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CULTURE / Longform
May 31, 2021

Cool Japan campaign at a crossroads 10 years after setting sights abroad

The government-funded initiative's future looks uncertain given its mixed results so far in promoting Japanese culture overseas.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
May 26, 2021

‘The Women’: A harrowing journey with a tidy end

Yukiko Shinohara's vulnerable character is put through the wringer, dealing with one disaster after another. But all is not lost in Nobuteru Uchida's latest drama.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 28, 2021

Imax to almost triple its Japan network in bet moviegoers will return

The jumbo-screen operator is targeting an expansion to 100 theaters from 39 now and has also renewed an agreement with Toho Co. to release five more of the studio's films.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 11, 2021

‘Terminal Boredom’ is a treasure trove of Izumi Suzuki’s subversive science fiction

Izumi Suzuki, a prolific writer of speculative science fiction and a counterculture figure in the 1970s and '80s, has gone largely overlooked by modern readers — until now.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 8, 2021

Sex, murder and a getaway car: ‘Ride or Die’ stars go on the trip of a lifetime

Kiko Mizuhara and Honami Sato discuss the challenges of bringing Ching Nakamura's harrowing, sexually explicit manga to the screen in a provocative new Netflix movie.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 25, 2021

‘The Blue Danube’: Finding levity in the drudgery of war

Akira Ikeda's absurdist drama about two towns locked in an interminable war finds humor in tragedy and boredom.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 18, 2021

Pushing against the grain of Japan’s film industry

Industry gatekeepers have been resistant to the idea that an India-born director can make a Japanese film. With “Kontora,” Anshul Chauhan isn't trying to endear himself to any of them.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Mar 17, 2021

Episode 86: Twenty-five years of Pokemon

Journalist Tom Bateman takes us through the 25 year history of Pokemon, and how it has become one of Japan's most successful and recognizable exports.
Japan Times
WORLD / FOCUS
Feb 21, 2021

Britain’s next answer to COVID-19 is to prepare to live with it

The U.K. plan is a pilot for whether nations can do enough to end damaging lockdowns and essentially learn to live with the disease.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Feb 1, 2021

Living in Japan doesn't have to break the bank

Japan is often touted as an expensive place to live. With a high quality of living, national health system, vibrant cultural scene, admirable levels of education and safety — it’s not hard to understand some of the reasons why people want to call it home. These desirable factors come at a cost, though....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 21, 2021

Race back to anime’s halcyon days with 'Redline'

The action-packed film about adrenaline-chasing racers in a distant galaxy draws fervent fans for its 10th anniversary.
WORLD / 2020 in Review
Dec 31, 2020

Images of 2020 | Achievement: Against all odds

A brief look back at the powerful images from 2020 that inspired hope
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Dec 30, 2020

Pierre Cardin, designer to the famous and merchant to the masses, dies at 98

In 1957, Cardin became the first European designer to forge business ties with Japan, and within two years he was selling his fashions there.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / 2020 in review
Dec 16, 2020

One anime to slay them all: How Japanese film fared in 2020

The film industry was hit hard by the pandemic, with the closure of theaters and festivals moving online. However, that's what made the triumph of “Demon Slayer” all the more surprising.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 16, 2020

‘Josee, the Tiger and the Fish’: An impressive debut full of empathy

Kotaro Tamura's feature delivers some of the best animation this year and has a well-rounded character with a disability as the protagonist.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Dec 14, 2020

'Demon Slayer' close to surpassing 'Spirited Away' as Japan's top-grossing film

The tale of a boy fighting human-eating demons which murdered his family, 'Demon Slayer' is poised to become Japan's top-grossing film ever, thanks to a boost in fan numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic and its message of resilience.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 8, 2020

Zombie companies feed off the living

Like their namesakes, zombies feed off the living. They are companies that should close their doors but don't, cannibalizing healthy businesses, depriving them of customers and income.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 3, 2020

‘Mrs. Noisy’: Loving your neighbor can be tough

Chihiro Amano's humorous film about rowdy next-door neighbors coming to blows makes a well-meaning plea for tolerance and kindness toward others.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 26, 2020

'Anime Architecture' brings out the beauty in the details

Stefan Riekeles' book puts a spotlight on the background work that informs the ambience of anime's intricate worlds.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 11, 2020

‘Life: Untitled’: The fables and foibles of sex work

Kana Yamada's film about a motley crew of employees at an escort agency called Crazy Bunny is based on her own stage play.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 11, 2020

‘Sakura’: A family held together by dogged devotion

Hitoshi Yazaki turns Kana Nishino's novel about a family overcoming tragedy with the help of their dog into an amiable but wildly uneven drama.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 27, 2020

Sushi and canned coffee get unlikely boost from record-breaking ‘Demon Slayer’ movie

Promotional tie-ins with the hit film have boosted Kura Sushi and Dydo's sales.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 23, 2020

‘Demon Slayer’ destroyed box-office records despite the pandemic, but why?

“Demon Slayer” shocked the film industry with its pandemic-defying opening weekend. But in truth, COVID-19 may have helped boost its popularity.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 21, 2020

‘Ainu Mosir’: A coming-of-age tale, respectfully told

Takeshi Fukunaga's film centered on the indigenous people of northern Japan tells the story of a 14-year-old boy learning to appreciate his heritage.

Longform

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