Web Japan > Trends in Japan > Archives > Pop Culture 2010-2011
Pop Culture 2010-2011
(March 2011)
Today, growing numbers of anime and manga feature specific locations and real buildings in detail, making them popular pilgrimage spots for fans.
(March 2011)
The personification phenomenon has entered the mainstream of Japanese culture. Cute, humanlike characters have become a vital part of popular culture and a key element in corporate and government public relations.
(February 2011)
What has enabled Japan to produce one high-quality manga hit after another? We take a look behind the scenes at some of the factors that have made Japanese manga such a phenomenon around the world.
(December 2010)
Behind Japan's rich manga culture is a long history of drawing as a hobby among young people. The latest twist on this culture is a range of hugely popular social networking services that allow people to post their own manga on the Internet.
(December 2010)
"Anime songs" sung by voice actors are the latest thing to hit the Japanese music world. In particular, character songs that portray an anime character's image are taking the charts by storm and coming to be regarded as a new genre.
(November 2010)
In June 2010, the International Research Center for Japanese Studies published an online "Database of Images of Strange Phenomena and Yokai (Monstrous Beings)", introducing people around the world to the monsters and folk beliefs that frequently appear in Japanese pop culture classics like theanime masterpieces of director Miyazaki Hayao.
(September 2010)
Evangelion, is one of the best-known works of anime, with millions of fans all over the world. Fifteen years after its debut, Evangelion continues to evolve and capture new fans. In 2010 a new chapter was added to the story of this legendary anime.
(July 2010)
In the past, young people have tended to think of Kabuki and Noh as impenetrable and inaccessible, but a number of popular manga set in the world of the classical theater have sparked new interest in the traditional performing arts.