Author Archives: Demelza Ward

Reading Log: December 2025

It’s the last reading log of the year! It feels like it has been a busy year, and I’m looking forward to seeing how my yearly stats have shaken out. Especially having moved a lot of my reading from English to Japanese partway through the year, which arguably I am slower with. But first, let’s see what I read this month!

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A Language Learning Reflection #2

When I wrote the first Language Learning Reflection at the start of 2025, I hadn’t intended to come back to it with a follow-up. However, since I wrote that, a lot has changed, so I figured I have enough to say to be worth sitting here and writing another. I don’t really intend for this to become a yearly series or anything, but maybe if I have something relevant to say next year, I’ll be back again.

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A Ten Year Review: AUKN Edition

As I write this on October 23rd 2025, it has been ten years since my first AnimeUKNews review was published. Which I think makes for the perfect opportunity to look back on some of the things I’ve written about and enjoyed the most. But before that, I’m going to take a moment to say I am incredibly grateful to have spent a decade working with such a fantastic team. I love working with our other writers, and I have learnt a hell of a lot from our editing team. I have come a long way because of you, and the words ‘thank you’ don’t even begin to express my gratitude.

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Reading Log: September 2025

Summer is over \o/
Gone is the busy season, too-hot days, and here comes autumn. I say this every year, but I am a creature that loathes the Summer and thrives when it’s colder. I don’t even care that it gets dark at 4pm, I don’t want to be hot. And now we’re approaching Scotland Love’s Anime and a bunch of fun stuff, so I’m generally much happier. Anyway, enough about that. Let’s see what I read in September!

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Let’s Talk Manga Frustrations

Friends, readers, let me pour my heart out here. And I will preface this by saying it’s very first-world problems, I get it, I do. I won’t think less of anyone who feels that way after reading this, and I won’t count the number of times I’ve felt this was stupid for so many similar reasons. But right now, I periodically just moan about this on social media, and that’s not a good outlet for a variety of reasons, least not all because I’d rather get it out of my system and then it’s done. Here, no one has to listen, see or read this if they don’t want to. But at least everything will have been said.

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Reading Log: June 2025

Normally, I open these with some vague impression of how I’ve done reading-wise or if I’ve been busy or whatever else. But this time, I just feel June disappeared, and I really don’t have a whole lot to report. It’s all work, melting in the mini heatwaves or watching Seiyuu to Yoasobi… So, let’s just jump straight into what I read!

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