The “otokonoko” we are describing here shares the same pronunciation (and is, in fact, a play on words) of 男の子 (otoko no ko) which simply means boy. The kanji for the ‘ko’ at the end of the latter signifies a child while the kanji for ‘ko’ at the end of otokonoko (男の娘) signifies a daughter/girl. Otokonoko is a little different from other crossdressing terms because an otokonoko can just be a pretty looking boy that doesn’t try to look like a girl, he just naturally does. Perhaps he uses his feminine looks to make money or he feels less pressure to be manly by appearing female. It’s less of an inherent tie to femininity or indication of sexuality or gender and more of a circumstance that manifests in many ways. Japanese language doesn’t have as many commonly understood, definitive terms for gender expression vs sexual attraction, so common terms may overlap somewhat. Otokonoko, for example, differ from “okama” (another type of character that appears commonly in anime) in that okama are decidedly, purposefully feminine (like crossdressers) while otokonoko do not need to try and may not even want to be perceived as feminine.

Rather than needing a new word for human boys/men who wear women’s clothing, the use of otokonoko with the kanji for girl became popular with anime fans on the internet to describe cute feminine male characters. Oftentimes, these characters were made to add humor and their male gender is the punchline for guys falling for their pretty looks and sometimes they are just to add a little variety to harem-style hentai. Online tags for otokonoko became popular not just in Japan but also in the West, with the English term ‘trap’ coming into use for these anime characters. Liking otokonoko is not an indication of homo/bisexuality in male fans nor of any desire to dress like a girl themselves. In fact, otokonoko were originally in works aimed at straight men! Previously, males dressing in women’s clothing were just referred to as “josou” and opposite that, females dressing in men’s clothing were referred to as “dansou”. Neither of these accounted for transgender identities and are more in reference to changing how others will perceive them for some goal rather than gender expression.

The popularity of otokonoko has been a double-edged sword. While there is, even today, a prevalent notion that a man must fiercely protect his perceived masculinity and straightness, liking otokonoko is somewhat of a loophole. Especially as the nature of otokonoko is that they can’t help appearing feminine, it can’t be helped if straight men like otokonoko. There’s also a history of it being more acceptable for men to dress as women or act as if they’re attracted to other men if it’s done for humor. Even if there is some eroticism associated with the character, it can be forgiven as there’s a sense of ‘it can’t be helped’ rather than ‘maybe I’m attracted to some guys.’ This notion is manifested in the word ‘trap’ used in America, a rather dramatic word for the sake of humor reflecting the idea that otherwise straight men may find themselves attracted to males unknowingly. In a way, it does allow a bit more leniency for men’s self-expression. This phenomenon isn’t limited to fictional characters. There are real people who choose to appear feminine to better support themselves, because doing so aids in their gender expression, or simply because they want to. There are entire clubs, maid cafes, and bars where the appeal is that there are boys or men dressed as women for a consumer’s enjoyment. The focus is often more on the customer’s happiness than on making a statement about freedom of expression, but often these are the only places that people can feel safe and not only respected but wanted. Because gender roles are so strict, most expression outside of that is limited to nightlife and entertainment work. Comedy, novelty, and sincere expression are often intermingled in nightlife entertainment in a way that can sort of obscure what someone is going for. While it may make things difficult to understand things readily, it does allow a sort of blanket of comradery. People’s hobbies, sexuality, and gender aren’t immediately known and this inability to quickly and concisely categorize people should in effect make it harder to judge any particular group. People can exist in a space and it doesn’t mean anything definitive about them other than they are to some extent tolerant and open-minded.

In anime, characters with increasing relevance to the story are appearing. While still very much masturbation-fodder and comedic relief, some characters have real importance that humanizes them. An example of an otokonoko made entirely for fun is Hime from Himegoto. He’s a very pretty boy that debt-collectors wish to force to crossdress to pay off his parents’ debts but is saved by a student council who forces him to crossdress for their enjoyment. Much of the comedy stems from Hime being forced to wear things he doesn’t want to and girls being the ones to make unwanted advances on him.

An example of an otokonoko meant to move the audience instead of just making them laugh would be Gasper from High school DxD New. His cuteness is overwhelming and his fondness for the girls’ school uniform might seem silly, but he still has his pride as a man. He likes pretty things and to present himself thusly but being cute doesn’t mean he’s weak! He’s fiercely protective of his friends and will tear their enemies to ribbons. An example of otokonoko as a fetish would be Sou and Shuuji from Otokonoko Delivery. This hentai focuses on a young high school student who works at an otokonoko-themed club to please older men. Sou gets another classmate in on it and the two dress up in girly clothing and enjoy sex and money as a result. As the rise of the popularity of otokonoko in anime for light-hearted, pervy fun spread from Japan to America, so did the use of the term ‘trap’. While many people who latched onto this word argue that it’s just about fictional male characters and doesn’t hurt anyone, the connotations of the word have real-life applications. The nature of someone being a ‘trap’, especially to straight men, is to imply there is 1) an intention to deceive and 2) that a man loses something or is wrong for being attracted to someone with male genitalia. This idea is still alive today in most American states where someone can claim momentary insanity that lead to them attacking or killing someone upon learning a person is gay or transgender. In order to create safer, more tolerant spaces for all users/anime fans, website Reddit recently banned the word trap as it relates to characters in /animememes. While this did make it slightly harder for some users to find certain memes or post a small number of memes, some users became so enraged that they hurled insults, issued death threats, and even SWATted (calling in fake emergencies) Reddit moderators. Users were very divided on the legitimacy of this ban bringing up respect for people’s lives and free speech. This huge, dangerous blowout resulted in the whole thread being taken down. Before it was, however, there was a consensus that “otokonoko” was an acceptable term.

It can be said that there is nothing purer than the love which two men can hold for each other, and Otokonoko Delivery certainly proves this to be true. Shun finds out that Sora, the newest hire of the all-male escort agency he belongs to, is a virgin. To rectify this, Shun engages Sora in a sixty-nine position where they both rim each other's anuses. Shun then asks Sora to cover both of their penises with his foreskin. Soon, their frotting leaves them barely able to contain themselves from the deep pleasure enveloping their bodies. Both Shun and Sora find themselves climaxing at the same time, an action that fills their foreskins with semen. This, however, is not the end, as they both place their penises inside of the condom where they frot until the condom is bulging with cum.

For a scene of lovemaking that is no less passionate but far easier to recreate, Rennyuu Tales provides us with wholesome, vanilla content. Kogorou and Nyaako manage a school club, but when they are accused of being romantically involved, they find themselves being forced to confess their feelings for each other. After Nyaako straddles his cock, Kogorou finds that he is unable to keep his hands from groping her booty cheeks. Kogorou then begins to suck Nyaako's nipples and massage her labia until she insists he penetrates her. Kogorou hoists Nyaako onto his penis, allowing her to rub herself on it while stroking its head. Unable to take any more, Kogorou lays Nyaako on her back, and from here the two assume every position imaginable until they reach a satisfying mutual orgasm. This scene shows how passion can elevate the experience into something that is as pleasurable as it is pure.

Ultimately, better sex with our partners boils down to being present and passionate when making love. In the third episode of Majuu Jouka Shoujo Utea, magical girl Karen Totoomizu is forced to rescue her friend and fellow magical girl, Mizuki Tomonoin, but to do so means letting Mizuki have her way with her. What follows is a sequence of absolute debauchery which culminates with Mizuki admitting to Karen that she had always longed to make love to her. With this, the two begin to jump through space and time, while switching from position to position, with Mizuki using a cock born from her lust to penetrate Karen. The strain proves to be too much for Karen as she becomes devoured by the same lust which has taken over Mizuki. Assuming that none of us can leap through dimensions, reenacting this scene will require a vivid imagination and quite a bit of pageantry.

Most of us have dabbled in a little light bondage, but anyone looking to take their rope play to the next level should take notes from the Kanpeki Ojou-sama no Watakushi ga Dogeza de Mazo Ochisuru Choroin na Wakenai Desu wa! series. When Irina Shirogane locks eyes with Yuuji Sado, she realizes that he will be the man to dominate her. Yuuji quickly takes to her, binding and fucking her as he sees fit, while she drowns in the ecstasy this brings her. The third episode of this series opens with what seems to be a normal blowjob, only for the camera to zoom out and show us that Irina is upside down. Furthermore, her entire body is bound so that it can be suspended from the roof, thereby allowing her to deliver an upside down, hanging blowjob. As fabulous as toys are, it can be good to strip things down and enjoy a simple evening with our partners.

Anyone looking for a little extra spice can look to Sex Friend Osananajimi: Shoto to Doutei wa Hazukashii tte Minna ga lu kara for guidance on using toys. After losing their virginities to each other, childhood friends Yukihisa and Shiho slowly escalate their sexual relationship to the point where regular sex simply is not enough anymore. To solve this problem, Yukihisa binds Shiho's hands and feet so that both are behind her head, her pelvis is pointing towards the sky. He then manually thrusts the vibrators he placed in her vagina and anus until she is rocked by orgasm after orgasm. While continuing to thrust the vibrator in Shiho's vagina, Yukihisa decides to insert himself and pound away at her anus. This results in simultaneous orgasms of such a magnitude that both parties are forced to take a momentary break. While toys are never a bad choice for the bedroom, sometimes rope is all we need to have fun.

When we feel that we have exhausted every option available to us in the bedroom, it can be helpful to push past our limits like the characters in Watashi wa, Kairaku Izonshou. Mizuyama has just moved into a new home with his wife and has discovered that his neighbors all take part in communal orgies. When his wife finds out where her husband sneaks off to at night, she too joins in on the action—although she refuses to be penetrated. To get her past her hang-ups, a couple of neighbors begin to apply suction to her clitoris while simultaneously inflating a balloon they have inserted into her anus. The resulting stimulation allows her engorged clit to be fitted with a vibrator and her dilated anal cavity to be filled with a vibrating plug. Already writhing in pleasure, she is then forcibly massaged by several hibachi vibrators until she collapses under the sheer immensity of her orgasm. Of course, not all of us are willing to go to such extremes, but we can all still enjoy a few toys now and again.

For those of us who love being dominated and humiliated by a partner, the foreplay scene from Anata wa Watashi no Mono: Do S Kanojo to Do M Kareshi is just what we need to get us in the mood. After being blackmailed, Minato finds himself on his knees, in his junior Chitose's bedroom. His dick lays limp between his legs until Chitose orders him to jerk it while berating his technique and eagerness to obey. Her tirade only serves to spur Minato's stroking, until Chitose commands him to stop before he reaches his climax. Not satisfied with this, Minato begs Chitose to give him more, to which she responds by forbidding him from touching himself while she masturbates. After reaching a trembling, squirting orgasm, Chitose begins to ignore Minato, who then begins to implore Chitose for attention until she gives him a demeaning footjob. While it may seem cruel, this kind of treatment can sometimes lead to a euphoric release.

Foreplay can even manage to improve a person's self-esteem by boosting body positivity, as it does in Shinsei Futanari Idol: Dekatama Kei!. Mizuho Shiratorizawa and Riko Matsuzaki are starting out as idols when Riko accidentally discovers that Mizuho has a penis. Riko grips Mizuho's member and tells her to be proud of it before walking behind Mizuho. Here, Riko wraps her arms around Mizuho so that she can massage her balls while giving her a handjob that nearly causes Mizuho's knees to buckle. Mizuho gives herself over completely to Riko so that she may have her balls fondled in a way that brings her to the brink of orgasm. It is at this moment that Riko begins to stimulate the tip of Mizuho's penis, an action that pushes her over the edge and results in an ejaculation that produces an overwhelming torrent of semen. Mizuho's acceptance of her dick allows Riko to admit that she too has a penis, which makes for a positive resolution.

Any woman looking to truly please their man need only look at Muramata-san no Himitsu to understand what men really want. Muramata and her junior have recently begun a relationship, and for Kaji's birthday, she plans to take him to a love hotel. Once there, she covers herself with an edible lotion and lays her body over his before proceeding to trace his areolas with her tongue. She then moves lower to suck at the tip of his penis, before switching to licking his toes while stroking his cock. From there, Muramata begins to rim Kaji by inserting her forked tongue into his virgin asshole, all the while continuing to jerk him off. Soon, Kaji is unable to hold himself back and begins to ejaculate, but not before Muramata nimbly gobbles his cock and swallows his load. Good, old-fashioned rimming is hard to resist, which is why good foreplay makes for better sex for everyone!

For the men out there looking to improve their foreplay game, Ore no Yubi de Midarero.: Heitengo Futarikiri no Salon de is practically a primer on developing your sexual dexterity and sensuality. In this series, Fumi Hoshiya is on the path to becoming a hairdresser under the tutelage of her manager Sousuke Nanase, until one night they find themselves alone in the beauty salon. Noticing that Fumi is flustered, Sousuke brings her head closer to his while tenderly caressing her ear. Sousuke quiets Fumi's resulting moan by placing his finger on her lips, where she then allows it into her mouth for a moment, before permitting Sousuke's to kiss her. Fumi suddenly finds herself beneath Sousuke, who has deftly removed her bra and begun to simultaneously tease her nipples and stroke her thighs. The scene reaches its climax with Sousuke passionately kissing Fumi while getting her to finish by massaging her clitoris. Techniques like Sousuke's can work wonders for women!

Less than 1% of Japanese people claim to be Christian, but it’s only natural that some aspects of the world’s largest religion would seep into Japanese culture anyway. Christian weddings, angels and demons, crosses, and holy resurrection are all concepts that Japanese people are at least vaguely aware of, in the same way that most Westerners are vaguely aware of Hindusim through images of elephants, multi-armed gods, and lotus flowers. Some anime don’t have much to do with religion at all, but use these ideas and imagery as window dressing for their worlds because they look cool and can loosely tie into the story’s themes. Neon Genesis Evangelion is probably the first anime people come up with when they think about shows that use religious symbolism purely for aesthetic purposes. Sure, the world’s destruction resembles something out of Revelations and Shinji’s character arc is partially about rebirth, but several staff members have explicitly stated that the Christian elements were just for visual flair (such as assistant director Kazuya Tsurumaki’s insistence that they were added to give the project a unique edge against other giant robot shows). There’s really nothing wrong with this approach, though. Evangelion’s visual style remains iconic to this day – from Lilith’s massive crucified body to the glowing crosses littering Earth’s surface during the End of Evangelion to the surreal designs of the Angels themselves – and the show just wouldn’t have been the same otherwise. Then you’ve got anime like Death Note, which uses a bit of Christian symbolism to illustrate how Light thinks of himself as a god, or shows like Trigun and Bleach that push crosses and priest uniforms so far into anime badassery that they come up with stuff like Wolfwood’s Punisher – a 300lb cross that contains handguns, a rocket launcher, and a machine gun. We never saw anything like that at church growing up!

Some anime delve a little deeper than just aesthetics and decide to explore the more spiritual aspects of religion, such as the afterlife and Buddhist enlightenment. Death Parade and Noragami use Shintoism as a basis for their interpretations of how lost souls find their way to peace/reincarnation or the never-ending void, while Devilman Crybaby shows how one person’s selfishness can turn the whole world into their personal Hell. Land of the Lustrous, on the other hand, puts its main character Phosphophyllite through near-endless suffering as a metaphor for enlightenment. As Phos’ body breaks over time, they replace the lost parts with materials that correspond to the Seven Treasures of Chinese Buddhism (gold, lapis lazuli, pearl, agate, etc.). They also learn more about the world and slowly become more “human” by travelling to the lands of the Admirabilis slug people and the Lunarians, both of whom are thought to represent aspects of humanity that the Gems lack. The world is stuck in a stalemate between all three species, but if Phos can let go of everything tying them to worldly desires (including pretty much all of their friends) and become a “complete” being, they might just be able to make a difference. It can be difficult to notice religious symbolism and themes in shows like these, since they’re light on recognizable imagery and focus more on spirituality and personal growth than doctrine, but once you see what they’re going for, it adds a whole new dimension to the story.

Now we get to the most overt incorporations of religion into anime – the direct critique of religion itself. Higurashi: When They Cry and Tales of Symphonia: The Animation aren’t explicitly pointing fingers at real world religions, but they both show how one person’s wishes can be corrupted over the years by unscrupulous people who only want to manipulate others for their own gain. What once was a message of peace can morph into an institution of violence very quickly if left unchecked…

Perhaps the best recent anime to openly criticize religion, though, is Vinland Saga. The Vikings’ belief in Valhalla – a blessed afterlife only reachable by dying in battle – is shown to be extremely destructive, since the soldiers will run into a fight even when it’s objectively the wrong decision just to secure their place among the Valkyries. Thorfinn, who grew up surrounded by these people, becomes convinced that violence is the solution to every problem and that he can only be worthwhile as a person if he exacts vengeance against the man who killed his father. The Vikings will pillage and burn every village they come across with no thought spared for the innocent lives they’re extinguishing, but still see themselves as righteous because they’re strong warriors. On the other hand, Canute’s character arc portrays blind allegiance to Christianity as equally bad. Despite being Norse himself, Prince Canute insists on opposing his culture’s values by praying to Jesus for protection instead of fighting anyone else. He eventually snaps when he realizes that simple prayer hasn’t saved anyone or changed his own life for the better, so he vows to reject salvation from God and attempts to create a paradise on Earth with his own two hands. According to Vinland Saga, accepting religion at face value can be disastrous – you must make your own informed decisions to get any use out of it.

Do you have a VR set? Are you a fan of AMC's The Walking Dead? Are you one of those who dream about testing their skills in a real apocalypse? Well, the Covid-19 pandemic is the closer you can get right now, but you could also play The Walking Dead Onslaught and see for yourself how many zombies you can eliminate before they turn you into one of them. In this VR experience, you get to play as your favorite, most badass characters of the show, namely Michonne, Rick, and everyone's favorite Daryl. Oh, and this isn't just about killing random hordes before the time goes out; there's an original Story mode, too! Starring Daryl! We can only hope this is better than The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct...

Hotshot Racing is a low-poly racing game that's bold enough to release next to games like Project CARS 3, World Rally Car 9, etc. Instead of going for spectacular graphics and real-life physics, the approach is exactly the opposite: time for cool arcade racing! This is a love letter to old classics like Daytona USA, Cruis'n World, and even Out Run. Other than single races and cups, you can get to play a fun mode called Cops & Robbers that's kinda similar to that of Test Drive 6. We're so looking forward to it!

Warhammer 40 000 is a great franchise, spanning a lot of video games, board games, and other works of fiction. One of these board games, Necromunda, is one of the best you can find out there... and now it's coming to your PC or console! This is a tactical RPG where you get to play as a member of the Escher, Goliath, or Orlock factions, upgrading your team and showing your power by crushing skulls. The best part is that you can experience it alone or with up to 3 other people! If you fancy some violence mixed with a great narrative-driven adventure, then this is it!

Guys, we're in September, and you know what that means. A new NBA game! Right now, the NBA is rather convoluted and the playoffs are on hiatus for several reasons, but that doesn't mean you can't watch your favorite team play... or create your own team full of stars... or start a virtual career and see how good you can get. Sadly, 2K21 is more or less the same as last year's iteration, so other than the updated roster and a few specific graphical upgrades, it doesn't feel like a new game at all. Also, 2K21 comes with a new shooting mechanic that nobody seems to like. We were really excited about this one, so hopefully they can fix it soon with some DLC?

Back to games that are all about having fun with retro graphics, it's time to talk about Spelunky 2. We have to wait until the last days of September, but it looks like it will be worth it considering how good Spelunky was and how much better this one could be. More items, more characters, more traps... and all of this in a bigger world?! And mounts, too?!! Well, it looks like we'll be spending hundreds of hours exploring the moon in Spelunky 2. Time to say goodbye to the outside world!

If you are a person that likes action-adventure games, then you will definitely like this game. If you're a fan of Marvel's Avengers though, you'll love playing as your favorite superheroes! One of the downsides of this game is that we're so used to Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and the gang, that it's hard to accept that these characters have new faces... but that shouldn't be an issue for those who like the comics and not just the movies, right? All in all, it's a nice combination of fanservice and flashy graphics, with a decent campaign and a lot of grinding. The perfect game for any Avengers fan!

Tony Hawk is one of our role-models, not only because of how cool this man is (even now he's 52) but also because of how nice and humble he appears to be. But hey, he also happens to be the face of one of the series that have marked our childhoods! Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is a remaster of the first 2 entries in the THPS franchise, now with revamped graphics, new collectibles, and new playable characters. The only downside is that if you remember where everything is and your muscle memory is good enough, then it will take you around 3 hours to complete 1+2...

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a beautiful-looking visual novel combined with tactical mecha battles against giant aliens. Sure, it could be hard to understand a game with 13 main characters that's also about time traveling, but the gameplay is fine and the story looks interesting and full of pop culture references. We already tried this game and it blew our minds, so it's only natural for us to be so hyped up about it. If you own a PlayStation 4 and you're on the look for a complex turn-based JRPG, then 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is exactly what you need.

Nobody was expecting this, but there are a lot of cool—yet old—Mario games coming to the Switch! To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Super Mario, Nintendo will be releasing several cool ports and improved versions of the best and most popular SMB games, but there's one that's better than the others. We're talking about Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a game that bundles 3 of the best platforming games of the past generations: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Be it for the sake of nostalgia or because you didn't own the right console at the time, this is a great opportunity to play these masterpieces! Oh, but be sure to grab a copy before March 21st, 2021!

If you're a fan of anime RPGs, then you probably know about Genshin Impact, a free-to-play game that's been in production for several years now and it finally has a release date: September 28. The company behind this RPG is the same that created Gun GirlZ, so if you ever played it, then you have an idea of what to expect in terms of aesthetics. Although it might look like one, we have to say that this is not an MMORPG but a single-player adventure with multiplayer options; you can train your characters and form a party of 4 to explore this open-world environment, but that's it. Other than PC (through its own launcher) and consoles, just like any modern Asian RPG, it will be available for mobile devices too.

Maybe dying in a game feels uneventful since you know your characters won’t remember their deaths from that unfair boss or that one wrong move you pulled but Subaru is different. Subaru is aware of each death he endures and feels them not only physically but mentally and spiritually. This has caused our hero to falter dozens of times but thankfully, his friends and his strong will keep him from just quitting in general. Now, you might wonder how Subaru dying and feeling each death makes the show better. Simple; it gives him more of a struggle that equally affects those who love his character. Witnessing Subaru endure death after death makes us sympathize with him and wish for his success. Equally, with each failure, we watch to see how Subaru will return to the past moment and finally achieve that needed success to move forward in his plights.

For those horror visual novel fans out there, you will no doubt admit that you love getting dead ends. Failing an event or making a wrong choice that leads to the protagonist’s death—or that of another character—is surprising, but intriguing. Not only do we get to see more of the world but we see different story elements that would have never been noticed if we made it through the scene without failure. This same theme applies heavily to Re:Zero as each death gives us more insight into Subaru’s new world and we witness plots never before seen by our main man. For example, in the second season, Subaru dies trying to reach Rem in the mansion from an old threat. When he returns to the past and tries again, he in turn, learns more about his new “allies” and begins to notice some hidden plots that he needs to uncover soon lest he faces more deaths. This trend hasn’t gotten old—and we doubt it will—proving that deaths in Re:Zero have reason and substance!

Subaru isn’t exactly the overpowered hero many isekai protagonists tend to be, but he has slowly been increasing in strength. These “level-ups” wouldn’t have been possible had Subaru not died from dozens of different enemies/threats. With each death, Subaru has begun to realize what he could improve and how that would—in turn—keep him alive a bit longer on the next reset. Death is a necessary pain for Subaru to endure as it makes him stronger.

Above all else, let’s face a simple reality, readers. Watching how Subaru will die next and then seeing it is shock value we find truly gripping. It might seem odd that we enjoy Subaru and his eye-opening deaths but they are so visceral and horrifying that they never stop shocking us and filling us with utter amazement! Just how like jump-scares in horror movies, games, and anime capture our attention, witnessing Subaru die from some unknown assailant in a dark hallway immerses us the same way and we can’t ever grow bored of that. Might seem perverse but horror is best when it keeps you shocked and constantly wondering what scary thing waits behind the next scene!?