Two weeks ago, the United States' box office saw a surprising animated feature take the top spot and generate large amounts of discussion — and memes — on social media. That was Dreamworks' "The Boss Baby," starring Alec Baldwin as a dapper, sassy infant. Further down ...
In February, American comedian Atsugiri Jason remarked on a Fuji TV talk show that one of the "demerits" of being a foreign TV personality in Japan is that he can't publicly say he thinks those aspects of Japanese culture which Japanese people believe are ...
As far as awards ceremonies go, the Sugoi Japan Awards were a fairly flashy affair. Held on March 22, the prizes recognized recent titles in anime, manga and fiction that an online poll of Japanese fans wanted to do well overseas. Winners included "One Punch ...
The bad news is, Japan is beset by seemingly insoluble problems. The good news is the word "seemingly." No nation whose rise to economic superpowerdom began a bare decade after being bombed to rubble in history's most destructive war will ever find anything truly ...
Music industry extravaganza South by Southwest (SXSW) is over and, as always, some of the Japanese acts were able to make it to New York while they were in the country. First up was Mitsume, performing at Pianos, a small venue on the Lower East ...
"Cool Japan Heats Up" declares a sign welcoming visitors to an area of Universal Studios Japan (USJ) devoted to the country's hottest pop culture exports. Now in its second year, USJ's "Universal Cool Japan" event features special attractions that run until June 26. It promises ...
Analytics data suggest Japan is better known abroad as the land of Hello Kitty than as a country full of swaggering samurai and mincing geisha.
A cafe themed around the globally popular "Sailor Moon" manga and anime series opened Monday in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, featuring special food items, songs and goods. Located in the Kabukicho entertainment district, Anion Station, usually a bar that plays anime soundtracks, will operate as the ...
Publisher Kadokawa Corp. has unveiled a vision to turn Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, into a hub for the "Cool Japan" movement by creating a cultural complex that it claims Japan has never seen the likes of before. Calling it the "Cool Japan Forest Vision," the Tokyo-based ...
Japanese virtual pop sensation Hatsune Miku has toured the world, performing "live" on stages from Singapore to Los Angeles and even opening for Lady Gaga. But despite legions of adoring fans and worldwide recognition, the computer-generated star, who made her first concert appearance overseas in ...
After years of withering in obscurity, the art of creating carefully cultivated bonsai potted trees is starting to show green shoots of renewal. "Recently I see signs of reviving popularity, particularly among women," said Kaori Yamada, a prominent female bonsai artist. She said this contrasts with ...
Imagica Robot Holdings Inc. is teaming up with Cool Japan Fund Inc., the government-backed promoter of Japanese cultural exports, and Sumitomo Corp. to acquire U.S. movie translation company SDI Media Group Inc. The three Japanese companies will buy California-based SDI Media for $160 million from ...
