Television
Cruel and Unusual Japanese Pranks and Game Shows 08.08.11

These brutal Japanese game shows and pranks show no mercy on their contestants and unsuspecting victims. While you can’t help but feel sorry for these prank victims, you also can’t help but laugh a little. These clips are hilarious and … READ MORE
Another Anime Expo 2011 recap, this time with more cosplay 07.29.11

The Anime Expo may have taken place a few weekends ago, but news pieces discussing the weekend’s events continue to be published on a daily basis. The San Fernando Sun, a local paper covering the San Fernando Valley in Southern … READ MORE
This Chinese cartoon looks a lot like this other Japanese one… 07.22.11

If you want to get away with bootlegging something, at least give your version some type of originality… A new, upcoming Chinese television show named Train Hero has more than a few similarities with a late-1990′s Japanese program called Chō Tokkyū … READ MORE
News from Comic-Con: “Afro Samurai” headed to theaters with live-action film 07.21.11

This weekend’s Comic-Con extravaganza in San Diego has only just begun, and already the Internet is being flooded with news and updates. One such update concerns Afro Samurai, the manga series created by Takashi Okazaki, which had an English-language adaptation. … READ MORE
Mito Komon Comes to an End 07.14.11

Mito Komon, one of the longest running Japanese TV jidaigeki or period drama is finally coming to an end with this season. It is the 43rd. It’s been on TV since 1969. It is the story of Mitsukuni Tokugawa, the … READ MORE
David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks”- inspired Japanese coffee ads 07.13.11

David Lynch, the visionary experimental filmmaker known for confusing and captivating films such as Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and Mulholland Drive, also directed some pretty weird coffee commercials for Japan in the early 1990s. The ads were based on his cult … READ MORE
Gantz films to be screened at San Diego Comic-Con 07.13.11

Comic-Con will invade the San Diego Convention Center on July 21-24, when fans of all kinds of different genres of entertainment will convene for a 4-day stretch to attend panels and attend screenings of films and television shows, among countless … READ MORE
“Futurama” going anime for season finale 07.12.11

Futurama, the animated sci-fi comedy created by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, is gearing up for its season finale. As TV Guide reports, this season’s upcoming finale will feature the show being presented in three different animation styles, including anime. The … READ MORE
Should Major League Baseball have a USA vs. Japan All-Star Game? 07.12.11

With this week’s Major League Baseball All Star Game set to take place tonight from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, all eyes in the pro sports world are tuning into the game…or not. Fan interest seems to be waning about … READ MORE
Suntory Rickey cocktails…the key to happiness? 06.14.11

Good luck getting this one out of your head. This is an ad for Suntory Rickey cocktails, which as Adweek details, combine liqueur, spirits and soda with lemon, lime or other fruits that people can crush themselves using a stirrer. … READ MORE
New details about the upcoming “Blade” anime series! 06.07.11

Quite a while ago, we talked about Japanese anime company Madhouse’s line of Marvel-inspired anime series: first they tackled Wolverine, Iron Man and the X-Men, but now they have finally focused their efforts on the fourth edition of the series. … READ MORE
Headbanging Hello Kitty 06.03.11

Here’s a commercial for U-pohs, a used-car retailer in Japan. The ad features cute Hello Kitty headbanging to every “po” in Nezumi Senpai’s song, GIROPPON (slang for Roppongi). This one’s a shorter version with Hello Kitty saying, “Commercials are annoying, … READ MORE
Say hello to TVs that can detect your emotions 06.03.11

Thanks to the work of NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories (STRL) of Japan, your television set might sometime soon watch YOU just as much as you watch it. As TechRadar details, The wizards behind this phenomenon have inserted little cameras … READ MORE