Matt Schley - The Japan Times

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Matt Schley

For Matt Schley's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 15, 2018

'Penguin Highway': What goes up must come down ... in penguin form

There's something about the playful, magical realist novels of Tomihiko Morimi that seems to lend itself to animated adaptations. Those adaptations include TV series like "The Tatami Galaxy" ("Yojohan Shinwa Taikei") and "The Eccentric Family" ("Uchoten Kazoku"), plus last year's film "The Night is Short, Walk on Girl" ("Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome"). This time around, it's the author's 2010 "Penguin Highway" that's been given the anime treatment.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 1, 2018

'Flavors of Youth': A China-focused anthology falls flat

So-called anthology films, made up of multiple shorts based around the same theme, are a staple of the anime industry and are generally created to a) give young directors a chance, b) show off what studios are capable of, or c) keep a director or studio in the public consciousness between full-length features.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 25, 2018

'Mirai': Mamoru Hosoda's latest anime is for the young at heart

Though anime director Mamoru Hosoda rarely diverges from his pet theme of family, the scale of his movies rises and falls like the tide. "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" (2006) was an intimate tale of high school life, "Summer Wars" (2009) dealt with the fate of the entire planet, "Wolf Children" (2012) centered around a family living in the Japanese countryside, and "The Boy and the Beast" (2015) featured an epic battle on the streets of Shibuya.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 16, 2018

'Akira': Looking back at the future

On the 30th anniversary of the release of the animated version of 'Akira' in Japan, we examine the enduring legacy of Katsuhiro Otomo's sci-fi classic.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Books

Jul 15, 2018

The enduring appeal of 'Akira,' the manga

Katsuhiro Otomo's cyberpunk masterpiece, 'Akira,' has gone through multiple English-language incarnations throughout the years, but reader demand has never wavered.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 14, 2018

The pain and the passion that fueled the creation of 'Akira'

When I tell Kuni Tomita the anime classic "Akira" turns 30 years old this month, she shakes her head and laughs.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Jul 14, 2018

My deep dive into 'Akira' only scratched the surface of its legacy

A few months ago, I proposed to the editors at The Japan Times that we do a piece paying tribute to the classic cyberpunk anime film "Akira," which turns 30 years old on July 16. They were enthusiastic and the pitch ballooned (not unlike Tetsuo in the film's final scene) from a single article to an "Akira"-themed weekend to an entire Akira Week (or rather, #AkiraWeek).

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jul 13, 2018

'Akira' soundtrack featured music worthy of a visual masterpiece

A crack of thunder. Pulsing polyrhythmic percussion. The roar of a passing motorcycle. A haunting symphonic chorus.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jul 13, 2018

Reshaping the sound of Neo-Tokyo for 'Akira'

If you were watching anime in English in the 1990s and 2000s, chances are you've heard a dub recorded by Les Claypool III. Some of the films and series that passed through Claypool's studio, Magnitude 8 Post, include "Macross Plus," "Ghost in the Shell" and "Cowboy Bebop." In 2001, Pioneer Entertainment came to Claypool with an intriguing project: assemble a new English dub (the dub sampled on Bwana's "Capsule's Pride," in fact) and 5.1 surround soundtrack for its remastered rerelease of "Akira." Claypool shares some memories of the project:

Japan Times

CULTURE / Art

Jul 12, 2018

Collecting 'Akira,' one scene at a time

Joe Peacock vividly remembers the first time he saw "Akira," the influential sci-fi anime film that turns 30 this month.

Japan Times

LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL

Jul 11, 2018

Speak Japanese like a biker punk from the future with 'Akira'

Those looking to give their Japanese a bit of biker edge could do worse than take in a screening of the classic sci-fi anime 'Akira.'

Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT

Jul 10, 2018

'Akira' inspires generations of foreign animators

Enthusiasts pour their souls into labors of love honoring Otomo's classic anime film and manga series.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET

Jul 10, 2018

Views from Tokyo: Do you remember the first time you watched 'Akira'?

People in Shibuya offer their thoughts on Katsuhiro Otomo's classic 1988 film and the 1982 manga series.

Japan Times

CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle

May 31, 2018

Rainy season is a great time to binge-watch anime

The anime season that began in April is winding down, meaning that those who prefer to wait and ingest their anime in one flat-out, high-speed burn are starting to look around for series to binge.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Apr 18, 2018

'Liz and the Blue Bird': A brilliantly executed return to an anime favorite

At my high school in the U.S., it was said that while the athletes were the talk of the school, it was actually the band kids who were embroiled in the juiciest drama.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Apr 5, 2018

'After the Rain': A problematic love story deftly presented with emotional heft

"After the Rain" ("Koi wa Ame Agari no Yo Ni"), the 12-episode anime series that finished airing March 30 (and is streaming worldwide via Amazon Prime), centers around 17-year-old Akira Tachibana, a high school student who falls in love with Masami Kondo, the manager at her part-time job, who is 28 years her senior.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Mar 29, 2018

The anime industry readies for another gold rush

If you didn't already know that the anime industry was in the middle of a boom, a quick look around the trade fair AnimeJapan would give you a pretty good indication.

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 to take selfies with huge Toblerone chocolate bars ("Neo Yokio").

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 Okada has contributed to a range of genres, from sci-fi to horror to live-action. What ties these seemingly disparate works together is her interest in people who have been, in some way, emotionally damaged, and the way these people ultimately (re)form human connections.

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.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.

Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree

By Alex K.T. Martin

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