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November 21, 2024
 

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Roland Kelts
“Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” incorporates six Murakami short stories from three books into a single intertwined narrative that centers on a trio of lonely Tokyoites.
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Jul 20, 2024
'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman' is an immersive journey into Murakami's world
Pierre Foldes' beautiful adaptation of six Haruki Murakami stories features one of the author's most memorable characters, who injects the film with self-aware humor.
From behind his desk in a Tokyo office, Hideki (Arata Iura) yearns for something more in life, but he is not prepared for the culture shock of life on a Montana ranch in “Tokyo Cowboy.”
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Jun 13, 2024
‘Tokyo Cowboy’ strikes balance between cross-cultural comedy and fish-out-of-water tale
From behind his desk in a Tokyo office, Hideki yearns for something more in life, but he is not prepared for the culture shock of life on a Montana ranch.
Andy Summers’ exhibition “A Series of Glances,” currently on view in Tokyo and Kyoto simultaneously, features photographs taken in a wide range of locations around the world, including “Centaur,” which was snapped in Montserrat in July 1981.
CULTURE / Art
May 9, 2024
Andy Summers captures life on and off stage in moody monochrome
The guitarist for The Police, who cites Akira Kurosawa as an important influence, puts his passion for photography on display in Japan.
Joel Vaudreuil's "When Adam Changes" won the grand prix at this year's Niigata International Animation Film Festival, the largest festival devoted to feature-length animation in Asia.
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Mar 28, 2024
Niigata film festival showcases cutting-edge overseas talent
The six-day event dedicated to feature-length animation presented a lineup of stories that were psychologically rich and emotionally dark.
“Blue Giant,” a feature-length anime movie that centers on young men in Tokyo who aspire to become jazz stars, was so successful in Japan and overseas that director Yuzuru Tachikawa was given an even bigger budget to re-edit the film for a second screening in theaters across Japan.
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Nov 23, 2023
Sleeper hit anime 'Blue Giant' gets an encore
The surprise success of the big-budget feature about jazz warranted a re-edited version and a second life in theaters.
Korean writer-director Kim Sung Hwan's "Iron Mask" took one of the two top awards at this year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) in South Korea.
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Aug 30, 2023
Does South Korea now have the edge over Japan when it comes to film?
While Korean cinema tackles universal topics, Japanese studios are content to navel-gaze.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / CULTURE SMASH
Apr 20, 2023
New Niigata film festival brings out the big names in anime
Mamoru Oshii, Katsuhiro Otomo and Shinichiro Watanabe all attended last month’s Niigata International Animation Film Festival, which showcased 50 films from 16 countries.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / 2022 in Review
Dec 22, 2022
Anime continued its dominance in 2022
Anime proved to be bankable content in chaotic times, with 'One Piece' and 'Dragon Ball' scoring big at the box office, while major streaming services expanded their anime offerings.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CULTURE SMASH
Oct 28, 2022
Indie studio Tonko House's coming-of-age story portrays a multiethnic Japan
Limited series 'Oni: Thunder God's Tale' combines stunning visuals and folklore with a rare depiction of a diverse society.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CULTURE SMASH
Nov 5, 2021
‘Blade Runner: Black Lotus’ reinvents neo-noir nods to Japan
The new anime series expands upon the dystopian world of Ridley Scott's 1982 live-action film, 'Black Runner.'
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Apr 28, 2021
African samurai earns hero status in new anime ‘Yasuke’
Director LeSean Thomas brings the story of Yasuke, a real-life black samurai, to Netflix as 'a new kind of anime action hero.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / 2020 in review
Dec 31, 2020
Virtual and victorious: Anime came out on top in 2020
In a year marred by industry-wide delays and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, anime still managed to become more popular than ever thanks in part to streaming platforms.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / CULTURE SMASH
Dec 10, 2020
Sibling duo Lastlings finds its musical muse in Japan
The half-Japanese, half-Australian siblings, who experienced relentless teasing while growing up in Australia, took refuge in music and created their own blend of electro-pop.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Sep 17, 2020
From the battlefield to manga to Zoom: A Kyushu samurai clan and its legendary warrior get an online outing
Sengan-en, the estate of a samurai clan, is going virtual in honor of the family's legendary warrior, Shimazu Toyohisa, and the manga modeled on him.
Japan Times
CULTURE
Sep 12, 2020
COVID-19 pandemic, and local politics, threaten the future of anime conventions
The coronavirus outbreak has altered the reality of mass gatherings worldwide, but canceling an event isn't something all organizers are in a position to do.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Jul 31, 2020
Soundtrack to Ghost of Tsushima stands out for its seamless blend of musical influences
The process of creating the perfect alchemy for Ghost of Tsushima's score took over two years and spanned three cities: Tokyo, Los Angeles and London.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Apr 4, 2020
Anime cons ‘will never be the same’ after the coronavirus
The spread of COVID-19 has caused many large-scale events to be cancelled, including a lot of anime fan conventions. The question now is, will these events survive to cosplay another day?
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Mar 2, 2020
Anime's evolution in lands down under
For the past quarter century, fans of Japanese pop culture in Australia and New Zealand have been served almost exclusively by a single distributor: Madman.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Feb 3, 2020
GeeXPlus brings anime YouTubers to Japan
One Japanese major publisher and producer is seeking to capitalize on YouTube influencers with a highly unusual approach: inviting non-Japanese anime YouTubers to live and produce content within Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Jan 6, 2020
When American country meets Japanese anime
The lineup of artists onstage at the Tokyo premiere of 'Sturgill Simpson Presents: Sound & Fury' was as eclectic as the film they'd all made: a 41-minute anime music video set to an entire album by the Grammy-winning Simpson.
Ishiba delays meeting with Trump, citing legal restrictions
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waves upon arrival for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, in Callao, Peru, on Friday.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Rising sex tourism exposes loopholes in Japan's anti-prostitution law
While financial misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic may have driven some women to work the streets, others simply want more money to spend — or want to pay off their debts — at host clubs.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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