After being away from quite some time, I am ready to get back into the groove of writing and transferring it to my blog. I’ve done quite a bit of archiving and a few new posts, but now is the start for fresh takes!

There is a whole Google Drive dedicated to posts that can be made and potentially have personalized takes on. Time to get on that, Ellie!

In doing the #25DaysofManga challenge, and other challenges from friends on Twitter, I find myself reading more and pushing myself to read outside the demographics and genres I normally read from. Retouching the ones I had strayed from, and even contemplating ones I wouldn’t dare touch (only contemplating!). Moving causes quite the change in mental scenery, especially moving as abruptly as I did. The anxiety, uncertainty and self-doubt was overwhelming, but the one thing I did have was books.

Digital and physical.

It didn’t matter if I had to buy them. I had no idea where the library was, nor any transportation to get to it. When I could buy manga, I bought it, and it drilled a hole in my pocket for two months – totally worth it.

In the move, I had to leave a new project I started with friends, both new and old. An anime club to start up anime clubs in local library branches. Something that wasn’t toxic or nsfw. Just a wholesome club, that tried to interact with other clubs. We ended up learning a lot of the clubs we knew to exist were dying off or were no longer in existence outside of schools and universities. I’m proud to know that they continue monthly meet-ups and the occasional gathering in hopes of saving face and other benefits.

While all of that was happening, here in my new space in Virginia, I was asked to opening up and start a small group dedicated to Muslim Youth and anime. There had been a rising concern with parents not knowing how to interact with their growing children in their growing love for the hobby. The main focus on being getting them out of the dark whole of escapism that they found themselves in; a topic that will be addressed later on.

So as I prepare to give a brief showcase to a group of Star Wars fans in a retreat dedicated to Star Wars and the Islamic perspective, I am left with questions of my own.

How do I find my spirituality in anime and manga?

Is there a line between the two?

How can anime and pop culture fit in with faith?

And most importantly, what connects me to my faith?

My goal is to, insha’Allah (God willing), find and address all those things for reference in this blog and for those who need it in the group that I hope to start.

In the meantime, I sit and wait post-surgery and continue reading and having these insights I keep to myself.