• It’s almost time for the Twelve Days of Anime, Scamp’s long-running meme in which bloggers write about the anime they watched this year. I’m already writing up my posts in advance. You should participate, too!

• The Shirobako cast illustrates the egregious world of anime income disparities using the bright, cheerful character designs it is known for. The show itself does a great job humanizing the thankless jobs of animators, too.

• Saved for posterity: one of the earliest ever mentions of anime on the Web, this UseNet post from 1985. Hat tip: @gabbomatic.

• Also in Oldtaku News: Anime Web Turnpike is kaput, just shy of 20 years old. I used to use this in middle school to find Gundam Wing “shrines,” as we called fan pages back then. Anybody else remember those days?

• I love when people leave their website links while commenting on Otaku Journalist, because then I get to find new blogs to read. Lately I’ve been enjoying reader Amby Felix’s cooking blog, where she makes treats inspired by her favorite anime and video games.

• “It seems that when you want to make a woman into a hero, you hurt her first. When you want to make a man into a hero, you hurt… also a woman first.” Leigh Alexander on our one-step sympathetic games protagonist problem.

• Other stuff I’ve written this week: a reader appreciation post on Gunpla 101, reviews of Denki-Gai, Yowamushi Pedal, and Gundam Build Fighters Try.

Art via Twitter The Comic.