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Izumi Sakai aka Zard dies

Date: 2007 May 30 10:36 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Culture

Izumi Sakai aka Zard has died after falling off the landing off a staircase at Keio University hospital. She was only 40 and had been weakened by a battle with cervical cancer.

She was invovled with the music of numerous anime including Case Closed, Slam Dunk and Dragon Ball GT.

Souce: Anime News Network

Japanese Embassy in the UK to hold a manga contest and exhibition

Date: 2007 May 24 14:43 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Events

The Japanese Embassy in the UK will be holding an exhibition dedicated to celebrating Japanese inspired manga named MANGA JIMAN.

The exhibiton will run from 11-19 June including a seminar which will investigate "what is manga?"
The contest is for anyone UK resident aged 16 and over, entrants need to create between four and six A4 pages. They can choose their own theme but it must reference Japan in some way. The deadline for that is 14th September 2007. Prizes include a Toshiba laptop and flights to Japan!

Souce: Japanese Embassy UK

Hikonyan the cat helps Hikone Castle

Date: 2007 April 27 15:38 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Everyone knows that cute stuff is popular in Japan. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture they created a mascot cat called Hikonyan, a fat white cat wearing a samurai helmet sporting big yellow horns. According to The Mainichi Daily News, Hikonyan toured major cities and generated massive merchandise sales. Apparently people travel to Hikone Castle now just to see Hikonyan, who comes out four times a day to greet visitors, people are willing to wait for hours, lining up for the greeting sessions. The article states that part of Hikonyan's popularity is down to his vulnerability making him appealing to otaku.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

Island hopping in Japan

Date: 2007 April 26 16:12 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

The Times On-line have a great travel article about the side of Japan many people would not consider, the tropical islands. It's a great read even if you are never going to go island hopping in Japan. They travel through Okinawa, Ishigaki, Taketomi (which is famed for it's star shaped sand), and the remote Iriomote.

Souce: The Times On-line

Manga Workshop at Daiwa House

Date: 2007 April 21 16:14 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Events

Continuing on with it's Rising Stars of manga season Daiwa house is playing host to a manga workshop day on the 14th of May. The wokshops will be held by three previous rising stars of manga winners. Booking in advance is required.

Souce: Daiwa House

2-Chan the voice of a nation

Date: 2007 April 19 15:57 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Wired have a very good article about the popular Japanese bulletin board 2-chan. The article focuses on the impact 2-channel has had in Japan, from cancelling advertising campaigns, to producing 830,000 replacement folded paper cranes, mass suicides, solving crime and even helping Train Man become a national phenomenon.

Souce: Wired

Hokusai's Mount Fuji

Date: 2007 April 02 16:11 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Art

The nice people at Abrams have sent us details of a new book they're publishing Hokusai, the artist who created one of the most famous bits of Japanese artwork, often called Tsunami by Hokusai or The Under the wave off Kanagawa. The book is printed excellent quality paper. At £15.95 it's superb value for money especially considering it's all in colour. It's due out 30th April 2007. We only wish the book was bigger so that they could print the artwork larger, but I guess we've been spoiled by looking at anime artbooks all these years. The book has some great examples of Japanese culture in the period and come highly recommend by the Otaku News crew.

Hokusai: First Manga Master

Date: 2007 April 02 15:38 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Art

The good folks at Abrams have sent us details of a new book they're publishing about the groundbreaking artist Hokusai. The book contains lots of lovely selection artwork from Hokusai and is a great example of the variety of work he did. The book is well worth £10, for curiosity or academic interests. It hits the shops on 30th April 2007.

Tokyopop at Daiwa House

Date: 2007 March 31 13:16 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Culture

Tokyopop are holding a rising stars of manga exhibition at Daiwa House which runs until 17th of May. They are also holding a seminar on the 19th of April entitled "Bringing Manga to the UK" this requires advanced booking from the website.

Souce: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

Extreme Origami

Date: 2007 March 24 18:47 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

The Times On-line have published an interesting article about Extreme Origami, the article focuses on computer geeks coding programs to create some incredibly complex folding problems. The article mentions super geek Robert Lang, a former NASA scientist who is a professional folder, consulting with car companies on the best way to fold their airbags and space telescopes!

Souce: Times On-line

UK MP fears reduction of British children's TV

Date: 2007 March 19 15:30 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

The Guardian are reporting on British Conservative MP John Whittingdale's recent speech at the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers conference. Mr Whittingdale is the chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. He's rather worried about a children's TV and the impact of pulling food advertising from children's TV - "[It will] have a damaging effect on children's broadcasting that will lead to money going out of it, the effect will be fewer children's programmes produced in this country except for the BBC," the main concern he stresses is increase in imported Children's TV - "There will be a growth of the likes of Japanese anime cartoons and American animated content which is something we are concerned about and may need to be addressed as part of challenge of maintaining public service plurality."

So in a nut shell he's worried that there won't be enough British produced children's TV, as ITV has been reducing it's children's output. The Otaku News crew want more TV greats like Danger Mouse. ^_^

Souce: The Guardian

Japanorama is back!

Date: 2007 March 15 14:37 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime > TV

The folks at AnimeUKNews.net have spotted Johnathon Ross is back with Japanorama season 3! Episode one promises a sneak peak of Afro Samurai.

The Manga Bible release details

Date: 2007 February 26 09:21 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

We've received a details from publishing house Hodder and Stoughton regarding the Manga Bible. We're not talking about some sort of ultimate must have guide to manga, but the New Testament produced in a manga style. Using the TNIV (Today's New International Version) as the basis, London based artist Siku, who is best know for his work on 2000AD.

Manga Shakespeare

Date: 2007 January 16 16:17 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

We've been sent an interesting press release from SelfMadeHero about their Manga Shakespeare series. The bard's classic tales have been reinterpreted into a manga style. With Romeo and Juliet the action has relocated to Shibuya in Tokyo, with yakuza talking the place of the more traditional families in the original. Hamlet is still set in Denmark, but in the future cyber world of 2017. SelfMadeHero inform us that the series keeps true to the text of Shakespeare, but is specially abridged for use in the manga. Sweatdrop Studio's very own Sonia Leong illustrated Romeo and Juliet, while Emma Vicieli illustrated Hamlet.

Both Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are due for release on 1st March 2007, priced at £6.99. The Tempest and Richard III are due to be published in Autumn 2007. Othello, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are planned, but no release date is mentioned.

Our readers still in education might want to show this to their English and drama teachers, while our other readers might just enjoy reading a new interpretation of Shakespeare's works.

This is not the first time Hamlet has been made into a manga in English, our good friend Amethyst Angel has done a fan version using characters from Slayers, entitled Hamlet: The Manga.

Japanese Artists display work at London gallery

Date: 2007 January 06 15:16 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Our art connoisseur readers near London will want to check out Sea Change Group Show at the Mark Jason Gallery from 1st to 23rd February 2007. The group show features work by a group of emerging print makers. Japanese artists include Chie Kutsuwada, Akiko Takizawa and Katsu Yuasa.

The Mark Jason Gallery can be found near Edgeware Road Tube Station on Bell Street.

Akutai Matsuri, the Japanese swear by it

Date: 2007 January 02 15:59 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Freaky Things

The Japanese are famed for being polite, however everyone needs to vent now and again. The Mainichi Daily News are currently running a story about the Akutai Matsuri, held in late November in the city of Kasama. The festival has a chief priest and 13 tengu goblins dressed in white parading along a steep path, chanting and making offerings at small shrines along the way.

Apparently on-lookers scream out obscenities and try to snatch the offerings. The priest and goblins are prepared and parry away anyone with green bamboo staffs. Eventually the religious parade are overwhelmed and the onlookers snatch away their offerings. Snatching one of the offerings is said to grant the bearer the power of the tengu's spirit, which is why they are so desirable.

Oddly enough in recent years more English speakers have been taking part in the festival, with popular English obscenities creeping into the traditional Japanese taunts.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

Rick Stein cooks for the Japanese ambassador

Date: 2006 December 15 16:20 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Cuisine

BBC TV chef and seafood expert Rick Stein has made a new one off special on his travels to Japan to cook seafood for the Japanese ambassador.

The BBC are currently airing trailers for this show and it looks like a promising, with lots of interesting sushi facts.

The show will be aired in the UK on Tuesday 19 December at 8pm on BBC Two and is repeated on Thursday 21 December at 7pm. It looks like viewers will be in for a culinary treat.

Souce: BBC Food

More single grain sushi fun

Date: 2006 November 10 15:28 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Following on from our eariler article about single grain sushi Otaku News reader totsubo over at Ege-Sushi sent us some photos of his single grain sushi creations.

Souce: Ege-Sushi

Chinglish bad Engrish begone!

Date: 2006 October 15 13:22 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Freaky Things

Those familiar with Engrish the nonsense English found in Far Eastern countries where English can be written in unpredictable and impossible to understand ways, will no doubt feel a bit of sympathy towards Beijing who are trying to clamp down on what BBC News have dubbed Chinglish in time for the 2008 Olympics. People can report the mistranslations and a panel of English professors and expatriates will review the signs and hopefully provide a more meaningful translation.

Souce: BBC News

Jesus Went To Japan To Become a Rice Farmer

Date: 2006 September 11 17:23 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Freaky Things

BBC News has an interesting, if not bizarre story about a Japanese legend that claims Jesus escaped Jerusalem and went to Japan to become a rice farmer. Tourists can even visit the remote Kristo no Hakka, or Grave of Christ. The article focuses on it's origins which seem to date back as far as 1930, when it is claimed ancient Hebrew documents were discovered detailing Jesus' life and death in Japan. Conveniently these documents have been lost, however there are some alleged descendants of Jesus in the village near his grave, but they're Buddhists and not Christians!

Souce: BBC News

Japanorama Returns

Date: 2006 September 04 03:57 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

Keen readers of TV guides may have spotted the return of Japanorama, Jonathan Ross' TV show focusing on the more cool and bizarre side of Japanese culture. The previous season was well worth watching, and this latest instalment promises to be just as entertaining and informative.

UK Viewers (with freeview/cable/satellite) can catch Japanorama on BBC Three starting Thursday 7th September at 11pm, this weeks episode Ross explores the meaning of kakoii, Japanese for cool.

Souce: BBC Three

Japanese Animation and the World of Koji Yamaura. Free Event

Date: 2006 September 01 16:45 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

London based anime fans will want to head over to the Japan Foundation for their free event Bringing Pictures to Life - Japanese Animation and the World of Koji Yamamura. It's set to run on October 16th at 6:30pm, although it's free, booking is essential (if you do book don't forget to mention you found this through Otaku News). Anime expert Helen McCarthy will also be giving a talk about Japanese animation.

It's good to see that the Japan Foundation will be doing this, and hopefully they'll be having other events like this in the future.

The Japan Foundation is near Russell Square Tube station, a short walk from The British Museum and Gosh comics, which is known to stock a nice selection of manga.

Geisha Advertise On-line

Date: 2006 August 21 17:22 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

In a really good of example of the traditional world colliding with the high-tech world, the Mainichi Daily News are running an interesting article about adverts for apprentice geisha Kyoto. Recently the number of applicants had steadily started to drop, until an enterprising teahouse started blogging about the experience of being an apprentice geisha and started posting adverts for applications.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

IMAF 2006 Launches

Date: 2006 July 20 15:48 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Art

The good folks from IMAF have got in touch with us to tell everyone about their third International Manga and Anime Festival, which will run on Friday 10th to Tuesday 14th November 2006, at the usual venue of County Hall, Westminster, London.

If you're like me and can't draw you can go and look at all the lovely artwork submitted. On the other hand if you are artistically talented you can enter for a chance to win part of the $85,000 overall prize fund! Entrants take note, the deadline is 30th September, 2006, no later than 5:30pm. This is a real chance to show how skilled you are and can lead to even things. So get scribbling!

Japanese Prime Minister To Visit Graceland

Date: 2006 June 29 03:18 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Current Affairs

While attending talks between US President George W Bush and Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the two leaders will pay a special visit to a very American home. They will be visiting Graceland the famous house of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley.

According to BBC News this is widely seen as a thank you gesture from Mr Bush to Mr Koizumi, who is known to be a huge Elvis fan. Mr Koizumi has even released a CD with a selection of his favourite Elvis songs. The Japanese PM is such a dedicated fan he helped fund a statue of the King which now stands in Harajuku.

Souce: BBC News

Beatrix Potter Home Clone

Date: 2006 June 13 15:14 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Many Japanese people love Beatrix Potter's stories especially the tales of Peter Rabbit. According to BBC News, although her characters are very well known, it seems that the author isn't. Tokyo Zoo hope to readdress this balance and have built an almost exact replica of her home. Since Japanese buildings have to be earthquake proof a few adjustments had to be made, but apparently it's almost a brick by brick exact copy!

Souce: BBC News

After School Pressures in Japan

Date: 2006 June 10 09:38 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

BBC News has an interesting article about the hectic life of the average Japanese school child. It seems little Yataro spends a lot of his time when out of school in evening and weekend extra curricular activities. In an average week he would go to swimming, abacus, piano, judo, football and English classes, along with keeping up with his homework. It's not clear from the article how old Yataro is, only stating that he's a Tokyo journalists young son. What is clear from the article is that putting huge amounts of work on children like this is common in Japan. We were well aware of cram school, but never knew it went this far!

Souce: BBC News

Neon Genesis Evangelion Features

Date: 2006 May 09 17:41 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

The Mainichi Daily News are currently running an interesting set of features about Neon Genesis Evangelion, they contain all sorts of great bits of information. Be warned there a lot of spoilers in each article!

Evangelion Special: From phenomenon to legacy - Forms an overview of the series and how it differs from previous anime titles, along with the impact Eva had on the Japanese media and public.

Evangelion Special: For producer Otsuki, success not always a bed of roses - Interviews producer Toshimichi Otsuki who talks about some of the history of Evangelion and the difficulties in being a producer, along with how influential Eva is.

Evangelion Special: Genesis of a major manga - Focuses on the history of Gainax and the origins of Evangelion, fans of Gunbuster will already know that this is referred to as it's original Japanese title Top wo Nerae!" (Aim for the Top).

Then they have the episode synopsis which form a brief outline of each episode.

Evangelion Episode Synopsis - Episodes 1 to 5
Evangelion Episode Synopsis - Episodes 6 to 10
Evangelion Episode Synopsis - Episodes 11 to 15
Evangelion Episode Synopsis - Episodes 16 to 20
Evangelion Episode Synopsis - Episodes 21 to 26

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

Foreign Minister Proposes Awards For Anime

Date: 2006 May 09 10:32 | Posted By: Jeremy

Category > Current Affairs

Japan's Foreign Minister proposes Nobel Prize-like awards for anime and manga artists.

Learning Japanese with Manga

Date: 2006 May 04 17:11 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

Fed up of reading ill informed badly researched articles by people who think their anime and manga experts we're please to have discovered this article by manga guru Frederik L. Schodt, he's written several excellent books on manga and even translated both Ghost in The Shell manga with Toren Smith (in otherwords, unlike the many bandwagon jumpers out there, he knows his stuff). The article on the Japan Times Online website focuses on American students using manga to learn Japanese.

Schodt highlights that since they're highly addictive and a lot better than forcing adults to repeat infantile passages in textbooks they make a great learning tool. The article has a lot more information, so go and read it! ^_^

Souce: Japan Times Online

Earwax Removal Japanese Style

Date: 2006 April 18 14:31 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Freaky Things

BBC News have posted an amusing article written by Christopher Hogg, detailing his visit to a Tokyo beauty salon and his experience with their latest treatment, ear canal cleaning while you watch! Japanese people have traditionally cleaned the inside of their ears out with a mimikaki (also known as a bamboo ear pick, which is similar to a surgical curette). This high tech service however has a difference from the traditional bamboo one, as the ear scoop has a minature camera at the end, allowing the customer to see the inside of their ear canal and all the ear wax being scooped out!

Apparently Japanese men use this service more, as women do a better job of cleaning their ears out.

Souce: BBC News

New Japanese Animation Centre in Toyko

Date: 2006 March 16 10:38 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime

A new centre has opened in Japan designed to promote anime to both domestic and overseas investors. It will offer previews and information about projects currently underway. A new animation-training unit is also being launched.

Souce: BBC News

Happy Giri Choco Day!

Date: 2006 February 14 12:18 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Romance is in the air! It's Valentines day! With most card shops selling all sorts of Valentines day cards, including ones from your cat, you can't help wondering if things have got a bit too commercial. Well it's the same in Japan according to BBC News, since Valentines day is a day where women traditionally give chocolate to their significant others, and also to their bosses, as obligation demands. This isn't an ancient tradition, Giri choco was only started 40 years ago by the Japanese confectionary companies (who would have guessed?). Unsurprisingly 70% of Japanese women want this tradition to end, while Japanese men are happy to keep things the same. The confectionary companies are fair though as White Day a month later is when Japanese men have to buy white sweets for their loved ones.

Souce: BBC News

The Nature of Monkey Was Irrepressible

Date: 2006 February 13 16:47 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

British, Australian and New Zealand readers of Otaku News especially may remember a TV show called Monkey based on Journey to the West a classic tale by Xi You Ji, known as Saiyuki in Japan. Yes, we're talking about the same Monkey famed for his Monkey Magic (Born from an egg on a mountain top, The punkiest Monkey that ever popped), according to the Daily Yomiuri On-line Fuji TV have started to air a new version of Monkey. Ratings are already high and Fuji TV have stated that they've received enquires for this new version of the cult TV show from the UK and Australia. We're pondering how long it will take for a TV studio to rollout a great cheesy dub.

Our UK readers who can view ITV 4 can catch the original Monkey TV show on Thursdays and Fridays at 6pm.

In the mean time we suggest our Brisbane based readers head over to Roma Street Parklands to see Monkey at the theatre! ^_-

Souce: Daily Yomiuri On-line

South Bank Show Anime Special

Date: 2006 January 26 18:30 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

The Folks at Manga Entertainment UK have sent us a press release about an anime special South Bank Show, which is due to air on Sunday 19th of February. Some researchers for the South Bank Show even made the steps of visiting the London Anime Club to get the low down from British anime fans. Interestingly enough the press release also has some details about Jonathan Ross' recent Asian Invasion, stating that it got over 310,000 viewers, a BBC4 record (it's now clear however if this figure is for just the first screening of the show, or if the repeat screened later in the week is included too).

ITV4 will also be screening the original Ghost In The Shell movie on Saturday 4th March (we belive it's the dub version), so if you haven't seen it yet catch it!

Ugly Japan

Date: 2006 January 07 16:17 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Current Affairs

While many people see Japan as a land of beauty with it's historical buildings, accent shrines and woodlands. However there are some parts of Japan that are ugly, which is why The Times, have published an article about Professor Shigeru Itou report which slates ugly landmarks that are in drastic need of an overhaul. Itou is Japan's most senior urban planning expert and has spent the last two years researching the worst eyesores. Anime fans will be interested to know that the 8 lane motorway over the ornate Nihombashi bridge is considered the worst offender. The bridge has been a feature of many scenes in historical titles like Kenshin.

Souce: The Times Online

Geisha Confidential

Date: 2006 January 05 17:14 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

With Memoirs of a Geisha hitting the cinema screen soon lots of articles about Japan and Geisha. The Telegraph have put a great article about geisha life in Japan which aims to dispel the common myths about them being nothing more than courtesans, when in fact they are more entertainers and performers.

Souce: The Telegraph

Ninja Tourist Tour

Date: 2005 December 18 15:36 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Current Affairs

The Mainichi Daily News are currently running a story about a ninja skills roadshow taking place in Taiwan next month. Experts are from Iga in Mie, an area famed for the ninja art. The event is planned by the Iga tourist association aims to give demonstrations at hotels and department stores with blowgun darts and ninja starts. Apparently the ninjas will then use their skills to infiltrate further afield including South Korea, America and Europe. We have yet to hear if these ninjas will be wailing on their guitars, as this would be totally cool and by that we mean totally sweet. ^_-

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

VIZ and TokyoPop Team Up For German Manga Launch

Date: 2005 December 01 11:05 | Posted By: Jeremy

Category > Manga

VIZ Media B.V. announces team-up with TokyoPop Germany to publish hit manga for the German market.

Asashoryu The Sumo Champion

Date: 2005 November 30 19:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Japan Today are currently running an interesting story about the current dilemma in Sumo Wrestling. The traditional Japanese sport, is being dominated by a Mongolian wrestler named Asashoryu, who is currently the only active Yokozuna in the sport (this is the highest rank in sumo). As a result many wrestling spectators are frustrated by the lack of Japanese competition and blame Japanese wrestlers for not being as athletic or as motivated as their foreign counterparts.

Souce: Japan Today

Mr Miyagi Actor Pat Morita Dies

Date: 2005 November 26 11:24 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

BBC News have posted a story on actor Pat Morita, who died aged 73, at his home in Las Vegas on Thursday from natural causes. Noriyuki "Pat" Morita will be known to many as Matsumoto "Arnold" Takahashi from Happy Days, but best known as Mr Miyagi, the mentor to "Daniel-san" in The Karate Kid movies. Mr Miyagi can easily be regarded as a pop culture icon and Pat Morita received an Oscar nomination for his acting.

Souce: BBC News

Social Changes in Japan Create New Consumer Demands

Date: 2005 November 01 18:45 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Current Affairs

In one of those articles where the headline says it all, the Mainichi Daily News are reporting on the current Japanese Consumer trends. Apparently demographic changes and large amounts of deposable income in Japan are shifting the consumer markets and demand, as the Japanese desire for luxurious goods and lifestyles increases - "global luxury brands such as Baccarat, Gucci, Tiffany, Ritz Carlton and Coach Japan are taking advantage of Japan's challenging demographics". The article also mentions Silver aristocrats - Japanese over 65 years old (predominately female) many of whom are outliving their spouses by an average of 10 years.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

Photo Blogging For Otaku

Date: 2005 October 17 16:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Websites

Blogging is all the rage at the moment, with everyone and their dog putting up content about this that and everything. Many blogs are just angst fests. However hunting around can be interesting and rewarding with many different takes on anime fandom and Japanese Culture in general. Photo Blog site Flickr offers a wealth of photos for otaku, featuring Gundam, some nice Catbus, the cast of Naruto and Evangelion! One enterprising otaku even has his own Calcifer to keep his car warm. There are tons of cool images for you too look at on Flickr, so why not add your own! ^_^

Souce: Flickr

Japanese Teen Slang

Date: 2005 October 16 10:56 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

The Mainichi Daily News have published a peki-peki article on Japanese teen slang. Apparently police guidance counsellors are having so much trouble with understanding what hip teenagers are saying that they're recording what is said word for word and have compiled a manual to help them translate what is said.

Not only is this article an interesting read because of Japanese youth (yuusu) speak, but also because it explains some fascinating information about the way Japanese language can be used. If you're reading this and you still don't know what peki-peki means, then you should be reading the article! ^_-

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

Japanese Design Showcase

Date: 2005 October 01 10:11 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

The Japan Times have just published a rather interesting article about good product design in Japan. It's almost an advert for the stylish products mentioned, but worth reading to hear about popular names in Japanese design.

Souce: Japan Times

Manga Sales Decreasing in Japan

Date: 2005 September 30 22:12 | Posted By: Jeremy

Category > Manga

Manga sales decreasing in Japan due to rental shops and used sales.

Japanese Manga and Cultural Politics Lecture

Date: 2005 September 29 16:15 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Author and anime expert Jonathan Clements has sent us details of the SOAS Japanese Manga and Cultural Politics Lecture and Discussion in London. This is due to take place at 7pm Tuesday 11th October, with free admission at the The Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS. Since it's hosted by The School of Oriental and African Studies, you know it should be good.

Maid Hair Salon in Akihabara

Date: 2005 September 15 06:49 | Posted By: Davie

Category > Freaky Things

Those Japanese folks keep surprising us with the opening of a new business venture that keeps expanding the Otaku Empire. In fact they are not satisfied with the usual Maid Café business and so they welcomed a new Maid Hair Salon in their community.

Anime/Manga Exposure Wanted for Geisha Event in 2006

Date: 2005 September 11 15:15 | Posted By: Voxie

Category > Culture

Following a post made at the Anime Cafe organisers have mentioned plans saying that they will be "the first people to bring real geisha to England"! Geisha being a standard unique to Japanese culture, curious otaku will now have access to this experience without paying the plane fare!

The event is not until May next year. Apart from the chance to view the beautiful kimono, there are also other Japanese-related events to be be held, including calligraphy and martial arts. More information, including prices and availability, are now on the organisers' website.

And finally, at present the organisers are welcoming venture from others, including maybe a mini manga/anime expo! If you're interested in having a workshop, table to sell your works, or even cosplaying, contact the organisers via the website link above, or email them directly: katie_c@tiscali.co.uk

Souce: Anime.org.uk

Scattering Water Cools Down Japan

Date: 2005 August 14 15:15 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

A campaign to drench water on concrete in urban areas has started across Japan to help cool down big areas and prevent global warming. Scattering water on streets and gardens is a traditional Japanese way of cooling down in summer and according to the Mainichi Daily News was started in the Edo Period. Apparently when the scattered water evaporates it reduces the temperature.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

The New Anime Companion

Date: 2005 August 08 17:50 | Posted By: Jeremy

Category > Fandom

Anime fans wanting to know more about all the various cultural references that pop up in their favorite anime can now rejoice. Anime News Network has announced that Stone Bridge Press, publisher of books about Japan, is releasing The Anime Companion 2: More... What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?, the follow-up to the popular book written by Gilles Poitras, who also writes the new volume.

Like its predecessor, The Anime Companion 2 contains glossary-style entries to help readers decipher anime's distinctive content, images and cultural motifs. Everything from city landmarks to food to clothing to historical figures is covered in fascinating detail, using illustrations anime images, film citations and numerous references to the related art of manga. With entries in both kanji (Japanese characters) and English, the book also contains maps of old provinces and current prefectures (and the 23 wards of Tokyo), making it an absolute must-have for those wanting to learn about Japan, whether they're otaku or not.

Souce: Anime News Network

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