“Eucatasrophe” is a term coined by J.R.R.Tolkien to describe a certain necessary element in all the best fairy stories.  If a catastrophe is a sudden and unexpected turn for the worst, then a eucatastrophe is a similarly unforeseen sudden joyous turn.  When it seems that all is dying and would leave the world to mourn, the sun rises, and all that was sad comes undone.  It doesn’t always mean the ending is unequivocally happy (just look at Tolkien’s own great fairy story), but the evil doesn’t win.  The Shadow is eclipsed by light and laughter.

Here on Eucatastrophe, I strive to celebrate my favorite stories in such a way that’s both inviting to newcomers and insightful for diehard fans like me. I’ve completed four projects thus far: Let’s Read The Chronicles of Narnia (which looks at that series chapter by chapter), Let’s Watch Princess Tutu (which basically does the same thing with my favorite anime), Let’s Read Fruits Basket (I went through the manga before the new anime was announced), and The Lord of the Rings (because it was inevitable).  I’m currently embarking on Steven Universe, my favorite American cartoon (whose adorableness I only recently discovered), but I’ll also occasionally post random thoughts/lists on other stories.