Medieval Fantasy in Popular Culture

            Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed is extremely progressive in terms of the representation of people of color which is absolutely due to the fact that it is written by a person of color. While it is progressive in this way, in terms of the representation of women it’s slightly lacking. Zamia Banu Laith Badawi is introduced as the 15-year-old former protector of the Band of Nadir Banu Laith Badawi and is what is called Angel-chosen: she is a girl lion.   Although her entire band had just recently been killed for which she feels personally responsible—she is also extremely concerned with the prospect of repopulating her tribe and mating when she meets Raseed bas Raseed, an extremely pious Dervish. Under these extreme circumstances there is not a reason for her to start thinking about repopulating her tribe particularly as they were very, very recently murdered and the killer is still out there. While thi...

Where there is light, shadows lurk and fear reigns. Yet by the blade of Knights, mankind was given hope. Garo: The Animation, known as Garo: Hono no Kokuin (literally meaning The Carved Seal of Flames), is a 2014 anime series, followed by a movie, based on a live action tokusatsu (think Power Rangers and Godzilla-style productions) franchise. The writer is Yasuko Kobayashi, one of, if not the, most prominent female tokusatsu writers in the business, having written Mirai Sentai Timeranger (Power Rangers Time Force), Kamen Rider Den-O, Kamen Rider Ryuki (Kamen Rider Dragon Knight), Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (Power Rangers Samurai), and several others. She has also written several anime scripts, probably the most well known of which is the first eight episodes of Attack of Titan, as well as portions of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventures adaptation. The basic premise of the franchise is that evil creatures, known as Horrors, infest the world. Horrors are born out of, and feast on, the dar...

          Most of the Silmarillion is severely lacking in strong female characters. Normally dominated by men only with the occasional damsel in distress, it comes as a breath of fresh air whenever a woman appears that takes charge and can handle herself. When Lúthien is first introduced in the Silmarillion, I assumed that she would be like all the other devastatingly beautiful but-oh-so delicate women in Tolkien’s world, and for the most part she was nothing more than a pretty face and a good singing voice. “Then memory of all pain departed from him, and he fell into an enchantment; for Lúthien was the most beautiful of all the Children of Ilúvatar,” (165) “and suddenly she began to sing. Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world,” (165).             However be...