Dollars and Demons

Demon Slayer's success shouldn't surprise. We're all otaku now.

Oct 2 • 

Matt Alt

21

11

September 2025

Anime activism

Global protest movements are relying on imagery from Japan. Here's why.

Sep 22 • 

Matt Alt

30

9

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

29

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

America is burning. Why isn’t Japan?

A voice actress has a very bad week.

Jun 13 • 

Matt Alt

55

12

May 2025

Empire of Monsters

The rural fantasies of San'in that made Japan a global superstar

May 29 • 

Matt Alt

24

5