Matt Alt's Pure Invention

Matt Alt's Pure Invention

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Super Galapagos
In a world driven mad by tech disruption, Japan’s having fallen behind is a superpower
Oct 23 • 
Matt Alt
36
10
Why Hollywood stars are saying “F*** anime”
And why they’re right to be scared
Oct 10 • 
Matt Alt
56
12
Dollars and Demons
Demon Slayer's success shouldn't surprise. We're all otaku now.
Oct 2 • 
Matt Alt
28
21

September 2025

Anime activism
Global protest movements are relying on imagery from Japan. Here's why.
Sep 22 • 
Matt Alt
31
13
Politics, Chaos, and Cup Noodles
The eerie parallels between Japan's Sixties and America today
Sep 16 • 
Matt Alt
32
13
No Labubus please, we're Japanese
Why a toy craze isn't finding traction in a toy-crazed country
Sep 1 • 
Matt Alt
48
2

August 2025

Inside the manga hit machine
How Weekly Shonen Jump became a global cultural juggernaut
Aug 25 • 
Matt Alt
30
1
Head in the Clouds
A repost from the archives about Nizo Yamamoto, who transformed anime from fantasy into an all-enveloping reality for fans.
Aug 16 • 
Matt Alt
20
5

July 2025

Chemtrails over Kyoto
What stops conspiracies from hijacking the conversation in Japan?
Jul 30 • 
Matt Alt
21
21
Pop and Populism
Japan’s far right won big in yesterday's elections. What's it mean for pop culture?
Jul 21 • 
Matt Alt
57
27

June 2025

Japanese TV vs American Reality
America turned itself into a reality show. Why didn’t Japan?
Jun 30 • 
Matt Alt
26
6
Hell is Other People
The real reason the Japanese government is so obsessed with tourism
Jun 20 • 
Matt Alt
46
30
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