NEWSWORTHY
Can Japanese 'light novels' remain publishing heavyweights?
Two years ago, light novel publisher Kadokawa added Thailand to its list of foreign publishing investments, which already includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and the United States. Now there are signs that English-language readers are catching on.
In cartoon arms race against Japan, Chinese tech giants splash out
Growing up in the Chinese port city of Dalian in the 1990s, Zhang Hongchang spent hours immersed in Japanese cartoons like "Dragon Ball" and "Naruto." China's home-grown cartoons paled in comparison to the Japanese anime series on television and in comic books that captured the ...
Japan's cosplay culture proving a hit in typically conservative India
Cosplay culture is gaining popularity in conservative India, where the Japanese hobby has drawn comparisons with a Hindu festival tradition. Comic Con India, a cosplay and pop culture event, has been held since 2011 in major cities and proven to be a hit, especially among ...
'Batman Ninja': The Caped Crusader's Japan jaunt is a missed opportunity
Following in the noble tradition of "Sharknado," "Snakes on a Plane" and "Sex and the City 2," this elaborately executed nonsense is the kind of project where you just know that the title came first. "Batman Ninja" (or "Ninja Batman" as it's being called ...
Anime adaptation of 'Young Again in Another World' canceled after offensive tweets by author Mine
Controversy was sparked by discriminatory tweets posted previously by author on China and South Korea.
Fans of Japan and East Asia are reinventing Orientalism with a friendlier face
The Western entertainment industry presents a distorted image of Asia. But it also inspires hordes of fans to learn more.
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. This season saw several classic franchises get a high-tech makeover, ...
A shinkansen featuring a design inspired by the popular Japanese animation series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" made its final run on Sunday, drawing throngs of fans to witness the last journey. Around 1,200 people, including anime fans and train enthusiasts, gathered on a platform at Shin-Osaka ...
Theme parks bank on 'Cool Japan' wave to attract experience-hungry tourists
Theme parks in Japan have recently become key drivers of the country's tourism boom as they attract visitors from around the globe by letting them experience the worlds of popular Japanese anime, comics and games. While Japan saw a record number of foreign visitors last ...
Japan's pop culture and literature drive soft power
Anime, manga and Haruki Murakami may form an unlikely trinity, but outside of Japan they're responsible for filling Japanese Studies departments and sprawling convention halls with generations of the devoted.
'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. If "Sound! Euphonium" is any indication, that trait is international. The anime ...
'Golgo 13' assassin Duke Togo joins Foreign Minister Taro Kono in videos promoting safety overseas
Duke Togo, the main character from the popular manga "Golgo 13," has been enlisted by the Foreign Ministry to spread awareness about how Japanese can stay safe overseas. The character, a professional assassin voiced by actor Hiroshi Tachi, appears in a series of online videos ...
