The Game Preservation Society, a Japanese NPO dedicated to archiving retro games, marks its 15th year with an in-depth interview with President Joseph Redon. From battling mold on 1980s floppy disks to navigating legal gray zones around preserving mobile phone games, the organization races against time to digitize 18,000 titles before they're lost forever. With over 60% of supporters now from overseas, Japan's gaming heritage is gaining global recognition—but funding and manpower remain critical challenges.
ONE OK ROCK's 'Wherever you are' has charted for 228 weeks on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100 — roughly 4.5 years. Originally a deep cut from their 2010 album, the ballad became Japan's most beloved wedding song after a TV commercial boosted its popularity. With 400M+ streams and 536 consecutive weeks in the streaming top 300, it's an extraordinary long-hit story. What's your favorite ONE OK ROCK song?
Vocaloid producer Rusino's 'Loop the Room (feat. Hatsune Miku)' has topped the Billboard Japan Songs chart in the US while entering the top 10 in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Fueled by a viral TikTok looping trend, the track proves Hatsune Miku's global relevance in 2026 and highlights how deeply Vocaloid culture has penetrated international audiences.
JESU's 'Japan Esports White Paper 2025' reveals the domestic market reached an estimated $105M in 2024, projected to surpass $130M by 2026. With back-to-back Japanese winners at Capcom Cup and a fighting game-centric ecosystem, Japan's esports scene charts its own course.
Eureka Seven turned 20. Three key staff members all making their debut, the origin stories of Mamoru Miyano and Ami Koshimizu, and proof that the Itano Circus works without missiles: five reasons to watch this underrated 2005 series, backed by the creators' own anniversary comments.
Kojima Ao's 'Hon Nara Uru Hodo', a gentle human drama set in a used bookshop, won the Manga Taisho 2026, Japan's most influential bookstore-selected manga prize, then took the Manga Grand Prize at the 30th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in April. Inside the award sweep, and whether it can travel.
Storm Labels, the music arm of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, opened its first official online store on April 1, 2026, with international shipping and support for 5 languages. Over 700 titles from Arashi, SUPER EIGHT, Hey! Say! JUMP and others are available, a shift for overseas fans who previously relied on proxy services.
Hands-on report from the Pokémon Champions preview event, held ahead of its April 8 launch. The removal of IVs, PP adjustments, Mega Dragonite's Multiscale, Mega Froslass's Snow Warning, and producer Hoshino's plan to preserve Pokémon battles forever.
Hong Kong hedge fund Oasis Management has raised its KADOKAWA stake to 10%, matching Sony as a top shareholder. With Oasis also targeting Nidec over accounting fraud and ValueAct boosting its MoneyForward stake to 14.39%, activist investing in Japan is surging. We analyze the forces driving this wave and what it means for investors.
In 2026, Fujii Kaze and Creepy Nuts play Coachella, YOASOBI and Ado join Lollapalooza, and the first-ever Zipangu festival in LA showcases Ado, HANA, CHANMINA, and 10-FEET. A deep dive into how Japanese music is making its biggest mark yet on the American festival scene.
Indie studio GAZE IN GAMES' cat rescue simulator 'Cat Parents' surpassed 100,000 Steam wishlists in just 3 days after its announcement. We explore the global boom in cozy cat games and how Japan's deep cat culture connects to this viral phenomenon.
