entertainment

CULTURE

Taking Laughter Seriously: A History of Japanese Comedy

How comedy and the concept of laughter in Japan evolved from seriousness to silliness.

ENTERTAINMENT

Illegal Hero? China’s Legally Dubious Ultraman Movies Rile Japanese Fans

A Chinese production company continues releasing Ultraman movies that Ultraman's Japanese producers say are illegal. Are they legitimate - or another Chinese…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

The Five Hot New Japanese Words Even Many Japanese Don’t Know

The distance learning company U-CAN has announced its list of new and trendy words for 2018. Discover the five words that even…

ENTERTAINMENT

What Makes Japanese Idol Culture Unique?

How did Japan become the birthplace of manufactured girl groups? A look into the historic roots of Japanese idol culture and how…

CULTURE

How Netflix’s MANIAC Makes (Some) Strides Melding Cultures

Netflix's MANIAC, directed by Japanese-American auteur Cary Joji Fukunaga, melds Japanese and American cultures convincingly. But in other ways, the series still…

ENTERTAINMENT

Retiring Amuro Namie to Japanese Press: Back Off My Family

The retirement of Amuro Namie has given us proof that, no matter how "polite" your culture is, the press are pretty much…

ENTERTAINMENT

Remembering Sakura Momoko, The Creator of Chibi Maruko-chan

The life of the legendary cartoonist and essayist Sakura Momoko was one of juxtaposition between traditional and modern Japan. A look back…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Zero-Second Chicken Ramen?! How Instant Ramen’s Creator is Bringing Sexy Back to Its Products

How do you boost sales of an instant noodle product that's been around for 60 years? Nissin found a way.