Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a Japanese anime television series that was created and directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga and produced by Gainax. The series follows the adventures of two childhood friends, Sasshi and Arumi, as they are transported to different parallel worlds within the shopping arcade in the Abenobashi district of Osaka, Japan. The storyline of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is filled with comedy, fantasy, and a touch of drama. Each world that Sasshi and Arumi visit represents a different genre or theme, allowing for a wide range of creative and unique scenarios. From a medieval fantasy world to a sci-fi mecha world, the series incorporates various elements to keep the audience entertained and engaged. The Crunchyroll streaming platform has made Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi available for viewers worldwide, enabling fans of the genre to watch and enjoy the series.
Can Russia ever become a normal, free-market, democratic society? Why have so many reforms failed since the Soviet Union’s collapse? In this highly-original work, Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy argue.
They also make the good point, rarely heard in this debate, that a chief obstacle to transforming Siberia, and the Russian economy more broadly, is the absence of employment migration. Siberia gave the Soviets, as the authors wryly note, plenty of room for error, and the lack of economic mobility is among the worst errors, one that remains a hidden tax on Russia s economy.
The Crunchyroll streaming platform has made Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi available for viewers worldwide, enabling fans of the genre to watch and enjoy the series. This partnership has helped to bring the anime to a larger audience, further cementing its popularity and appeal. One of the standout features of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is its vibrant and colorful animation style.
The Siberian Curse
Ever since the age of the tsars, Siberia has embodied the Russian paradox—a place of seemingly boundless abundance (oil and gas, timber and coal, gold and other precious metals) lying amid frozen wastelands. Today, Siberia has captured the Russian imagination. The vast lands east of the Urals represent, to the men at Russia’s helm, a source of contention—seen alternately as Russia’s destiny and its burden, either a sacred cornucopia of the motherland’s treasures or an endless stretch of tundra and taiga where only survivalists could live and slave labor grow. Among Russian politicians, the debate over what to do with Siberia—invest in it, abandon it, defend it against Chinese annexation, sell it to the Japanese—dominates discussions about the country’s future. Whatever the viewpoint, all sides seem to agree: Siberia remains the key to Russia’s fate.
In The Siberian Curse , Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy, scholars at the Brookings Institution, offer a refreshing, well-documented addition to the literature on post-Soviet Russia. They recommend “downsizing Siberia” as the only way to reverse the colossal mistakes of Soviet economic planning and streamline Russia for a 21st-century game of catch-up. Much of their case rests on the hardships of the Siberian winter—and spring, summer, and fall. They also make the good point, rarely heard in this debate, that a chief obstacle to transforming Siberia, and the Russian economy more broadly, is the absence of employment migration. “We’re not Americans,” the head of Russia’s privatization program once told me. “We don’t move for work. If Sergei loses his job in Tomsk, he still stays in Tomsk until he dies.” Siberia gave the Soviets, as the authors wryly note, plenty of “room for error,” and the lack of economic mobility is among the worst errors, one that remains a hidden tax on Russia’s economy.
Hill and Gaddy do have a plan. A force of migrant workers should labor in the regions rich in minerals and petrochemicals. (Gazprom, the natural gas giant, is in fact moving in this direction by rotating workers in remote areas in quarter-year shifts.) Above all, the authors argue, Moscow must lure the population from Siberia westward, to the region geographers call “European Russia,” the lands west of the Urals. But talk of such downsizing would bring bloodshed in the Duma, let alone in Siberia. And the World Bank’s $80 million pilot program to move pensioners and the unemployed from three cities in the Far North, a high-minded plan sketched here in favorable terms, has been a mitigated disaster. Those who live near the Arctic Circle are a tough lot; of the 25,000 residents targeted for resettlement, only a few hundred have taken up the offer. Some have even outsmarted the Western economists and social planners by accepting the financial incentives and staying put.
There are gaps in Hill and Gaddy’s analysis—the role of the oligarchs in putting whole swaths of Siberia on life support is all but ignored, while the emphasis on geography slights demography, which is the greatest present danger. (Each year the country’s population shrinks by nearly one million.) The authors concede that the odds that Vladimir Putin will elect to “shrink” Siberia are long. But they note that if neither Napoleon nor Hitler, not to mention the Soviet central planners, could conquer Russia’s ice fields, then President Putin, if indeed he wishes his country to compete in the global market, has little choice but to downsize.
Ever since the age of the tsars, Siberia has embodied the Russian paradox—a place of seemingly boundless abundance (oil and gas, timber and coal, gold and other precious metals) lying amid frozen wastelands. Today, Siberia has captured the Russian imagination. The vast lands east of the Urals represent, to the men at Russia’s helm, a source of contention—seen alternately as Russia’s destiny and its burden, either a sacred cornucopia of the motherland’s treasures or an endless stretch of tundra and taiga where only survivalists could live and slave labor grow. Among Russian politicians, the debate over what to do with Siberia—invest in it, abandon it, defend it against Chinese annexation, sell it to the Japanese—dominates discussions about the country’s future. Whatever the viewpoint, all sides seem to agree: Siberia remains the key to Russia’s fate.
The characters are distinct and well-designed, and the worlds they visit are visually stunning. The animation effectively captures the whimsical and fantastical nature of the show, enhancing the viewer's overall experience. Due to its engaging storyline and unique concept, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi has garnered a dedicated fan base over the years. Its blend of humor, adventure, and imaginative worlds has made it a beloved anime series amongst fans of the genre. In conclusion, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a delightful and entertaining anime series that takes viewers on a wild ride through various parallel worlds. Its combination of comedy, fantasy, and drama, paired with its vibrant animation style, makes it a standout series within the genre. With its availability on Crunchyroll, more fans can experience the magic and charm of this captivating show..
Reviews for "The Role of Friendship in the World of Abenobashi Shopping Arcade"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi" on Crunchyroll. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, and the characters were unlikable. I couldn't bring myself to care about their struggles or root for them to succeed. The animation quality was also subpar, with choppy movements and unimpressive visuals. Overall, it just didn't live up to my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Jason - 3 stars - "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi" on Crunchyroll was a letdown for me. While the concept seemed interesting at first, I found the execution to be underwhelming. The story lacked depth and failed to hold my attention. Additionally, the humor often fell flat, relying on repetitive slapstick gags that quickly grew tiresome. The animation style was quirky, but it didn't make up for the lackluster storytelling. Overall, it was a forgettable anime that didn't leave a lasting impression.
3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - I tried watching "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi" on Crunchyroll, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. The plot felt convoluted and hard to follow, with random shifts in tone and inconsistent pacing. The characters were also annoying and lacked development, making it difficult to connect with them. The animation was decent, but it couldn't redeem the overall mediocrity of the series. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a die-hard fan of the genre and can overlook its shortcomings.