Author Archives: Paolo Jasa

Hey there, fans. Instead of the usual Happy Fun Thursday article and the second part of the Japanese Music post, I bring sad news about a legend in the Japanese animation industry. Satoshi Kon, the director of such animated classics like Perfect Blue, Read More

This week, several announcements of great Japanese video game music lead to a short escapade in the realm of Japanese music found in popular culture. Read More

This week, a new manga leads me to look up some *ahem* colorful ways to teach slang and to see how far the influence of "Full Metal Jacket" could go! Read More

This summer, I’ve been doing my best to start watching a few new anime shows. In part two of this post, these shows I've chosen are the ones I've been meaning to get started on before school hauls me back into the classroom! Read More

This summer, I've been doing my best to start watching a few new anime shows. Sure, it's all well and good to stick with the classics and fan-favorites, but sometimes taking a chance with an anime that's literally fresh out of the studio is a worthwhile Read More

This week, we drop a couple of 100-yen coins into a vending machine, and pull out something yellow and delicious! Read More

There be monsters in this post! A find by one of Japan's cultural research facilities shows us some of the faces of Japanese myths and legends! Read More

This week, a look at Mario and the Internet videos that have spawned from his fans! Read More

Did Toy Story 3 live up to my expectations? Did it live up to the hype? Is it yet another astounding film from the powerhouse animation company? To answer these questions: yes, yup, and absolutely. Read More

This week, there's something in the skies of Japan, and it doesn't look like a bird, a plane, or some dude in red and blue spandex. It's a Gundam! Read More

On this edition of Happy Fun Thursdays, I'm turning the spotlight over to something Japan has been bringing to the world ever since the advent of television. That's right! Today, we're sneaking a peek at Japanese commercials! Read More

This week, a milestone has been set by one of Hayao Miyazaki's most beloved films, Tonari No Totoro or, as it's known here in the United States, My Neighbor Totoro, as it sold its millionth copy in Japan. Read More