It’s with the heaviest of hearts that I announce the passing of Nicholas Charles Dupree, long-time editorial contributor to ANN, This Week in Anime co-host, and the funniest guy I’ve ever met. Nick died suddenly on Sunday morning, September 22, at the age of 31, leaving behind an enviable wealth of critical reviews ripe with humor.
Nick started writing for ANN’s editorial department in 2017 with his “Everything You Need to Know Before My Hero Academia Comes Back” feature, several years before he took over writing the week-to-week episode reviews. However, it wouldn’t be until This Week in Anime launched a month later that the editorial department and ANN readers would get a front-row seat to Nick’s biting humor.
TWIA has had rotating hosts over its seven-year run, but Nicholas and Steve Jones have been mainstays since its inception.
“For seven years, Nick and I joked, commiserated, riffed, and shot the breeze about so much shit (good and bad) for This Week in Anime. I can’t believe it went on that long, and I can’t believe it won’t go on longer,” Steve shared. “He was funny, insightful, and just a great guy to write with and talk to. It was a job, yes, but his personal touch always turned it into a joy. He was TWIA’s wry and stalwart anchor, and he was a good friend. I miss you, Nick.”
His contributions to the critical anime space can’t be overstated, and he was, in many ways, a reviewer’s favorite reviewer. He was effortlessly hilarious when shackled to a less-than-desirable assignment. His EX-ARM reviews took the edge off what was otherwise a disaster in media creation. They also were inadvertently prophetic. Fellow ANN editorial contributor Coop Bicknell, a professed Macross fan himself, was duped by one of Nick’s jokes in 2021.
“I’ll always remember how Nick got me with an EX-ARM review. I was in the middle of recording a Macross podcast, and someone sent us an article claiming that ‘CRUNCHYROLL HAS ALL OF MACROSS,'” Bicknell wrote. “I was thrown off by ‘Alan Smithee’ in the fake press release included in the review, but I still reached out to the ANN crew for clarification. I’d been duped, but I couldn’t help but have a good laugh at the whole thing. I still remember Lynzee saying something to the effect of, ‘If we get news like this, it won’t be with this GIF of Basara eating a leaf.'”
“Lo and behold, it actually happened a few months later. And I guess Crunchyroll does have a lot of Macross now, given the Right Stuf purchase. He was oddly prophetic, wasn’t he? Nick included a little informal guide to the entire series in that EX-ARM review, and I’m heartbroken to know he won’t be writing an official release guide now. Rest in peace, Nick. I’ll pour one out for you in front of Reina and the rest of the Delta Flight.”
His humor was always accompanied by sincerity. Nick used his platform as a writer on Anime News Network and social media to share his empathy and compassion for people from all walks of life. He regularly advocated for racial and social justice causes, including support for the LGBTQ+ community. A recent example is his review work on this season’s Senpai is an Otokonoko, his careful consideration while discussing Sasaki and Miyano, and contemplating additional perspectives even for more comedic fare like Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout. Nicholas infused his criticism with the bravery of vulnerability in a public space where folks won’t hesitate to eat you alive.
Nick’s passions evidenced a broad spectrum of interests. He was just as likely to turn your ear about Love Live! and Macross as football season drama, wrestling, or indie progressive rock bands. Nick would unabashedly share his enthusiasm for Shonen Jump manga and traditional magical girl fare, and his fluency in discussing music in technical and emotional terms was unsurpassed on ANN’s team. Many of us discovered new bands in a plethora of genres based solely on his seal of approval.
Nick’s presence online garnered him a lot of fans thanks to his “shitposting,” yet another facet of his witticisms. He is probably best known for a tweet criticizing skepticism around transgender characters that took off following the Bridget news from Guilty Gear. It continues to be shared across social media whenever another relevant situation crops up. He was a troublemaker in the best sense, including hassling me to keep me on my toes.
Former ANN editorial writer Faye Hopper shared, “Nick always greatly impressed me. He was so funny. He had a wry, creative, undeniable sense of humor that was part and parcel with a really lucid view of the world, of others. You saw that in his Twitter presence, you saw that in his articles and his criticism, you saw that in the simple fact of his carriage and his interface with people. I’ll always remember that, when I went on the Anime Feminist podcast to talk about Shonen Jump, he was someone I shouted out both times I was because he was just that indelibly clever, that cutting.”
“He and I didn’t share the exact same taste, or opinions, but no one does, and I always admired how much he repped for the things he loved, be it Shonen Jump or Macross or just the simple exigencies of his kindness and his clear-eyed, canny assessments of everything from why an anime sucked to complex political situations to interpersonal conflict. It feels unreal, not to mention deeply unfair, that he’s gone. I miss him already. I hope he knows how loved he was, how treasured his presence and his ingenious creative spark were by all of us.”
Nicholas is survived by his mother, Sandra Dupree, and his grandfather, Charles. Nick spoke fondly of his North Carolinian upbringing to friends and, in his reviews, shared his experiences growing up in a Pagan household and hanging out in graveyards. His interest in magick (and tongue-in-cheek spell-casting threats) led to his reviews of The Ancient Magus’ Bride.
“It’s just been the two of us for 31 years; he was such a good writer. I just want everyone to know how much I appreciate all of the kind words they’ve shared online,” Ms. Dupree said.
As of this writing, Ms.Dupree launched a GoFundMe campaign to help alleviate the financial burden of Nicholas’ sudden passing. The campaign met its goal within a matter of hours and will continue to accept donations until September 27. His mother plans to hold an online memorial service at a later date so that “his friends from around the world can join.”
I would like to close out the article by offering additional words from Nicholas’ friends and colleagues.
Nick was inspirational and aspirational as a writer. Just talking with him about shows made them more fun to watch. It was a privilege to collaborate with him. –Christopher Farris
Nicholas has been one of my favorite anime reviewers ever since I first came across his work on ANN back in 2017, and it’s hard to express just how much I admired a lot of his work. Reading his weekly takes in the This Week in Anime column has been a weekly fixture of my life for several years now, and his sharp commentary on nearly any given topic never failed to make me laugh. Whether it was going in-depth with his anime reviews or joking around about his favorite manga on Twitter, he could be both deeply insightful and incredibly hilarious. How he expressed his passion for media through his sense of humor seemed almost otherworldly, and it’s something that’s always stuck with me. His loss is immeasurable, and my heart goes out to his friends and family. – Jairus Taylor
Nick had an infectious passion that he loved to spread with wit and humor. Whether it was obscure music, ridiculous manga, or heart-wrenching anime, he could share his interests and soul with you and make you want to share yours in return, and if you did, you found yourself responding with the same enthusiasm for your own interests and desires. He made people feel whole and welcomed through his work and interactions, and I deeply mourn the loss of such a great colleague, talented writer, and hilarious friend. Love you, Nick. – Andy Pfeiffer
Nick had such an impressive voice. When you were reading his work, you could hear so much of his personality in every word, in every page. He was hysterical but could also cover serious topics with gravitas. His name was one of my favorites to see pop up on discord or on the podcast chat, I knew he always had something hilarious or important to say. Myself and so many others at ANN are heartbroken over his passing, RIP Nick. To be taken so soon is devastating. I know Zac and my brother will be waiting for you on the other side, eager to chat and laugh with you about anime and video games. You will be deeply missed. – Jacki Jing
While others will no doubt talk about Nick’s humor and critical insight, I wanted to mention his work behind the scenes. For the last few seasons, Nick did the hard work of organizing what each of us needed to watch each day for the Anime Preview Guide—all while writing more entries than any other contributor to the site himself. The man was a writing and organizational power house. He will be sorely missed. – Richard Eisenbeis
I got to know Nick well before either of us started writing for ANN. It was in the way things happen when you join a group of people online: at first, one of a mass of names, then gradually understanding the person behind the moniker “LossThief.” My first distinct memory of him was when I had just watched the last episode of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and was gushing over it when he summed it up thusly: “The Woman Called Fujiko Mine asks the question, ‘Why is she like this,’ and answers it with, ‘Because fuck you, that’s why.'” That way of putting it, cutting straight to the heart of the matter in the most hilarious way possible, knocked me off my feet and stuck with me. Over time, I’d learn that was Nick in a nutshell.
I think it’s normal for writers who work together to feel a sense of friendly professional rivalry, though maybe that’s my competitiveness coming out. Nick and I worked together on the preview guide team for some years, and he was the one writer I never felt like I could touch. It infuriated me how he could spit out a review less than an hour after each episode came out, and it would not only be insightful but also one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. Still, as frustrated as I could get, I was always glad he was there. Working on the preview guide is a pressure cooker of an assignment, and the camaraderie within the team is undeniable. Nick’s irreverent sense of humor made the terrible shows survivable, and his genuine joy for the good stuff made me look forward to them all the more.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been both friends and colleagues with Nick. He was funny, intelligent, and passionate. He loved his family and was fiercely loyal to his friends. The anime critic community won’t be the same without him.- Caitlin Moore
I wish I had known Nick better, but thanks to him, I had some of the most fun I’ve ever had as a writer. I was lucky enough to pen several This Week In Anime columns with him, with our Subs vs Dubs chat, Spring Isekai crusade, and Summer Rom-Com round-up being some of my favorites. I don’t have many people in my day-to-day life that I can talk to about anime, and being able to indulge with Nick in our shared passion was always a treat. His work inspired me to improve my own craft, and I can only hope that he knew how much he affected me and so many other people in the anime community. – Lucas DeRuyter
All I can think to say is that the world is a colder place without his humor in it. He may not have been here when I started at ANN, but I can’t imagine it without him. – Rebecca Silverman
Nick was whip-smart, always had insightful observations, and was such a joy to talk to. I second that he was both incredibly funny and kind and had a real knack for defusing tense situations. He was always a source of calm and wit. This community won’t be the same without him, nor will ANN or the online anime community at large. I will dearly miss him. I hope his mom knows just how loved he was by us and how impactful he was with his time on Earth, with his friendship, his humor, and his writing talent. –Rose Bridges
I had the privilege of working with Nick for two years within the same column. Nick’s insight was appreciable; his sense of humor was tremendous. I’m gutted by his loss. – Jean-Karlo Lemus
Nick was one of the most fiercely genuine and confident writers I’ve ever met. Whether he was making you laugh with one of his brilliant off-the-cuff jokes or using his writing to speak out against injustice and give attention to the often silenced voices in our community, Nick knew what he wanted to say and wielded those words without an ounce of fear or self-doubt. His talent and work ethic pushed me to become a better writer every day, and he will continue to inspire laughter and tears for so many people, myself included, for years to come. We miss you, man. I hope you can see how much you’ve changed our lives for the better. – James Beckett
