by Miranda Ruth Larsen While certain areas of Tokyo have become synonymous with different threads of popular culture, such as Harajuku for teen fashion and…
Ever seen those square bar code-looking thingies on the bus or train or in a magazine and wonder what they were? They’re called QR Codes…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hVxgVNdmmM] Hello Kitty seems to be falling on tough economic times — at least according to the New York Times. This is despite her appointment…
[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOS43N8tAyI”] At what point is copying homage (as a way of honoring and being respectful of the original) even through direct copying? transformative (in…
As a followup to our recent posts about anime and Korean dramas, we have more about the cross-cultural influence of pop culture from Asia, or…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THQutt1DbVw] Want to see the latest episodes of Inuyasha as they air? Or if feudal Japan plus magic isn’t your thing, how about the latest…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCwaYb16hNk] If you don’t know the artists (Faith No More & Kylie Minogue) and musical genres (J-pop & hallyu) mentioned in the title of this…
I’ve been reading several interesting books on both the cultural and economic significance of Japanese popular culture, ranging from a general overview, to the business…
While no book can fully explore a culture, two recent books, Sheridan Prasso’s The Asian Mystique: Dragon Ladies, Geisha Girls, & Our Fantasies of the…
Interested in finding the right wine or electing the right candidate? Look no further than comics! Kami no Shizuku (The Drops of the Gods), a…