Japanese all-woman pop-rock band Scandal released their eighth album, Honey, today. They’ve somehow maintained their popularity from their days as a highly manufactured teenage musical unit handpicked from Osaka vocal and dance school CALESS and given guitars and drums they … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (February 14th, 2018)

It seems that every anime season has one utterly trashy series that is somehow worth watching. Past series of this nature have included Keijo!!!!!!!! and Love Tyrant. This season’s surprisingly good trash is Citrus, based on a yuri manga about … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (February 7th, 2018)

Kakegurui is a serialized manga about a school for children of the elite, where the social hierarchy is determined by the results of gambling games. It was adapted into an anime series by Studio MAPPA last year, and after months … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (January 31st, 2018)

Based on Go Nagai’s Devilman manga and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, DEVILMAN crybaby premiered on Netflix earlier this month. It tells the story of a high schooler who attends a bacchanalian party that transforms him into a half-man/half-devil. He then … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (January 24th, 2018)

Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread! This week, we’re spotlighting A Place Further Than The Universe, the story of a teenage girl who recruits three friends to go with her on a journey to Antarctica … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (January 17th, 2018)

One of the new series airing this winter is Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles, based on the manga of the same name. It’s about a stuck-up, aloof transfer student who has a secret ramen obsession. It’s also surprisingly educational. As … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (January 10th, 2018)

The winter 2018 anime season is nearly upon us, and this one is shaping up to have quite a few interesting series. Here’s what I’m planning on checking out, time-permitting: Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens. [Pictured in the header.] This crime drama … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (January 3rd, 2018)

If you’re reading this, then the weekly Japanese pop culture thread went up as scheduled. If you’re not reading this, then how are you reading this??? Happy holidays! Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (December 27th, 2017)

Heya nerds! It’s time for your weekly Japanese pop culture thread. This week I’d like to draw your attention to the three-episode YouTube series, Anime Crimes Division, starring Internet personality and voice actor SungWon Cho (a.k.a. ProZD). The series is … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (December 20th, 2017)

Polkadot Stingray released a new album, Capacity, last month, and nobody told me. I’m very disappointed in all of you. -tries to listen to new album- Not available in the United States? DAMN YOU. DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL. Anyway, what … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (December 13th, 2017)

Not much to report on the JPC front personally right now. (I’m playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which I’ve already featured in a header.) So I turn it over to you: With December upon us and winter fast approaching, what’s your … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (December 6th, 2017)

Hey folks! Sorry for putting this up late. Have at it. (Header image from Psycho-Pass, because why not?) Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (November 29th, 2017)

Urahara is a magical-girl anime series currently airing this season. It is bright and colourful. I have not yet watched it. In other news: Valkyria Chronicles 4 was announced and is set to come out next year for PS4, Xbone, … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (November 22nd, 2017)

The second season of the comedic series Himouto Umaru-chan, entitled R (kinda like Sailor Moon, eh?) is currently streaming on Anime Strike. It’s about a teenage girl who appears perfect to her classmates and teachers, but becomes a lazy, video-game-and-junk-food-obsessed … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (November 15th, 2017)

Hey folks! The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Direct was yesterday. Here it is for your viewing pleasure: Character designs aside (they’re atrocious, IMO), this is all looking really excellent, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the game … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (November 8th, 2017)

Greetings, Avocadoans! Welcome to the first weekly Japanese pop culture thread on the new site! While your humble JPC thread host is sure that the fall season of anime is full of interesting new shows, he hasn’t really had the … Continue reading Weekly Japanese Pop Culture Thread (October 31, 2017)