PopCulture
When thinking of Japanese art and artists, our minds tend to follow the usual suspects, such as Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Hokusai’s views of Fuji, the writings of Haruki Murakami and collections of Haiku poetry. However, Japan’s artistic traditions have been shaped by many artists that have yet to receive as much international attention. Here are five Japanese artists you probably haven’t heard of and where to start if you want to know more. 1. Sion SonoSuicide Club, Love Exposure and Why Don’t you Play in Hell? are niche but successful movies made by the brashest auteur to ever come from Japa...
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Despite Japan’s reputation as a high-tech wonderland, the number of musicians making electronic music is surprisingly small. Sure, there are techno-influenced pop groups like Capsule and Perfume, and plenty of bands incorporate elements of EDM (electronic dance music) into their compositions. Still, compared to Europe, the UK or even America, where genres like techno, house and trap are well-represented, Japan is relatively quiet. However, this can be seen as a blessing in disguise. Whereas overseas artists can’t help but be influenced by their e-music peers, Japanese artists tend to do their ...
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Even in the days of black-and-white filmmaking, Japanese filmmakers were leaders in the field of making audiences scared, uncomfortable and at times just plain perplexed. Japanese filmmakers have distinguished themselves to the degree that Japanese cinema is somewhat synonymous internationally with horror. Outside animation, horror has been their only other successful media export internationally. So to help make your movie choices easier this Halloween, I’ve compiled this list of fantastic horror films from the 60s to now for you to freak out over on October 31. 1. Noroi: The Curse (2005)Foun...
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Star Wars is a cultural juggernaut, a mass media power encompassing film, television, books, comics, toys and much more. While Star Wars has several reference points, including old sci-fi movie serials like Flash Gordon, the novel Dune (spice, anyone?), and World War II dogfights (check out 1955 film The Dam Busters for proto-Death Star destruction action), Japan has had an outsized influence on the galaxy far, far away. Here then are five ways Japan has influenced Star Wars. We’ve tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but there may be some reveals. 1. The films of Akira KurosawaIt’s no secret ...
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You might not know it, but there’s more to Japanese music than just idol groups and anime songs. We’ve talked about some obscure genres of music in Japan before, but a style that’s a bit more contemporary is J-rock. This is admittedly a broad genre, so today, we’re going to talk about bands that have been influenced by bands from England, particularly shoegaze, dream pop and other effects-heavy styles. Some of these bands are still around, while others have sadly broken up. Here are five of our favorite Japanese bands that made waves influenced by British rock. 1. SupercarLet’s start with Supe...
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Akira Kurosawa is widely considered the most visionary Japanese director of all time. He could create everything from ancient battlefields to surreal landscapes through his lens. For fans, visiting these locations in Japan and comparing them to the version that appeared on film allows us to get a small taste of Kurosawa’s unique transformative vision. While the director wasn’t above using sets to achieve his vision, real-life locations from Kurosawa’s movies can be found throughout Japan. For example, there is Ninooka Shrine in Gotemba, Shizuoka, and the Izu Peninsula’s Jogasaki Coast featured...
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Japan’s southern island, Okinawa, almost feels like an extra character in The Karate Kid and its spin-off Netflix series, Cobra Kai. Mr. Miyagi’s love of the islands, the lore of its ancient fighting styles and even its dark wartime history are a constant presence influencing his life and the lives of his students. Like most 80s kids, I grew up watching The Karate Kid and its sequels, so naturally, I couldn’t wait to visit Okinawa and recreate the movie. I assumed it would be as simple as watching the movies and visiting the locations by car. Like learning to crane kick someone to the face, ho...
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When you think of Japanese pop culture, what comes to mind? Anime, manga, idol groups. The list goes on. However, for Japnohiles of a certain age, it’s kaiju (monster) movies. Kaiju (怪獣) is typically translated as just “monster,” especially a giant monster. But, of course, Japan didn’t invent giant monster flicks. That honor goes to King Kong. However, in our humble opinion, Japan did perfect them, with Godzilla being the most famous of the genre. While the Godzilla series is long, many other kaiju are just waiting to be re-discovered. So here are five kaiju crazy movies that you probably have...
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Ah, Christmas in Japan. Here, Santa leaves his home in Finland, comes through the front door (no chimneys here) and places gifts next to sleeping children’s beds. Meanwhile, families scarf down KFC and cake, and young couples go out on romantic dates. Christmas movies are different too. While we might watch a family-friendly film about Santa and his elves, locals want to curl up on the couch with their significant other and get romantic. So it’s more of a couple’s holiday. However, one thing that we share is the idea of the Christmas miracle. So enjoy Christmas like the locals—grab a big bucke...
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City pop is a genre of Japanese music that was popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It melded R&B, pop and soul into a slick whole and perfectly soundtracked urban life in a booming economy. Recently, the genre exploded in popularity due almost entirely to a YouTube algorithm recommending Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” to seemingly anyone and everyone. Not that it doesn’t deserve the attention. It’s an excellent example of city pop and the Japanese music industry at its peak: strong musicianship, state-of-the-art recording facilities and a uniquely Japanese blend of popular genres. Hea...
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