A9 – Ginga no Woto (Review)
A9 Ginga no Woto Review by Jen Wang Last year, visual kei rockers Alice Nine rebranded themselves as A9, releasing a new artist’s statement. Continue reading…
Category: Reviews
Critical analysis of the sounds and stories shaping modern Japan. From the visceral energy of live rock, pop, and idol performances to the subtle mastery of award-winning manga and deeply personal films, our reviews offer an expert lens on the craftsmanship, production, and cultural legacy of Japanese media.
PERFUME live at Wiltern Theatre – hits, dreams, and Pokemon (Live Report)
PERFUME The Wiltern, August 26, 2016 Live report by Nhu Nguyen The three members of Perfume, a-chan, Nocchi, and Kashiyuka, looked like the mContinue reading…
Naoki Hanzawa – Episode 2 (Review)
Naoki Hanzawa Episode 2 Review by David Cirone In the aftermath of Hanzawa’s face-off with the bank’s disciplinary committee, his superiors sContinue reading…
Hibana (Spark) (Series Review)
Hibana (Spark) Series Review by David Cirone Netflix’s latest Japanese series Hibana (Spark) is a deeply-felt, intelligent character drama aboContinue reading…
Naoki Hanzawa – Episode 1 (Review)
Naoki Hanzawa Episode 1 Review by David Cirone Hanzawa Naoki’s opening shot, a slowly-zooming close-up of the title character’s confession ofContinue reading…
KAMIJO – LA VIE EN ROSE 20th Anniversary Best – Grand Finale Zepp DiverCity Tokyo (DVD Review)
KAMIJO LA VIE EN ROSE 20th Anniversary Best – Grand Finale Zepp DiverCity Tokyo Review by Nhu Nguyen KAMIJO’s undeniable penchant for FrenContinue reading…
BABYMETAL – The Wiltern 2016 (Live Report)
BABYMETAL The Wiltern, July 15, 2016 Live report by Nhu Nguyen “I want to see a big circle pit — show me a big circle. Bigger and bigger! Continue reading…
Dreams Come True – The URA BEST! (Review)
Dreams Come True The URA Best! Review by David Cirone Last year’s Dreams Come True – THE BEST! Watashi no Dorikamu collection boasted a massiContinue reading…
Yoko Hamasaki – Blue Forest (Review)
Yoko Hamasaki Blue Forest Review by David Cirone URBANGARDE’s musical style and subject matter are so diverse to begin with, it was hard to pContinue reading…
HER NAME IN BLOOD – Evolution From Apes (Review)
HER NAME IN BLOOD Evolution From Apes Review by David Cirone Evolution From Apes, the latest 5-song EP from Japanese metal band HER NAME IN BContinue reading…