 11)
• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, “Akiho Kashiwabara & Wakana Tabata” (s1 ep 9)

In the 20th episode of Black Lagoon, Yukio is reading a book by Martin Heidegger, as she tells her friend Maki, in the school library, calling the book philosophical and “very powerful.” In contrast, Maki says she likes skincare guides and modern horror books, with Yukio saying she remembered Maki saying she liked Anne Rice. They talk a bit more with Yukio saying she sometimes feels like she is caught inside of book worlds, and viewers see some of the library bookshelves. She says she doesn’t like Stephen King and Maki says she thought Yukio would like Edgar Allan Poe. She says she doesn’t like the ones that imagine the night, and she does not like the world as it makes her scared, that it is not romantic at all.

There is a second scene in the episode in the reading room where Yukio is thinking about the gang war between the Russian mafia and Japanese yakuza, and does not listen as much to what Maki tells her and decides to not tell her troubles. The reading room is shown briefly in the next episode, but not enough to mention it here. It is worth noting that Heidegger was directly involved with the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, and even banned from teaching after the war until 1949 (when the ban was lifted). He also never expressed remorse for being involved with the Nazis, which is funny because Hannah Arendt, who became known for her political theory against authoritarianism, including Nazism and fascism. I’m not sure why Heidegger was mentioned (in the manga as well), except to possibly indicate that Yukio was intellectual, nihilistic, and his existential philosophy was appealing. At the same time, I seriously doubt she was a Nazi as there was an earlier plot line in the series where the protagonists stole loot from a submarine filled by wannabe Nazis/neo-Nazis and killed a bunch of them, but rather a bit of a mob boss, if I have to guess. At the same time, during his life, Heidegger had intellectual contact with Japanese scholars like racist Hajime Tanabe (who later regretted defending claimed Japanese state and racial superiority) and pro-militarist Shūzō Kuki over the years, influencing his work, according to Reinhard May.

Otherwise, in the ninth episode of A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, there is a brief library scene of the students studying on the library together, learning about people at the school and searching on the local computers, even reading newspaper articles.

Lastly there’s an episode of Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, the 11th episode. Previously, in episode three (noted later), there was a library scene. In this episode, to relax from the festival and feeling he is taking up the time of Kotoko Ijichi and Amane, Takuya Seo (otherwise known as Otaku-kun) hangs out in the school library. While there he hears the rumor that the Mister and Misses from the contest begins dating, with mention of Amane and Ijichi, and some other kids dating them. After they find the book they want and leave, Takuya looks through his phone and sees images of him with Amane and Ijichi, and thinks they may have better matches than him, and he feels anxious about the idea of other people dating them. It seems he is starting to say that he would make the next move, somehow, although it isn’t clear what that would be.

Before this, there have been other episodes in this series with library scenes. In April, I noted that in the third episode of the series, saying that “Ijichi helps the two other protagonists…Takuya…and Amane) study in the school library for midterms but Takuya admires the two gyaru gals in front of him. Some of the books in the school library are shown. Despite Kotoko saying they should keep studying, instead Takuya and Amane have an art battle over their favorite characters of Glittermon in the library.”

Last but not least, Ascendance of a Bookworm FINALLY had an episode with a library, which has been an utter crime for a while, despite the focus of the series on books and the fact that the protagonist was a librarian in her former life. According to my records, the last episode with a library scene, “Re: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2”, a recap episode, was in late March 2022! There were no library scenes, at all, in season 3. Entitled “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s],” Myne finds a key to the rare books shelf of the cathedral library, which she happily checks out. She goes to the cabinet with rare books, unlocks it with a key (another barrier to entry). Her attendant, Fran, tells her that these “books” are not actually books. Instead, they are letters on parchment, inside of a box, which were addressed to the former High Bishop. She even agrees, after Fran says she can read the letters as she is now the High Bishop, and report the contents to the Head Priest (Ferdinand).

The letters are filled with bitter grievances about their bad position in life, revealing bribery, and deep ties between the viscount (Gerlach) and the former High Bishop (Bezewanst). She later describes these letters, to Ferdinand as “filled with wicked schemes and evidence of…wrongdoings” by Gerlach. The letter end up being helpful to Ferdinand in his schemes. It is also revealed that one of those mentioned in the letters, Veronica, was the mother of Ferdinand and his brother Sylvester, and charged with forging official documents and acting as an accomplice to Bezewanst. Apart from Myne later looking at the existing printing press and bringing together different tradespeople (a carpenter and smither) to create an improved printing press in this episode, with Myne buying the blueprint, among other plot points, Fran says her conduct as a noble is fine, “as long as it doesn’t involve books.” Then there’s a short scene of her laughing while reading a book, with Ferdinand saying it is best to keep her away from books (not good!). In the post-credits scene, one of the priests says he told Myne a story, to get over her drowsiness: the size of the collection, the types of books, names and ages of the librarians, and sealed archives at the Royal Academy. While the priest thought this was boring, Myne comes onto the scene saying the information was entertaining and useful. The ending credit illustration by Somchira Katsu has Myne smiling happily as she grabs one of the books in the church library.

Comics recently added to this page

None for this month.

Films recently added to this page

None for this month.

Other entries recently added to this page

I was reminded of Love Live! songs this month and came across, again, a song by Shioriko, entitled “Emotion” behind a library backdrop in  an episode of Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, which I wrote about back in August 2024. In that post I said:

Let me start with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, a series which ran from 2020 to 2022. In the episode “The Memory of Dreams,” of aforementioned idol music series, a library is featured. At the end of the episode, Shioriko sings a musical ballad which features her going through a library, touching the spines of books, and walking down stairs in the library. This might be indicating how academic she is, as a person. She also, during the song, changes outfits in the library and finds a key… within a book. The song isn’t about libraries at all as a translation of the lyrics makes abundantly clear.

Here’s the related video:

© 2024-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Recently added titles (June 2026)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of this year, and January, February, March, April, and May of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No films, animated series, or other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in webcomics. There may be spoilers for these series, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

None for this month.

Anime series recently added to this page

• Ascendance of a Bookworm, “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s]” (s4 ep 11)
• Black Lagoon, “The Succession” (s1 ep 20)
• Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, “Zing!” (s1 ep 11)
• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, “Akiho Kashiwabara & Wakana Tabata” (s1 ep 9)

In the 20th episode of Black Lagoon, Yukio is reading a book by Martin Heidegger, as she tells her friend Maki, in the school library, calling the book philosophical and “very powerful.” In contrast, Maki says she likes skincare guides and modern horror books, with Yukio saying she remembered Maki saying she liked Anne Rice. They talk a bit more with Yukio saying she sometimes feels like she is caught inside of book worlds, and viewers see some of the library bookshelves. She says she doesn’t like Stephen King and Maki says she thought Yukio would like Edgar Allan Poe. She says she doesn’t like the ones that imagine the night, and she does not like the world as it makes her scared, that it is not romantic at all.

There is a second scene in the episode in the reading room where Yukio is thinking about the gang war between the Russian mafia and Japanese yakuza, and does not listen as much to what Maki tells her and decides to not tell her troubles. The reading room is shown briefly in the next episode, but not enough to mention it here. It is worth noting that Heidegger was directly involved with the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, and even banned from teaching after the war until 1949 (when the ban was lifted). He also never expressed remorse for being involved with the Nazis, which is funny because Hannah Arendt, who became known for her political theory against authoritarianism, including Nazism and fascism. I’m not sure why Heidegger was mentioned (in the manga as well), except to possibly indicate that Yukio was intellectual, nihilistic, and his existential philosophy was appealing. At the same time, I seriously doubt she was a Nazi as there was an earlier plot line in the series where the protagonists stole loot from a submarine filled by wannabe Nazis/neo-Nazis and killed a bunch of them, but rather a bit of a mob boss, if I have to guess. At the same time, during his life, Heidegger had intellectual contact with Japanese scholars like racist Hajime Tanabe (who later regretted defending claimed Japanese state and racial superiority) and pro-militarist Shūzō Kuki over the years, influencing his work, according to Reinhard May.

Otherwise, in the ninth episode of A Hundred Scenes of Awajima, there is a brief library scene of the students studying on the library together, learning about people at the school and searching on the local computers, even reading newspaper articles.

Lastly there’s an episode of Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku, the 11th episode. Previously, in episode three (noted later), there was a library scene. In this episode, to relax from the festival and feeling he is taking up the time of Kotoko Ijichi and Amane, Takuya Seo (otherwise known as Otaku-kun) hangs out in the school library. While there he hears the rumor that the Mister and Misses from the contest begins dating, with mention of Amane and Ijichi, and some other kids dating them. After they find the book they want and leave, Takuya looks through his phone and sees images of him with Amane and Ijichi, and thinks they may have better matches than him, and he feels anxious about the idea of other people dating them. It seems he is starting to say that he would make the next move, somehow, although it isn’t clear what that would be.

Before this, there have been other episodes in this series with library scenes. In April, I noted that in the third episode of the series, saying that “Ijichi helps the two other protagonists…Takuya…and Amane) study in the school library for midterms but Takuya admires the two gyaru gals in front of him. Some of the books in the school library are shown. Despite Kotoko saying they should keep studying, instead Takuya and Amane have an art battle over their favorite characters of Glittermon in the library.”

Last but not least, Ascendance of a Bookworm FINALLY had an episode with a library, which has been an utter crime for a while, despite the focus of the series on books and the fact that the protagonist was a librarian in her former life. According to my records, the last episode with a library scene, “Re: Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2”, a recap episode, was in late March 2022! There were no library scenes, at all, in season 3. Entitled “The Gathering of Gutenberg[s],” Myne finds a key to the rare books shelf of the cathedral library, which she happily checks out. She goes to the cabinet with rare books, unlocks it with a key (another barrier to entry). Her attendant, Fran, tells her that these “books” are not actually books. Instead, they are letters on parchment, inside of a box, which were addressed to the former High Bishop. She even agrees, after Fran says she can read the letters as she is now the High Bishop, and report the contents to the Head Priest (Ferdinand).

The letters are filled with bitter grievances about their bad position in life, revealing bribery, and deep ties between the viscount (Gerlach) and the former High Bishop (Bezewanst). She later describes these letters, to Ferdinand as “filled with wicked schemes and evidence of…wrongdoings” by Gerlach. The letter end up being helpful to Ferdinand in his schemes. It is also revealed that one of those mentioned in the letters, Veronica, was the mother of Ferdinand and his brother Sylvester, and charged with forging official documents and acting as an accomplice to Bezewanst. Apart from Myne later looking at the existing printing press and bringing together different tradespeople (a carpenter and smither) to create an improved printing press in this episode, with Myne buying the blueprint, among other plot points, Fran says her conduct as a noble is fine, “as long as it doesn’t involve books.” Then there’s a short scene of her laughing while reading a book, with Ferdinand saying it is best to keep her away from books (not good!). In the post-credits scene, one of the priests says he told Myne a story, to get over her drowsiness: the size of the collection, the types of books, names and ages of the librarians, and sealed archives at the Royal Academy. While the priest thought this was boring, Myne comes onto the scene saying the information was entertaining and useful. The ending credit illustration by Somchira Katsu has Myne smiling happily as she grabs one of the books in the church library.

Comics recently added to this page

None for this month.

Films recently added to this page

None for this month.

Other entries recently added to this page

I was reminded of Love Live! songs this month and came across, again, a song by Shioriko, entitled “Emotion” behind a library backdrop in  an episode of Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, which I wrote about back in August 2024. In that post I said:

Let me start with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, a series which ran from 2020 to 2022. In the episode “The Memory of Dreams,” of aforementioned idol music series, a library is featured. At the end of the episode, Shioriko sings a musical ballad which features her going through a library, touching the spines of books, and walking down stairs in the library. This might be indicating how academic she is, as a person. She also, during the song, changes outfits in the library and finds a key… within a book. The song isn’t about libraries at all as a translation of the lyrics makes abundantly clear.

Here’s the related video:

© 2024-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

My Blog on India's New Light Commando Force - Bhairav Battalion 🪖

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Recently added titles (March 2025)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January and February of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in anime, animation, films, and others in webcomics and manga. There may be spoilers for these episodes, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

• Common Side Effects, “Blowfish” (s1 ep 7)

I’ve been watching this series since it came out, but I never expected there to be a library scene. In this scene, Marshall Cuso is in the library, in prison, drawing a diagram of the foot of fellow prisoner Hector, and writing down how he will try to heal it. He meets a fellow mycologist there, who volunteers at the library, and is praises the power of his magic mushrooms. She asks where the fiber is coming from and she becomes his drug dealer in a sense. Later, she gives him a book, in the library, and tells him he will be getting the drug that night, in a move that seems very cloak-and-dagger. Some time later, he thinks of how the blue-angel magic mushrooms are formed by the poop of his tortoise, Socrates, and he takes a drug given to him by the fellow mycologist so he can fake his own death.

I have written about prison libraries before, noting in March 2023, the unnamed prison librarian (voiced by Tress MacNeille) in The Simpsons episode “Dial “N” for Nerder”, when Lisa imagines herself as an older prisoner, with this librarian passing her jail cell with a trolley of books, asking whether she had Joyce Carol Oates. The librarian said she only had Danielle Steel, causing Lisa to scream in terror. At the time I said that that librarian was “perhaps the only prison librarian that I’ve ever seen in animation. Hopefully I see more in the future.” In another post in May 2023, I gave examples of prison libraries and/or prison librarians in various films, noting that such prison librarians, whether in film or TV, are “a mix of exaggeration and accuracy,” that real-life prisons are unlikely to “provide more than what is legally required” in their services, giving access to inmates, while librarians are torn between duties to the latter and their role as “information gatekeepers.” Since then, I’ve noted that libraries are said to be “key tools” for getting people out of prison, especially when it comes to prison libraries (which are little known of in countries such as Portugal), and the partnership between libraries and police departments.

I further stated, in a post in September 2024, that libraries are:

while…libraries can help those who were released from prison “re-enter” society, they serve an “instrumental role” in the criminal system, which…undoubtedly interlocks with oppressive systems…libraries are posed as something to disrupt pipelines to prison, but what if, sometimes, they support those pathways, and push people into prison? After all, libraries, especially in the U.S. South, upheld racial segregation, and denied opportunities for Black people to become librarians, leading to various protests (including sit-ins)….when books are seen as “longer fit for use at public libraries”, they are often sent to prisons or jails as “an act of charity”…arguably, libraries are within structurally racist systems,

Anime series recently added to this page

• From Bureaucrat to Villainess, “Dad Cross-dresses” (s1 ep 10)
  
• From Bureaucrat to Villainess, “Dad Gets into an Elegant Pickle” (s1 ep 11)
• K-On!, “Planning Discussion” (s2 ep 26 [extra])
• Love Live! Sunshine!!, “The Time Left” (s2 ep 7) [Updated]
• Love Live! Sunshine!!, “Sea of Light” (s2 ep 12) [New!]
• The 100 Girlfriends, “Peekaboy-Meets-Girl” (s2 ep 10)

I updated the entry for “The Time Left” when writing my review for this series and added the other at the same time. In the latter episode, Hanamaru reads a book in the library briefly, a small book, and later tells Chika she wants to win, no matter what.

In the above noted episode of From Bureaucrat to Villainess, Grace tells Anna about the rule for the student council: it requires cross-gender casting in plays, meaning that men have to play women, and women have to play men, meaning that both genders have to crossdress, hence the title of the episode. Grace says they can’t ignore the mother because her mother made the rule, as they both talk in the Royal Academy Library, and the children of Grace/Kenzaburo, see the scene play out on their TV, and theorize that they are seeing an actual world which happens to resemble the game, not a game world. Grace worries about some of the boys crossdressing as women, while noting that there is appeal. They later talk to one of the princes, Lucas Vierge, who is on the student council, and Virgile’s younger brother, and also found out about the rule. It is decided that Grace/Kenzaburo will crossdress too, as will Anna, who wants to see Grace/Kenzaburo crossdress as a man.

In another episode of the above series, episode 11, Grace finds Anna in the school library where she was compiling information on plays from library books, so they she can put together the script for the play they are putting on, and she has been there all day. She ends up being hungry and falls over, making Anna worry like no one’s business. She is later brought to the nurse’s room to rest.

Then in The 100 Girlfriends episode “Peekaboy-Meets-Girl,” Rentaro, Hakare, Karane, Kusuri, and Iku go looking in the a well-maintained, by dark, library storage room for Shizuka, as they continue their hide-and-seek game in the school. They find Nano and Shizuka inside a cardboard box and are overcome by the cuteness.

Then there’s an episode of K-On!, which I’m adding as I recently finished watching this series. In one scene of the episode, “Planning Discussion,” specifically in part of a promo video put together for the light music club, a female student blushes, saying she thinks the members of the light music club are “funny people” while she stands in the school library. The library is briefly shown, in this very short scene. However, the library comes up again in the film. Here’s a screenshot of that scene that I took:

Previously, I mentioned K-On! in my posting about the fictional libraries and value of studying, which examines many other animated series, noting the only other episode in the series which features a library scene, specifically in the episode “Finals.” In that episode, Yui studies with her friends in the school library for finals. Later, her friend, Azu-nyan, brings her there so she can further focus on studying. A librarian, presumably a student librarian, is shown sitting at the information desk, during the episode.

Comics recently added to this page

• Demon ‘n’ Luv, “We Eat Fish” (ep. 43)
• Vixen: NYC Vol. 2, p. 34-38

The first comic listed here is from a boy’s love webcomic I recently started reading. In this issue, a demon sits in the great library warehouse, is asked about Norway (where he claimed he is from) from Sam, a skeptical friend of Luv, and he clearly shows he has no idea what he is talking about… not one bit. Luc tries to give him some hints to help him talk to Sam. She later asks Luv if he is okay, and he is about to say that demon is a demon, but he is cut off.

As I noted in my post noting the recently added titles last month, only a select number of issues from Vixen: NYC are available on Webtoon. So, I purchased some of the volumes as a result. Volume 2 of this comic contains issues 10-19, and I previously noted how Episode 11 (can no longer be read on Webtoon), has a library scene. I also updated what I originally wrote about the library scene, from:

Vixen talks to a guy she thinks is stalking her, the same one from episode 4, in the library but its actually Beast Boy, who is a member of the Teen Titans.

This entry has now been updated to:

Vixen, stressed from hearing about the release of Kwesi, and insisting she is fine to her parents, studies in the library. She comes across the same person who was seemingly stalking her in the library. He clarifies that he was asking “weird questions” about animals because he is Beast Boy, a member of the Teen Titans. She doesn’t believe him so he transforms into a cat. Their talk, involving Beast Boy suggesting she talk to Batman, is interrupted when he is called off to deal with “hero business.”

Films recently added to this page

• K-On! the Movie

I was actually expecting to have zero entries for this month, but this film proved me wrong. This film branches from the Japanese animated series, K-On!, which focuses on four young high school girls, Yui Hirasawa, Mio Akiyama, Ritsu Tainaka, and Tsumugi Kotobuki who are members of a light music club at their all-girls school, and are later joined by a younger member Azusa Nakano, with all of them hanging out in the club room, either having sweets and tea, or playing music, which they later perform. In the film, the four girls, Yui, Mio, Ritsu, and Tsumugi, who are soon to graduate from their school, go on a graduation trip to London, England, hoping to do sightseeing, including visiting musical sights along the way, like Abbey Road, or the homes of Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, and play two live gigs, while they think of a special song they want to perform for Azusa as a going away present. Early in the film, the school library of their all-girls school, is briefly shown in passing, but later in the film they visit the King’s Library (now called the Enlightenment Gallery) where they see a replica of the Rosetta Stone (the real stone is at the another part of the British Museum under glass), remembering back to when a replica was used when their school put on a performance of Romeo & Juliet, after the gravestone of Juliet went missing.

Correction to the above: The Rosetta Stone is at the British Museum, not the British library. However, in the movie it is shown in a library setting, i.e. a library room. As I read more, it was clear that a replica is at the King’s Library of the British Museum, which is exactly what is depicted in the film! The latter is confirmed by the British Museum entry which says a replica is in that library, and without a cast, so people can touch it. The King’s Library is now called Enlightenment Gallery, according to the British Museum.

Other entries recently added to this page

• The Art of Amphibia

I received this in the mail this month. On one page (page 65), about the episode “Trip to the Archives,” which was part 2 of a season one episode (#13), it quotes Amphibia background designer Philip Vose, background designer, saying:

“Growing up, I knew I was never going to be a big-brained intellectual or scholar. But, as it turns out, you can just draw and paint things that make it seem like you are, like this decorative library and classy portrait. Fooled myself even. It’s one of the most satisfying episodes I had the privilege to work on, detailing all the bits that make it feel academically smart and historically interesting.”

While they say all this, the episode still confuses archives for libraries, and this quote doesn’t help matters! I have mentioned Amphibia a bunch of times on this blog, like here and here in 2020, and noted the library scene in “All In,” along with another in the episode “Lost in Newtopia,” with Marcy and King Andreas visiting a library in that episode, and they are in biggest and most comprehensive library in the kingdom, as they go through books, trying to find out more about the music box which brought Marcy, Sasha, and Anne to Amphibia, with this library likely having some form of organization and classification of individuals. As for the scene in “All In,” Marcy, while controlled by the Core and as a part of Darcy (Dark Marcy), she is in a memoryscape of sorts, and is guided to this library. There are at least 11 assistants there. She meets Aldrich, who welcomes her to the Core’s inner sanctum. Marcy wonders where she is, and it all disappears, leading her into a fantasy world which supposedly has everything she ever wanted.

However, I’ve never written about the episode “Trip to the Archives” on here. Rather, I have written about it on my sister blog, where I criticized the depiction of archives in the episode in a post I wrote in 2020, which I stand by. Since then, I mentioned it briefly in posts, like those here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, especially noting the confusion of libraries and archives, and that it could be called a repository, with no archivists shown, even though “someone has to go in there and organize the books, the scrolls, and other artifacts inside,” with it implied that this town archives is abandoned. In fact, an archivist character would have helped the protagonists find what they were looking for and would have saved them a lot of time instead of them searching for it themselves. Furthermore, the archives itself is mired in stereotypes, as it is underground and is described by one character as “dustier than Dusty’s dustbin.”

As Arlene Schmuland notes, many fictional archives are located in basements, accounting for the perception that archives are “dirty and ill-lit,” with the basement locations used “to represent a lack of status on the part of the office or activity located there” and dust is the “most pervasive motif associated with archives, even outside of fiction,” as I noted in a post back in November of last year. In fact, in the episode itself, there’s a sunlight timer which almost traps the protagonists inside, even as it filled with books and some artifacts. At the same time, the archives is unmanaged. As I noted in my interview with Susan Tucker, “writers for pop culture media I’ve come across seem to have little knowledge about how archives function in reality, leading some to falsely think they are the same as libraries.” That is surely the case for this town archives.

The book also shows background art for the episode “True Colors” on page 138, with black-and-white coloring by Joseph McCormick, and color by Amy Huang. However, the art shown for the episode “Lost in Newtopia” does not include anything about the library scene on the pages the art is displayed (pages 111-112). Even so, the library shown in the next-to-last episode of the entire series, “All In” is shown on page 197, with black-and-white coloring by Joe Sparrow, and color by Andy Gardner-Flexner.

© 2024-2025 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

#Amphibia #BlackPatrons #BlackWomen #BritishLibrary #CommonSideEffects #DemonNLuv #drugDealers #drugs #FromBureaucratToVillainess #illicitDrugs #informationProvider #KOn #KOnTheMovie #lists #mushrooms #oppression #prison #protests #RecentlyAddedTitles #RosettaStone #segregation #shortBlogs #TheSimpsons #VixenNYC

Recently added titles (March 2025)

Building upon the titles listed for July/August, September, October,  November, and December 2021, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2022, and January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2023, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September,  October, November, and December of 2024, and January and February of this year, this post notes recent titles with libraries or librarians in popular culture which I’ve come across in the past month. Each of these has been watched or read during the past month. No other entries with libraries (or librarians) to add for this past month, but I did come across some in anime, animation, films, and others in webcomics and manga. There may be spoilers for these episodes, so be aware.

Animated series recently added to this page

• Common Side Effects, “Blowfish” (s1 ep 7)

I’ve been watching this series since it came out, but I never expected there to be a library scene. In this scene, Marshall Cuso is in the library, in prison, drawing a diagram of the foot of fellow prisoner Hector, and writing down how he will try to heal it. He meets a fellow mycologist there, who volunteers at the library, and is praises the power of his magic mushrooms. She asks where the fiber is coming from and she becomes his drug dealer in a sense. Later, she gives him a book, in the library, and tells him he will be getting the drug that night, in a move that seems very cloak-and-dagger. Some time later, he thinks of how the blue-angel magic mushrooms are formed by the poop of his tortoise, Socrates, and he takes a drug given to him by the fellow mycologist so he can fake his own death.

I have written about prison libraries before, noting in March 2023, the unnamed prison librarian (voiced by Tress MacNeille) in The Simpsons episode “Dial “N” for Nerder”, when Lisa imagines herself as an older prisoner, with this librarian passing her jail cell with a trolley of books, asking whether she had Joyce Carol Oates. The librarian said she only had Danielle Steel, causing Lisa to scream in terror. At the time I said that that librarian was “perhaps the only prison librarian that I’ve ever seen in animation. Hopefully I see more in the future.” In another post in May 2023, I gave examples of prison libraries and/or prison librarians in various films, noting that such prison librarians, whether in film or TV, are “a mix of exaggeration and accuracy,” that real-life prisons are unlikely to “provide more than what is legally required” in their services, giving access to inmates, while librarians are torn between duties to the latter and their role as “information gatekeepers.” Since then, I’ve noted that libraries are said to be “key tools” for getting people out of prison, especially when it comes to prison libraries (which are little known of in countries such as Portugal), and the partnership between libraries and police departments.

I further stated, in a post in September 2024, that libraries are:

while…libraries can help those who were released from prison “re-enter” society, they serve an “instrumental role” in the criminal system, which…undoubtedly interlocks with oppressive systems…libraries are posed as something to disrupt pipelines to prison, but what if, sometimes, they support those pathways, and push people into prison? After all, libraries, especially in the U.S. South, upheld racial segregation, and denied opportunities for Black people to become librarians, leading to various protests (including sit-ins)….when books are seen as “longer fit for use at public libraries”, they are often sent to prisons or jails as “an act of charity”…arguably, libraries are within structurally racist systems,

Anime series recently added to this page

• From Bureaucrat to Villainess, “Dad Cross-dresses” (s1 ep 10)
  
• From Bureaucrat to Villainess, “Dad Gets into an Elegant Pickle” (s1 ep 11)
• K-On!, “Planning Discussion” (s2 ep 26 [extra])
• Love Live! Sunshine!!, “The Time Left” (s2 ep 7) [Updated]
• Love Live! Sunshine!!, “Sea of Light” (s2 ep 12) [New!]
• The 100 Girlfriends, “Peekaboy-Meets-Girl” (s2 ep 10)

I updated the entry for “The Time Left” when writing my review for this series and added the other at the same time. In the latter episode, Hanamaru reads a book in the library briefly, a small book, and later tells Chika she wants to win, no matter what.

In the above noted episode of From Bureaucrat to Villainess, Grace tells Anna about the rule for the student council: it requires cross-gender casting in plays, meaning that men have to play women, and women have to play men, meaning that both genders have to crossdress, hence the title of the episode. Grace says they can’t ignore the mother because her mother made the rule, as they both talk in the Royal Academy Library, and the children of Grace/Kenzaburo, see the scene play out on their TV, and theorize that they are seeing an actual world which happens to resemble the game, not a game world. Grace worries about some of the boys crossdressing as women, while noting that there is appeal. They later talk to one of the princes, Lucas Vierge, who is on the student council, and Virgile’s younger brother, and also found out about the rule. It is decided that Grace/Kenzaburo will crossdress too, as will Anna, who wants to see Grace/Kenzaburo crossdress as a man.

In another episode of the above series, episode 11, Grace finds Anna in the school library where she was compiling information on plays from library books, so they she can put together the script for the play they are putting on, and she has been there all day. She ends up being hungry and falls over, making Anna worry like no one’s business. She is later brought to the nurse’s room to rest.

Then in The 100 Girlfriends episode “Peekaboy-Meets-Girl,” Rentaro, Hakare, Karane, Kusuri, and Iku go looking in the a well-maintained, by dark, library storage room for Shizuka, as they continue their hide-and-seek game in the school. They find Nano and Shizuka inside a cardboard box and are overcome by the cuteness.

Then there’s an episode of K-On!, which I’m adding as I recently finished watching this series. In one scene of the episode, “Planning Discussion,” specifically in part of a promo video put together for the light music club, a female student blushes, saying she thinks the members of the light music club are “funny people” while she stands in the school library. The library is briefly shown, in this very short scene. However, the library comes up again in the film. Here’s a screenshot of that scene that I took:

Previously, I mentioned K-On! in my posting about the fictional libraries and value of studying, which examines many other animated series, noting the only other episode in the series which features a library scene, specifically in the episode “Finals.” In that episode, Yui studies with her friends in the school library for finals. Later, her friend, Azu-nyan, brings her there so she can further focus on studying. A librarian, presumably a student librarian, is shown sitting at the information desk, during the episode.

Comics recently added to this page

• Demon ‘n’ Luv, “We Eat Fish” (ep. 43)
• Vixen: NYC Vol. 2, p. 34-38

The first comic listed here is from a boy’s love webcomic I recently started reading. In this issue, a demon sits in the great library warehouse, is asked about Norway (where he claimed he is from) from Sam, a skeptical friend of Luv, and he clearly shows he has no idea what he is talking about… not one bit. Luc tries to give him some hints to help him talk to Sam. She later asks Luv if he is okay, and he is about to say that demon is a demon, but he is cut off.

As I noted in my post noting the recently added titles last month, only a select number of issues from Vixen: NYC are available on Webtoon. So, I purchased some of the volumes as a result. Volume 2 of this comic contains issues 10-19, and I previously noted how Episode 11 (can no longer be read on Webtoon), has a library scene. I also updated what I originally wrote about the library scene, from:

Vixen talks to a guy she thinks is stalking her, the same one from episode 4, in the library but its actually Beast Boy, who is a member of the Teen Titans.

This entry has now been updated to:

Vixen, stressed from hearing about the release of Kwesi, and insisting she is fine to her parents, studies in the library. She comes across the same person who was seemingly stalking her in the library. He clarifies that he was asking “weird questions” about animals because he is Beast Boy, a member of the Teen Titans. She doesn’t believe him so he transforms into a cat. Their talk, involving Beast Boy suggesting she talk to Batman, is interrupted when he is called off to deal with “hero business.”

Films recently added to this page

• K-On! the Movie

I was actually expecting to have zero entries for this month, but this film proved me wrong. This film branches from the Japanese animated series, K-On!, which focuses on four young high school girls, Yui Hirasawa, Mio Akiyama, Ritsu Tainaka, and Tsumugi Kotobuki who are members of a light music club at their all-girls school, and are later joined by a younger member Azusa Nakano, with all of them hanging out in the club room, either having sweets and tea, or playing music, which they later perform. In the film, the four girls, Yui, Mio, Ritsu, and Tsumugi, who are soon to graduate from their school, go on a graduation trip to London, England, hoping to do sightseeing, including visiting musical sights along the way, like Abbey Road, or the homes of Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, and play two live gigs, while they think of a special song they want to perform for Azusa as a going away present. Early in the film, the school library of their all-girls school, is briefly shown in passing, but later in the film they visit the King’s Library (now called the Enlightenment Gallery) where they see a replica of the Rosetta Stone (the real stone is at the another part of the British Museum under glass), remembering back to when a replica was used when their school put on a performance of Romeo & Juliet, after the gravestone of Juliet went missing.

Correction to the above: The Rosetta Stone is at the British Museum, not the British library. However, in the movie it is shown in a library setting, i.e. a library room. As I read more, it was clear that a replica is at the King’s Library of the British Museum, which is exactly what is depicted in the film! The latter is confirmed by the British Museum entry which says a replica is in that library, and without a cast, so people can touch it. The King’s Library is now called Enlightenment Gallery, according to the British Museum.

Other entries recently added to this page

• The Art of Amphibia

I received this in the mail this month. On one page (page 65), about the episode “Trip to the Archives,” which was part 2 of a season one episode (#13), it quotes Amphibia background designer Philip Vose, background designer, saying:

“Growing up, I knew I was never going to be a big-brained intellectual or scholar. But, as it turns out, you can just draw and paint things that make it seem like you are, like this decorative library and classy portrait. Fooled myself even. It’s one of the most satisfying episodes I had the privilege to work on, detailing all the bits that make it feel academically smart and historically interesting.”

While they say all this, the episode still confuses archives for libraries, and this quote doesn’t help matters! I have mentioned Amphibia a bunch of times on this blog, like here and here in 2020, and noted the library scene in “All In,” along with another in the episode “Lost in Newtopia,” with Marcy and King Andreas visiting a library in that episode, and they are in biggest and most comprehensive library in the kingdom, as they go through books, trying to find out more about the music box which brought Marcy, Sasha, and Anne to Amphibia, with this library likely having some form of organization and classification of individuals. As for the scene in “All In,” Marcy, while controlled by the Core and as a part of Darcy (Dark Marcy), she is in a memoryscape of sorts, and is guided to this library. There are at least 11 assistants there. She meets Aldrich, who welcomes her to the Core’s inner sanctum. Marcy wonders where she is, and it all disappears, leading her into a fantasy world which supposedly has everything she ever wanted.

However, I’ve never written about the episode “Trip to the Archives” on here. Rather, I have written about it on my sister blog, where I criticized the depiction of archives in the episode in a post I wrote in 2020, which I stand by. Since then, I mentioned it briefly in posts, like those here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, especially noting the confusion of libraries and archives, and that it could be called a repository, with no archivists shown, even though “someone has to go in there and organize the books, the scrolls, and other artifacts inside,” with it implied that this town archives is abandoned. In fact, an archivist character would have helped the protagonists find what they were looking for and would have saved them a lot of time instead of them searching for it themselves. Furthermore, the archives itself is mired in stereotypes, as it is underground and is described by one character as “dustier than Dusty’s dustbin.”

As Arlene Schmuland notes, many fictional archives are located in basements, accounting for the perception that archives are “dirty and ill-lit,” with the basement locations used “to represent a lack of status on the part of the office or activity located there” and dust is the “most pervasive motif associated with archives, even outside of fiction,” as I noted in a post back in November of last year. In fact, in the episode itself, there’s a sunlight timer which almost traps the protagonists inside, even as it filled with books and some artifacts. At the same time, the archives is unmanaged. As I noted in my interview with Susan Tucker, “writers for pop culture media I’ve come across seem to have little knowledge about how archives function in reality, leading some to falsely think they are the same as libraries.” That is surely the case for this town archives.

The book also shows background art for the episode “True Colors” on page 138, with black-and-white coloring by Joseph McCormick, and color by Amy Huang. However, the art shown for the episode “Lost in Newtopia” does not include anything about the library scene on the pages the art is displayed (pages 111-112). Even so, the library shown in the next-to-last episode of the entire series, “All In” is shown on page 197, with black-and-white coloring by Joe Sparrow, and color by Andy Gardner-Flexner.

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