Matt Schley - The Japan Times

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Matt Schley

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Mar 14, 2018

'B: The Beginning': Netflix anime gets a 'B' for effort

Whatever you've thought of their quality up until now, Netflix's original animated series have definitely rocked the boat in some way, whether by assembling an international production team ("Castlevania"), putting an X-rated twist on a classic franchise ("Devilman Crybaby") or, uh, inspiring people...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Feb 21, 2018

'Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms': Mari Okada's visuals tell a moving story

Mari Okada is one of the most prominent — and prolific — writers in anime today. A native of Chichibu, Saitama, she's perhaps best known for penning a pair of deeply personal titles that take place there, "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" (2011) and "The Anthem of the Heart" (2015). But...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Jan 25, 2018

2018's anime lineup offers plenty of potential

Over the past few years, the success of several films — including, most notably, Makoto Shinkai's record-setting "Your Name." — have proven that anime directed by someone other than director Hayao Miyazaki can still attract a wider audience.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jan 17, 2018

'Devilman Crybaby': The franchise is back, but with extra sex and ultra-violence

if 'Crybaby' presages what's to come from Netflix's investment in anime, it's going to be an interesting year for the medium.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jan 11, 2018

A super robot returns a little older and a little wiser in 'Mazinger Z/Infinity'

It has been 50 years since the publication of the first manga by Go Nagai, the mastermind behind classic properties such as "Devilman," "Cutie Honey" and "Mazinger Z." To mark the occasion, a number of Go Nagai anime adaptations are out this year, including the film "Mazinger Z/Infinity" (Jan. 13).

Japan Times

CULTURE

Dec 14, 2017

Anime didn't see any massive hits in 2017, but there was a lot to watch

It takes only two words to sum up why 2016 was always going to be a hard act to follow: "Your Name."

Japan Times

CULTURE

Dec 14, 2017

A long night in Kyoto and androgynous beings made of gems make up some of the best anime of 2017

The world of anime in 2017 didn't give us any obvious breakout hits like last year's "Your Name.," but the past 12 months still had its share of winners:

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Nov 15, 2017

'Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters': Japan's main mutant gets animated and goes global

Being two of Japan's biggest pop-cultural exports, it's a small wonder Godzilla and anime haven't been brought together before now.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Nov 2, 2017

Kyoto anime studio's dedication to nurturing talent leads to big-screen magic

Kyoto Animation has had quite a year. With "Free! Special Series: Take Your Marks," the Uji, Kyoto-based anime studio will have released no less than five theatrical films and two television series in the past 13 months.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Sep 13, 2017

'Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution 1': Nostalgic flashbacks get a bit confusing

It's an anime industry tradition that stretches back to the original "Mobile Suit Gundam": re-editing and adding new animation to popular television series in order to transform them into feature films.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.

As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals

By Alex K.T. Martin

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