Rōnin
: 浪人 【ろうにん】Feudal Japan was dominated by political or military struggles between the daimyō, the great lords under which samurai served. When a daimyō was somehow defeated, all the samurai under his command (or at least the ones still alive) then became masterless rōnin. Those masterless samurai usually became mercenaries in order to survive.
In modern Japan the term "rōnin" has been given a new meaning, one with quite a few examples in anime. Once students complete high school, they must then take entrance exams to get into college. The more prestigious the institution, the more difficult the entrance exam. Sometime, students will fail the exams for all colleges they applied to, and have to wait to take it again the next year. In the meantime, they study hard so they will do better, and at the same time they are usually holding down part time jobs in order to survive. These "school-less students" are also called rōnin, and are a subject of many anime, such as Love Hina and Chobits.
Another use of "rōnin" is for a salaryman who has been laid off as the result of company restructuring. The same general idea applies in all cases; the rōnin is someone who has lost the place he is supposed to hold in the social structure.
In modern Japan the term "rōnin" has been given a new meaning, one with quite a few examples in anime. Once students complete high school, they must then take entrance exams to get into college. The more prestigious the institution, the more difficult the entrance exam. Sometime, students will fail the exams for all colleges they applied to, and have to wait to take it again the next year. In the meantime, they study hard so they will do better, and at the same time they are usually holding down part time jobs in order to survive. These "school-less students" are also called rōnin, and are a subject of many anime, such as Love Hina and Chobits.
Another use of "rōnin" is for a salaryman who has been laid off as the result of company restructuring. The same general idea applies in all cases; the rōnin is someone who has lost the place he is supposed to hold in the social structure.
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The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Weeks of Oct 1-21
anime
The first round of rankings for the Fall 2016 anime season are here - and you won't believe what took the #1 spot! Find out where your favorites rank!
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Fall 2016 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these ranki...
Answerman - Why Can't Anime Use Trademarked Names?
anime
Plenty of anime use silly fake brand names in place of real ones - why is that necessary? Justin takes a trip down to WcDonald's for the explanation.
― Jerome asks: Do Manga Publishers and Anime Distributers fear a lawsuit from using a trademark? Watching a lot of anime over the years, I never see real world trademarks if any. They usually just change the name. An example is in "Freezing" they use B...
Interview: Dragon Ball Super's Toyotarou
manga
First he was a super-fan of Dragon Ball - now he's drawing the official manga adaption of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball! Find out what makes mangaka Toyotarou tick!
― Dragon Ball Super is a big step for Akira Toriyama's vast and influential action series. It's the first major follow-up to the original Dragon Ball Z storyline in a long time, and it's the first Dragon Ball TV anime series since Dragon ...
Attack on Titan Anthology
manga
Over 30 American comic book artists and writers come together for this compilation of Attack on Titan inspired stories! From its light-hearted parodies to its haunting horror tales, how does this anthology hold up?
― While the publisher Kodansha's claim on the introductory page that the Attack on Titan manga is “the biggest hit in a generation” may be debatable, there's no question that this franchis...
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization - original story and characters for the SAO universe
games
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization launches in Japan on October 27 and in North America on November 8. Find out what makes this installment so good.
― Bandai Namco Games is set to launch the latest Sword Art Online video game, Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization very soon. The game launches in Japan on October 27. Fans in Europe and North America won't have to wait much longer; the game will be re...
Review: World of Final Fantasy (Playstation 4)
games
Just in time for the series' 30th anniversary, World of Final Fantasy brings together characters new and old for a lighthearted role-playing adventure that builds on three decades of legacy while crafting its own identity.
― It's been nearly 30 years since the four Warriors of Light crossed the bridge out of Cornelia and into our collective hearts, launching one of the biggest—if not the biggest—RPG ...
B-PROJECT Episodes 1-12 Streaming
anime
B-Project is a bit like UtaPri's calmer little brother - it's fun, it's silly, and it's entertaining start to finish, even if it's nothing new in the boy idol reverse harem genre.
― A large group of uniquely beautiful and talented young men? A slightly eccentric producer? An innocuous and normal (yet secretly talented) young woman thrown into the mix? Bubbly J-pop numbers with slightly feminine chore...
Answerman - Are There Any Vegetarians In Japan?
Vegetarianism rarely ever comes up in anime, although meat is almost always on the menu - is it a cultural thing, or something else? Justin gets into it.
― Chris asks: I was wondering if vegetarianism is something practiced by a notable amount of people in Japan. In anime I've only noticed a few cases of characters being vegeterian or vegetarianism being mentioned, so is it correct to assume that it...
Shelf Life - Golgo 13: The Professional
anime
Osamu Dezaki's Golgo 13 film is the first to bring the iconic character to life in animation, but does it still hold up today? Paul Jensen take a look. Plus, all this week's new anime releases!
― I tend to drink a lot of tea when I'm writing reviews, so buying a new electric tea kettle a couple of weeks ago has improved my life in a noticeable way. Being able to heat water to exactly the right tempe...
A Town Where You Live Sub.Blu-Ray
anime
What happens when you try to cram two dozen volumes of manga into twelve episodes of anime? Rebecca Silverman finds out in A Town Where You Live.
― What happens when you take twenty-seven volumes of manga and try to condense it down to twelve episodes of anime? It's an issue that we've seen many times before with mixed results, but in the case of A Town Where You Live, based on Koji Seo (of Suzuka fa...
Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon GN
manga
Don't be scared off by the 1960s publication date - this GeGeGe no Kitaro compilation still holds up, as the yokai boy finds himself up against a variety of spooky villains!
― Drawn & Quarterly's second collection of the late, great Shigeru Mizuki's GeGeGe no Kitaro stories may be named after Nurarihyon, but he actually only features in one chapter. However, his essence definitely permeates the curat...
The Fall 2016 Anime Preview Guide
anime
The Fall 2016 Anime Preview Guide has begun! Check back daily for fresh previews of every new show this season!
Available Now: Girlish Number - Fall 2016 Short Anime - Magic of Stella - March comes in like a lion - Occultic; Nine - Poco's Udon World - Long Riders - ClassicaLoid - Kiss Him, Not Me! - Haikyu! Season 3 - Drifters - Lostorage incited WIXOSS - ALL OUT!! - Keijo!!!!!!! - FLIP FLAPPERS - Brave Witches - and much more!
Available Now: Girlish Number - Fall 2016 Short Anime - Magic of Stella - March comes in like a lion - Occultic; Nine - Poco's Udon World - Long Riders - ClassicaLoid - Kiss Him, Not Me! - Haikyu! Season 3 - Drifters - Lostorage incited WIXOSS - ALL OUT!! - Keijo!!!!!!! - FLIP FLAPPERS - Brave Witches - and much more!