Lucas DeRuyter

Writer, producer, and host covering an array of media with bylines in IGN, Anime News Network, ButWhyTho and much more! Expert on niche entertainment and the fan communities surrounding anime, gaming, and TV/film properties. Experienced in community management, A/V production, marketing campaign organization, and team management.

Sex Work, Kink, and Consent: Here's How the Anime Community Can be Better With Adult Content and Its Creators

Model, panel host, and sex worker Ronnie/Bunni Black described the anime community as having "cognitive dissonance" towards adult content. As sex workers in the anime community are quick to note, anime conventions court noteworthy cosplayers, but give them little support to make the most of their attendance. There's a misogynistic contradiction of femme cosplayers needing to meet fetishized beauty standards...

Mario vs Donkey Kong Game Review

This game is fine. I should probably open this review by talking about the mechanics of the game, how much should or should not change in a remake, or if this title is worth its $50 price point; but, several hours after seeing the credits roll, I remain fixated on the overwhelming okay-ness of this Mario game. The most interesting thing about this remake is how it no longer fits into the modern attention economy as the original once did.

The Secret Origins Behind Persona 3 Reveal the Series’ Past and Future

Even if you've played every Persona and SMT title, probably don’t know is that the first games in this franchise are based on a series of books from the 1980s called Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, and that each and every one of the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games in this series still draw inspiration from these books today! These books are the origin and future of the Persona franchise, and if you want to know about where they've been and where they’re going before starting Persona 3: Reload, you need to know about Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei.

Che Lingo is Ascending Though Anime and Bringing The Community Up With Him

I was fortunate enough to sit down with rapper Che Lingo recently to discuss his career, his one of a kind collaboration on the Jujutsu Kaisen OST, and what’s next for him. With his new track “LIFETIME” acting as the backbone of Crunchryoll’s fall release promotional slate, it’s clear to me that Che is expanding opportunities for artists of all disciplines in the anime industry.

PARANORMASIGHT is Gaming’s Latest Hidden Gem, and That’s a Problem

PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is on track to be gaming’s best hidden gem of 2023. Described as a must play for horror fans by But Why Tho’s own Kate Sánchez; the game is a masterclass in occult horror, ensemble cast storytelling, and narratively intuitive game design. Available for only $20 on both Steam and the Nintendo Switch eShop, this game is an exemplary visual novel that both advances the genre and serves as a fantastic introduction for those new to the form.

Anime Expo 2023 - Attack on Titan, Hell's Paradise Studio MAPPA at Anime Expo

Anime production studio MAPPA hosted two panels at Anime Expo this year, both sponsored by Crunchyroll. The first panel featured studio CEO Manabu Ohtsuka and executive director and rights management director Makoto Kimura, who answered questions. The second panel included Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill director Kiyoshi Matsuda and director Kaori Makita, expanding the guest list. While the highlight of these panels was a new preview for the Part Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS 2, they also covered upcoming original projects from the studio and provided rare insights into the production of some of their most high-profile anime of this season.

Bayonetta 3 Validates Every Insecurity About My Life, Relationships, and Sexuality

It is a special kind of devastation when a series has such a catastrophic ending that previous, beloved parts of the work become difficult to return to. Much to my dismay, we can now add the Bayonetta games to this list. Developed by Platinum Games with series creator Kamiya Hideki acting as a supervising director, Bayonetta 3 fundamentally misunderstands the themes of the previous games and gives its beloved lead a soul-crushing send off.

How No More Heroes Tackles Otaku Toxicity

About once every three or four months I find myself asking, “Do I even like anime?” While anime and manga make up some of my formative media experiences and tie into the personal and professional achievements that I’m most proud of, I just can’t deal with them sometimes. I think this is why 'No More Heroes', a 2007 game for the Nintendo Wii, resonates so deeply with me. Developed by Suda 51’s Grasshopper Manufacture, this game’s protagonist, Travis Touchdown, is a parody of undeservedly boisterous cishet fanboys who wrongly think that they are the only real anime and manga fans.