Web Japan > Trends in Japan > Archives > Pop Culture 2005-2006
Gamarjobat
(November 27, 2006)
A pair of Japanese comic performers known as Gamarjobat is currently winning fans all over the world. While still relatively unknown in Japan, they often perform overseas to rave reviews and have even won awards at arts festivals in Britain and other countries.
Code Geass
(November 22, 2006)
The production company Sunrise, which is known for creating the legendary Mobile Suit Gundam and other robot-themed anime, has released a new animated TV series titled Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
Online Anime
(October 27, 2006)
Japan is currently witnessing a boom in short anime created by individuals on a computer and uploaded to the Internet. The Internet is providing opportunities for new anime artists to display their talents and achieve renown.
Gamers Glimpse the Future
(October 26, 2006)
The tenth annual Tokyo Game Show was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture on September 22 to 24. The biggest focus of attention was the PlayStation 3, the next-generation game console due to be rolled out in November by Sony.
Like Father, Like Son
(October 10, 2006)
An animated film based on Ursula K. Le Guin's fantasy epic Tales from Earthsea has been released by Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed animated film production company whose previous releases include My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.
Four Decades of Heroism
(September 29, 2006)
The Ultraman series of television shows, in which giant beings from the Land of Light fight vicious monsters to protect Earth, first appeared on Japanese television 40 years ago.
Thirty Years of Gags
(September 4, 2006)
The long-running boys' comical manga Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Koen Mae Hashutsujo (From the Police Box at Kameari Park, Katsushika Ward), better known as Kochikame, turns 30 this year.
Cosplay Conventio
(August 18, 2006)
From Japan, the birthplace of manga, anime, and video games, comes cosplay, another form of Japanese pop culture that is beginning to sweep the world.
Brain Training for Young and Old
(July 28, 2006)
Handheld electronic games, once the exclusive domain of the young, are acquiring a rapidly expanding fan base among the middle-aged and elderly.
Manga-Inspired Movies
(July 26, 2006)
Over the past few years Japanese movies have won new popularity, and both box office sales and the number of releases are now on the rise. Live-action movies adapted from manga comics are a major force shaping this trend.
Beauty and the Ghosts
(June 22, 2006)
The school of Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) is an expression of Japan's artistic traditions. A young female artist called Matsui Fuyuko has caused a sensation in the world of Nihonga not only for her works but also for her striking looks.
Manga on the Move
(May 30, 2006)
Using cell phones to view manga is one of the newest and fastest-growing applications of mobile technology in Japan.
Showcasing Asian Cinema
(May 24, 2006)
The broadcast of the South Korean TV series Winter Sonata in Japan in 2003 ignited a boom in South Korean pop culture. Amid burgeoning interest in Asian culture, Japan's first theater specializing in Asian films opened in Tokyo in March 2006.
Manga Miracle
(May 19, 2006)
For a major Hollywood project, Afro Samurai's roots are about as obscure as can be. The soon-to-be-released movie originated as a manga created in Japan by Okazaki Takashi, who originally funded the comic out of his own pocket.
Murakami Honored
(April 24, 2006)
Japanese author Murakami Haruki, who is perhaps best known for his novel Norwegian Wood, won the Czech Republic's Franz Kafka Award for Literature in March.
Girls' Manga Goes Stateside
(March 28, 2006)
In the United States, the latest trendy Japanese import is shojo manga (girls' manga). As its name suggests, this is a genre of comics for and about girls and young women.
Art Appeal
(March 10,2006)
The Adachi Museum of Art is not easy to get to. Even so, it manages to attract around 450,000 visitors a year. What is its secret?
Eureka Moment for Digital Content
(February 15, 2006)
Kokyo Shihen Eureka Seven is a new anime series currently on the airwaves in Japan. With TV broadcasts as the main plank in the success of the series, a mix of related projects has been launched in a range of media, including the Internet, publishing, and toys.
Kabuki, A World Treasure
(January 26, 2006)
Kabuki, a traditional form of Japanese theater that originated about 400 years ago, was designated a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in November 2005.
Gundam Plastic Models
(January 20, 2006)
More than twenty years after the TV anime (cartoon) series Kido Senshi Gandamu (Mobile Suit Gundam) was first broadcast in 1979, it remains hugely popular. Many fans collect plastic models of Gundam characters, and limited-edition models have recently become hot items among collectors.
Germany In Japan
(January 6, 2006)
Over 1,000 events are being held throughout Japan between April 2005 and spring 2006 as part of Deutschland in Japan 2005/2006.
Movies In Your Pocket
(December 27, 2005)
A growing number of people have begun to take advantage of video on the go, watching movies or television programs while riding the train or relaxing in a cafe. And among the most popular devices for portable video playback are handheld gaming consoles.
Manga For Grown-Ups
(December 5, 2005)
Hachimitsu to Kuroba (Honey and Clover) is a serialized manga (comic) that follows the lives of five young people attending an art college as they deal with unrequited love and other life issues. It has recently been turned into a TV anime series, and a big-screen version is now planned.
Playful Peripherals
(November 7, 2005)
A new range of novelty peripherals is aimed at injecting a bit of humor and fun into the normally staid world of IT. These products are easy to spot: just look for what appears to be a freshly fried shrimp or some other surreal-looking object plugged into a laptop or desktop.
Taking Part in Art
(October 25, 2005)
From September 28 to December 18, 2005, Yokohama is hosting an ambitious arts festival featuring the works of around 80 artists from around the world and located along the port city's spectacular waterfront.
Is it a Phone? Is it an Octopus?
(October 6, 2005)
As mobile phones become an indispensable part of life for many people, they have developed into personalized fashion items as well. Some users customize their phones by decorating them with stickers or covers of their choosing, and these covers have evolved to take on many forms.
Michelin in Japan
(August 15, 2005)
A Japan edition of the Michelin Guides, travel books famous all over the world for their ratings of hotels and restaurants, will be published in February 2007.
Kabuki Meets Shakespeare
(August 11, 2005)
Kabuki began about 400 years ago. At around the same time in Britain, William Shakespeare was turning out plays and sonnets. Now Ninagawa Yukio, a theater director known for his Japanese productions of Shakespeare's works, has fused the two classical styles together.
Samurai Samba
(August 9, 2005)
"Matsuken Samba II," a song and dance act by a TV star who is best known for his samurai roles, is riding a wave of popularity. The act is by Matsudaira Ken, a veteran entertainer who dresses as a samurai to perform the song.
Cartoon Tourism
(July 8, 2005)
Manga and anime are leading a global boom in popular Japanese culture. Now some enterprising travel agents are cashing in on this trend by organizing trips to Japan specifically for manga and anime fans.
Drawing Acclaim
(July 7, 2005)
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is given annually to authors, illustrators and storytellers who help stimulate and promote interest in children's and youth literature around the world. This year, one of the two recipients was picture book author Arai Ryoji, the first Japanese to receive the prize.
Sea Life as Nightlife
(June 13, 2005)
One of Tokyo's newest attractions is an amusement center on the grounds of an exclusive hotel, combining a public aquarium with a concert hall, a bowling alley, a movie theater, and restaurants.
Manga for Girls
(June 7, 2005)
Nana is the title of the latest hit manga to take Japan by storm, and unlike in most comic success stories, a large proportion of Nana fans are female.
Full Metal Fantasy
(May 26, 2005)
Recently the comic and anime titled Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist), popularly known as "Hagaren," has gained a huge following among children and adults alike.
Battle of the Beetles
(May 13, 2005)
An arcade game called Mushiking, in which players battle for supremacy using cards featuring pictures of fierce-looking beetles from around the world, has captured the imagination of elementary-school boys across Japan.
Making Music the Easy Way
(March 31, 2005)
The path to musical proficiency has been considerably shortened in the last few years, thanks to the introduction of a new generation of instruments that make playing music a lot easier than ever before.
Howl's Moving Castle
(March 14, 2005)
Howl's Moving Castle, the spectacular new animated film directed by Miyazaki Hayao and produced by Studio Ghibli, is breaking records at the box office.
Godzilla Turns 50
(February 14, 2005)
Godzilla, the world-famous Japanese movie monster, has turned 50. In November 2004, Hollywood marked this great occasion by giving Godzilla a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cultural Treasures Go on Show
(February 4, 2005)
Yokoso! Japan Weeks lasts from February 5 to 20, 2005. It coincides with the opening of Central Japan International Airport, located near the city of Nagoya, a development expected to draw significant numbers of Chinese and South Korean visitors to Japan.
A Fresh Look at Traditional Art
(January 19, 2005)
Tenmyouya Hisashi is one of a group of young and highly acclaimed Japanese artists
who borrow styles and ideas from Japan's artistic history.
Acting Local
(January 13, 2005)
In Japan, there's no such thing as a typical film festival. A
rapidly increasing number are being held in provincial areas throughout the country.
