The Shiawase Siblings is a book that tells the tale of Hercules and Maniae, the newly created gods, protectors of the Earth that Zeus and Hera created. But when Hades decided to change their fates, they have no choice other than to send them down to Earth and let them create their own path. Although, Hades wasn’t going to let them have it so easy. On the run, the twins will learn what a true family is as well as what they were told as children wasn’t their true origin. To figure out their new fates, continue reading! 2

With the wish of the first miko in her heart, Mashiro decides to have a showdown with the Kamitsuka family. Hayate promises that he will continue to support Mashiro and openly declares his feelings for her. Meanwhile, Hinokagu, the kami of fire becomes aware of his secret feelings and is baffled. Mashiro’s party sneaks into the ritual to stop the Kamitsuka family’s ambition. However, what awaits them is black despair…

This book investigates the connections between socio-structural aspects, individual agency and happiness in contemporary Japan from a life course perspective. The contributors examine empirical data on the processes which impact how happiness and well-being are envisioned, crafted and debated in Japan across the life-cycle. The book discusses the shifting notions of happiness during people’s lives from birth to death, analyzing the age group-specific experiences while taking into consideration people's life trajectories and historical changes. It points also out recent developments in regards to demographic change, late marriage, and the changing labor market.

The cinema of Japan predates that of Russia, China, and India, and it has been able to sustain itself without outside assistance for over a century. Japanese cinema's long history of production and considerable output has seen films made in a variety of genres, including melodramas, romances, gangster movies, samurai movies, musicals, horror films, and monster films. It has also produced some of the most famous names in the history of cinema: Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki, Beat Takeshi, Toshirô Mifune, Godzilla, The Ring, Akira, Rashomon, and Seven Samurai. The Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema is an introduction to and overview of the long history of Japanese cinema. It aims to provide an entry point for those with little or no familiarity with the subject, while it is organized so that scholars in the field will also be able to use it to find specific information. This is done through a detailed chronology, an introductory essay, and appendixes of films, film studios, directors, and performers. The cross-referenced dictionary entries cover key films, genres, studios, directors, performers, and other individuals. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Japanese cinema.

Female Masculinity and the Business of Emotions in Tokyo investigates the novel “emotion business” of dansō escorting as a phenomenon emerging between gender performativity and pop-culture, commodified relationships and the wish for self-expression. Fanasca documents the dreams, ambitions and fears of young crossdresser escorts negotiating their identity with and within the Japanese society, as well as those of crossdresser escorts’ clients: women looking for the perfect man and the opportunity to experience emotions. Combining anthropological, sociological and gender studies theories with an ethnographic approach, Fanasca argues that dansō crossdressing is the tool used by a sector of Japanese women to resist the heteronormative and patriarchal society and its expectations, while reinventing themselves and their identities looking for self-actualization. Female Masculinity and the Business of Emotions Tokyo is an interdisciplinary work which will interest both scholars and students of Japanese studies, gender studies, and anthropology.

Michael O'Brien presents a thrilling apocalyptic novel about the condition of the Roman Catholic Church at the end of time. It explores the state of the modern world, and the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary religious scene, by taking his central character, Father Elijah Schäfer, a Carmelite priest, on a secret mission for the Vatican which embroils him in a series of crises and subterfuges affecting the ultimate destiny of the Church. Father Elijah is a convert from Judaism, a survivor of the Holocaust, a man once powerful in Israel. For twenty years he has been "buried in the dark night of Carmel" on the mountain of the prophet Elijah. The Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State call him out of obscurity and give him a task of the highest sensitivity: to penetrate into the inner circles of a man whom they believe may be the Antichrist. Their purpose: to call the Man of Sin to repentance, and thus to postpone the great tribulation long enough to preach the Gospel to the whole world. In this richly textured tale, Father Elijah crosses Europe and the Middle East, moves through the echelons of world power, meets saints and sinners, presidents, judges, mystics, embattled Catholic journalists, faithful priests and a conspiracy of traitors within the very House of God. This is an apocalypse in the old literary sense, but one that was written in the light of Christian revelation.

Say sayonara to your fears of speaking Japanese! Interested in learning to speak Japanese but feel intimidated by the complex characters and pronunciations? No need to worry! Even if your only experience is ordering sushi, Japanese Demystified will have you saying konnichiwa to your new language skills in no time. Beginning with a review of Japanese writing systems, basic pronunciation, and everyday expressions, this book covers key grammar fundamentals such as particles, nouns, verb forms, and honorifics. You'll build your Japanese vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master this challenging language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Japanese. This fast and easy guide features: Clear and straightforward explanations of Japanese grammar fundamentals Numerous examples of simple and complex sentence structures Japanese hiragana, katakana, and kanji with phonetic transliterations for all Japanese words Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Japanese language to life Coverage of everyday topics as well as conversational expressions Quizzes at the end of each chapter to reinforce new material Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more experienced student, Japanese Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

This is a clear, simple and compact guide to colloquial, everyday Japanese. Acquire basic proficiency in spoken Japanese. A streamlined, efficient approach. Perfect for self-learners or classroom use. Includes kanji and kana. Essential Japanese Vocabulary teaches all the Japanese grammar you need to speak and understand simple spoken Japanese. It covers only what is essential which provides an efficient way for learners who have limited time to gain basic proficiency and begin to communicate naturally with Japanese language speakers. Intended for both self-study and classroom use the guide offers a practical course in colloquial Japanese, but leaves aside forms that are unnecessary or little used as well as those that are more important for written Japanese. In short chapters, it helps the user understand the logic of Japanese grammar, while its straightforward explanations and clear examples make learning as easy as possible. The book includes a glossary of grammatical terms and an index, as well as appendixes on Japanese pronunciation and verb conjugation. In a focused and convenient approach, Essential Japanese Vocabulary is an indispensable tool for beginners just starting to learn Japanese or a handy aid for more experienced learners who wish to refresh their knowledge.