Burkely HermannNov 12
My latest post on Pop Culture Library Review--> Kyotaro’s “sacred” library sanctuary, Anna Yamada’s “intrusion,” and the “sacredness” of #libraries
https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/kyotaros-sacred-library-sanctuary-anna-yamadas-intrusion-and-the-sacredness-of-libraries/
#anime #manga #thedangersofmyheart #romcom #sliceoflife #wordpress #sanctuary #blogposts #2020s #eating #sacred #rarebooks #readordie #rodthetv #japan #patrons #libraryusers #specialcollections #myposts #candy #fobaziettarh #eating #libraryrules #rules #prettycure #romance #refuges #webarebears
Kyotaro’s “sacred” library sanctuary, Anna Yamada’s “intrusion,” and the “sacredness” of libraries

This past August I wrote a post examining the library themes and series within a slice-of-life romantic comedy named The Dangers in My Heart, noting it is based on a manga series illustrated and wr…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
This past August I wrote a post examining the library themes and series within a slice-of-life romantic comedy named The Dangers in My Heart, noting it is based on a manga series illustrated and written by Norio Sakurai of the same name. https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/the-dangers-in-my-library-box-cutters-food-consumption-books-and-romance-oh-my/ #thedangersofmyheart #libraries #romance #romcom #manga #anime #japan (1/?)
The dangers in “my” library?: Box cutters, food consumption, books, and romance, oh my!

I first learned about The Dangers in My Heart (also known as BokuYaba), a slice-of-life romantic comedy based on a manga series illustrated and written by Norio Sakurai, from a HIDIVE email entitle…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely Hermann
At one point, Anna sits there with them as they begin to talk, encourages Kyotaro to make cat sounds after he accidentally drops a book, and later joins him, as both make cat sounds together. In the process, Haru and Kanzaki begin talking.After both leave, Anna is glad it worked out, while Kyotaro is beside himself that he collaborated with Yamada! With both getting closer to one another, their #romance is blossoming in the #library itself, something which is not unique. (2/?) #manga #anime
Nov 12 at 6:45pmWeb
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
I've written about, what's mentioned in the last message, since the beginning of my blog, including when examining themes in some #manga. https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2020/08/01/love-in-the-library-truman-burbank-and-kumar-patel-think-so/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/06/26/romance-studying-jealousy-and-invisible-library-labor-in-shoujo-manga-protagonist-x-rival-san/ #romance #thetrumanshow #haroldandkumar #manga #anime #jealousy (3/?)
Love in the library? Truman Burbank and Kumar Patel think so

I’ve written on here before about libraries, reviewing Emilio Estevez’s The Public and themes of records in 1990s Hollywood films. Now, I’d like to highlight two library settings …

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Kyotaro declares that #libraries are #sacred and no one can come in, except him, even Anna. Sorry for the distortion here, but its hard to take a photo of a #manga page and make it flat. Kyotaro isn't unique in seeing the #library this way, as Minori in Tropical-Rouge! PreCure sees the school library in the same way, as her "sacred space." (4/?)
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Related to the last message is what I posted about Tropical--Rouge PreCure, in terms of how one of the characters thinks about the school #library https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/09/12/lets-all-tropica-shine-the-role-of-books-and-libraries-in-tropical-rouge-precure/ (5/?)
Let’s all…Tropica-Shine!: The role of books and libraries in “Tropical-Rouge! Precure”

When I first watched Tropical-Rouge! Precure, I expected it to be like other PreCure series I watched, like Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure and Smile PreCure! (also known as Glitter Force in the dubbed ve…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
#Books can generally, unless #the library is a special library with #rarebooks or #specialcollections, be replaceable. https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/the-duty-of-a-librarian-destruction-knowledge-and-the-witches-crest-library-in-somali-and-the-forest-spirit/ (6/?)
The duty of a librarian?: Destruction, knowledge, and the Witches Crest Library in “Somali and the Forest Spirit”

Some time ago, I finished watching the 2020 fantasy anime, Somali and the Forest Spirit. I knew that there were at various librarians as characters, but I was blown away with how important librarie…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Furthermore, it is clear that #books themselves should not be worshiped or seen as #sacred. https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/05/14/remembering-bibliophile-princess-and-its-significant-fictional-depiction-of-libraries/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/reading-cats-nagisa-yasaka-the-school-librarian-and-giving-book-recommendations/ #bibliophileprincess #cats #schoolibraries (7/?)
Remembering “Bibliophile Princess” and its significant fictional depiction of libraries

Hello everyone. I thought today I’d write about the series, Bibliophile Princess, which aired from October to December 2022, a series I still remember fondly, despite its problems. On this bl…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
In terms of #libraries themselves, they are seen as sanctuaries or #sacred spaces https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/05/28/fictional-libraries-as-places-of-refuge-and-knowledge/ (8/?)
Fictional libraries as places of refuge and knowledge

In the past, I’ve written of libraries as place of refuge, either in RWBY, Prisoner Zero, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, The Ancient Magus Bride: Those Awaiting a Star, and even, in some…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
According to Fobazi Ettarh, many original #libraries were monasteries, meant to "inspire awe or grandeur." http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/ (9/?) #vocationalawe
Vocational Awe and Librarianship: The Lies We Tell Ourselves – In the Library with the Lead Pipe

Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
At the same time, #libraries presently operate as sanctuaries in terms of being a place of #safety, or as "safe spaces." https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/03/20/fictional-libraries-and-the-importance-of-studying/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/11/26/a-witch-a-vampire-cat-and-a-magical-library-in-morgana-and-oz/ #safespace #manga #webcomics #studying #students (10/?)
Fictional libraries and the importance of studying

Previously on this blog I’ve written about occasionally about people studying in the library. For instance, in 2020, I wrote about Yukari and George studying in Paradise Kiss, a group of stud…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Furthermore, showing #libraries as temple-like (or magical) furthers the perception that they are sacred and "beyond #critique, and that the duties of a librarian are #sacred in and of themselves, leading some #workers to become paralyzed." https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/the-duty-of-a-librarian-destruction-knowledge-and-the-witches-crest-library-in-somali-and-the-forest-spirit/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/08/09/librarians-are-magic-fictional-magical-libraries-and-why-this-perception-is-problematic/, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2020/09/01/not-beyond-critique/ (11/?)
The duty of a librarian?: Destruction, knowledge, and the Witches Crest Library in “Somali and the Forest Spirit”

Some time ago, I finished watching the 2020 fantasy anime, Somali and the Forest Spirit. I knew that there were at various librarians as characters, but I was blown away with how important librarie…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Even so, there are #books like #Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose of #Libraries and #Librarianship (sold in the ALA's Store!) which have an air of #vocationalawe. https://alastore.ala.org/content/sacred-stacks-higher-purpose-libraries-and-librarianship, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2023/05/16/vocational-awe-and-fictional-depictions-of-librarians/ (12/?) #vocationalawe
Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose of Libraries and Librarianship

Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
As Ettarh put it at one point, #libraries are #sacred spaces, offering sanctuary and social aid "but often only for the #privileged or those we deem #worthy." https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/acrl2019-vocational-awe-why-being-bad-is-good/ #vocationalawe (13/?)
Why Being Bad Is Good | American Libraries Magazine

Fobazi M. Ettarh, undergraduate success librarian at Rutgers University–Newark, described her take on librarian values at a Saturday morning session at the 2019 Association of College and Research Libraries Conference in Cleveland. “Vocational awe underpins the narrative of librarianship,” she said.

American Libraries Magazine
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
I did a quick search and found mentions by an anonymous commenter who told I Love Libraries, in part: "I believe libraries are sacred places. They hold the history, science, and imagination of the ages....My life has been enriched beyond measure [from libraries]" https://ilovelibraries.org/article/10-people-share-why-theyre-thankful-for-libraries/ (14/?) #libraries #vocationalawe
10 People Share Why They’re Thankful for Libraries - I Love Libraries

These are the tracks advocates listen to before calling their legislators.

I Love Libraries
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
There's also articles such as: "Sacred Space: Why Libraries Are Essential to Incarcerated Writers" (Lit Hub), "The Sacred Space of Libraries in Our Lives" (Big Think), and "Week 44: The Library as a Sacred Space" (Harvard Countway Library). There's even an article about student's religious practices within libraries, entitled "The Library as a Campus Spiritual Space: Evidence from Student Focus Group." (15/?)
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
... Kyotaro ...ends up seeing inside her shirt which has become see-through thanks to the sweat and she is wearing a swimsuit underneath! He walks away, clearly embarrassed again, not saying anything more. Again, #romance is blossoming in the #library between them, not unlike what happens in Teasing Master Takagi-San (see below article) https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2024/02/14/love-in-the-fictional-library-from-mansions-to-public-spaces/ (16/?) #romcom #manga
Love in the fictional library: From mansions to public spaces

Since today is February 14th, it is a day to celebrate of Library Lover’s Day and Valentine’s Day. As such, it only makes sense to write a post on this subject. Long-time readers may re…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
Eating in the library is not unique to this series, as this is the case in episodes of #BravestWarriors, R.O.D. the TV, #WeBareBears, and #UncleGrandpa, while others ban the practice. It is banned in this #school #library but no one enforces it, which comes up later in the #anime. https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2020/08/19/genderbending-in-bravest-warriors-and-the-library/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2020/09/16/read-or-die-paper-masters-embers-of-the-british-empire-and-books-galore/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2021/08/10/examining-the-overworked-exhausted-librarian-in-we-bare-bears/, https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2021/10/26/uncle-grandpa-and-the-terrifying-12-cent-late-fee/ (17/?)
Genderbending in “Bravest Warriors” and the library

Today’s post will be one of my shortest. So, in one episode of Bravest Warriors, “Merewif Tag,” Plum, a “bravest warrior, transforms into Chris and declares that learning is…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
In terms of the ban of eating in the library, see this article: https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2021/04/20/countering-the-shushing-librarians-stereotype-in-animated-series/ #libraries #eating #rules (18/?) #shushing #stereotypes
Countering the “shushing librarians” stereotype in animated series

After watching the aforementioned series on Netflix, where an unnamed character shushes the protagonists, called a library person, but implied to be a librarian, as previously stated, I decided tha…

Pop Culture Library Review
Show threadBurkely HermannNov 12
With that, my thread comes to a close. As always, your comments and suggestions for what I should write about on this blog are welcome. (19/19)