TV May 14, 2020
'The Benza' proves that toilet humor is universal
by Matt Schley
“The Benza," a series on Amazon Prime Video about an epic quest to replace a broken toilet seat, was inspired by actor Christopher McCombs’ real-life travails in Tokyo.
TV | 2019 in Review Dec 25, 2019
Netflix led the streaming race with original Japanese content in 2019
by Alyssa I. Smith
The battle of the streaming giants saw some first class productions on offer in 2019, from original anime series, Japanese exclusives and fresh takes on established franchises.
TV Apr 19, 2018
Yuki Kimura may have struck out on 'The Bachelor Japan,' but she won the people's rose
by Naomi Schanen
On the first episode of the reality dating series "The Bachelor Japan," 25 women took turns stepping out of a limousine, walking down a red carpet and introducing themselves to their potential future husband. The women timidly approached the bachelor, Hirotake Kubo, 35, in long ...
Books / Reviews | ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES Apr 14, 2018
'The Man in the High Castle': Exploring a world in which the Axis powers reign supreme
by Nicolas Gattig
First published in 1962 and recently made into a series for Amazon TV, Phillip K. Dick's novel imagines a counterfactual World War II, in which Germany and Japan have conquered Europe and America.
TV Jul 5, 2017
Japanese TV is making some progress in writing broader female roles
by Kaori Shoji
One of the best things to come out of the rise of streaming websites overseas has been an increase in productions that have featured great roles for women. This year alone we've seen some phenomenal acting from Elisabeth Moss on "The Handmaid's Tale" and ...
TV Jun 14, 2017
Sion Sono serves up some blood-sucking fun in 'Tokyo Vampire Hotel'
by Mark Schilling
Vampires have been a staple of Western pop culture since Bram Stoker published his best-selling novel "Dracula" in 1897. The hit "Twilight" series of films (2008-12) made the monsters hot again as millions of teens swooned to the romance of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and ...
TV May 10, 2017
'The Bachelor' is looking for love in Japan
by Kaori Shoji
There comes a moment of truth in every episode of reality-dating series "The Bachelor" when the handsome and wealthy bachelor must eliminate at least one of the 25 women vying for his affection during a "rose ceremony." In "The Bachelor Japan," the series' first rose ...
Business Apr 19, 2017
Amazon launches same-day delivery service for food and medicine
by Shusuke Murai
As delivery firms struggle to manage overwhelming numbers of parcels, e-commerce giant Amazon Japan G.K. is expanding its same-day Prime Now delivery service to include cooked meals and other items. Amazon Japan said Tuesday it teamed up with Mitsukoshi's flagship store in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district ...
TV Aug 7, 2016
'Invisible Tokyo' seeks out the stories of people living in the capital
by Mark Jarnes
What does it actually mean to be connected? To be unique and young in the country's biggest city? A new, self-proclaimed "neo documentary" on Amazon Prime Japan titled "Invisible Tokyo" has taken up the task to answer these ever-evolving questions. "Tokyo has a unique culture ...