There’s something really special about seeing someone rise above the odds and triumph to achieve their long-standing dream. That’s exactly what happened to one of J-Pop’s biggest stars, Utada Hikaru, whose latest release has her teaming up with Skrillex on the theme song for Kingdom …Read more »
Soon, Tokyo commuters will be saying hello to Hello Kitty every morning. That’s because trains on the Keio and Toei Shinjuku Lines will be soon be getting trains decked out in Hello Kitty stylings. The trains, which are set to debut November 1, are part …Read more »
We reported on the announcement of Kemono Friends‘ second season earlier this week, along with the fact that open auditions were being held for new cast member(s). It was noted that applicants were asked to be “physically and mentally healthy” but didn’t actually need previous acting …Read more »
With the caveat that the word “otaku” means different things to different generations, subcultures and nationalities, this is still some pretty interesting news. A survey of 400 Japanese women from 15 to 24 around Japan has revealed that almost 70% of those women identified as …Read more »
Idol group AKB48 released their 52nd single this week, “Teacher Teacher”, with 2,580,513 presales bringing it to double platinum even before the official release date. The release sports a suggestive title, the group’s first time working with a non-Japanese dance director, and 16-year-old upstart Yui …Read more »
The Tokyo Ghoul:re anime is getting a CD single release for its opening theme song, “asphyxia,” which features the band Cö shu Nie. Since original Tokyo Ghoul manga author Sui Ishida personally chose the band to perform the opening, it’s only fitting that he came …Read more »
Back in 2017, we reported about a new service for otaku in Japan looking to tie the knot called ToraCon. Over the last year, the service has been doing well, apparently, because it’s now adding a range of new ways for potential otaku couples to …Read more »
As you may be aware, especially if you’re a long time Otaku USA reader, just about every Japanese prefecture, city and retailer has its own character to help promote sales and tourism. Most are plump, cute animals that have trouble pushing their way through doors, …Read more »
Back in July, it was announced Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece would be getting a live-action TV adaptation in Hollywood. At this weekend’s Jump Festa 2018, producer Marty Adelstein revealed some details about the series. Appearing in a pre-recorded video, Adelstein said the series will begin …Read more »
As the year comes to a close, we’re about to get hit with a spate of lists (actually, listing things has become pretty much a year-round affair, but I digress). Here’s a pretty interesting one for Japanophiles out there: a list of buzzwords heard in …Read more »
Back in 1970, Osaka hosted the world’s fair, and as anyone who’s read 20th Century Boys knows, Expo ’70 was a giant success that influenced a whole generation of manga and anime creators (not to mention would-be scientists, businesspeople and more). Now Osaka is bidding …Read more »
Cities, prefectures, public facilities—name a place, and it’s more than likely Japan has a mascot for it. There are a reported 1,157 of these mascots, known in Japan as “yuru-kyara,” and they’ve just faced off in a yearly competition. After a hard struggle, Unari-kun, who …Read more »
Have you met the man or woman of your dreams? Is that man or woman… two-dimensional? If you’re looking to get hitched but there’s a slight, well, hitch, one company in Japan has the thing for you. Gatebox, a company that “lets you experience cohabitation …Read more »
Fans looking forward to any TV airings of the live-action Rurouni Kenshin films in the near future might be better off grabbing the DVD. The scandal involving Rurouni Kenshin author Nobuhiko Watsuki, who is facing charges for possession of child pornography, has stopped the serialization …Read more »
In anticipation of the upcoming Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Japan’s TV Asahi held a night of Godzillabrations November 12. While the main event was a screening of Shin Godzilla, the network also held what it dubbed the Godzilla General Election. 10,000 fans from around …Read more »
Joseph Luster
Matt Schley
Julian Gnam
