The Last Rockstars fly high in Tokyo concert debut (Live Report)
The Last Rockstars Debut Tour 2023 January 26, 2023 @ Ariake Arena (Tokyo) Live Report by Shannon McNaught The Last Rockstars debuted at TokyContinue 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.
Shin Ultraman (Film Review)
Shin Ultraman (Film) Review by Jennifer Elise Wang Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi have returned with another reboot of a tokusatsu classic, SContinue reading…
Naoki Urasawa’s Asadora! – Review (Volumes 4-6)
Asadora! by Naoki Urasawa Volumes 4-6 Review by David Cirone As Asadora! Volume 4 begins, we’re clear of the historical exposition that weighContinue reading…
WagakkiBand Vocalo Zanmai 2 Daiensokai (Live Report)
WagakkiBand Vocalo Zanmai 2 Daiensokai 9/14/2022 Nakano Sun Plaza Live Report by Shannon McNaught (Photo credit: Kyoka Uemizo) No one coversContinue reading…
HYDE battles coldrain in powerful Rumble Fish concert at Zepp Haneda (Live Report)
HYDE LIVE 2022 Rumble Fish June 19, 2022 @ Zepp Haneda (Tokyo) Live Report by Shannon McNaught In HYDE’s first tour since the pandemic, he Continue reading…
It’s a Summer Film! wraps time travel in a film-lover’s blanket (Film Review)
It’s a Summer Film! (Summer Film Ninotte) Review by David Cirone Fed up with her school film club’s sappy romance project, a scrappy high schoContinue reading…
Sumodo – The Successors of Samurai – shows the brutal grace of Japan’s national sport (Film Review)
Sumodo – The Successors of Samurai Review by David Cirone Sumodo – The Successors of Samurai is a wonderfully engaging documentary about the wContinue reading…
Masked Ward (Film Review)
Masked Ward (Kamen Byoto) Review by David Cirone Masked Ward is a thriller following young doctor Shugo Hayami (Kentaro Sakaguchi) as he navigContinue reading…
Aristocrats (Film Review)
Aristocrats (Ano Ko wa Kizoku) Review by David Cirone Aristocrats begins with vivid images of the bright, beautiful streets of Tokyo on New YeContinue reading…
HYDE celebrates Halloween orchestra-style at Kuromisa 2021 Halloween (live report)
20th Orchestra Concert HYDE Kuromisa 2021 Halloween October 31, 2021 – Makuhari Messe Live Report by Shannon McNaught On October 31, fans pacContinue reading…