Japanese actress-turned-producer MEGUMI has signed a multi-year exclusive deal with Netflix after her debut unscripted show "Badly in Love," a dating reality series built around Japan's yankee subculture, ranked No. 8 on Netflix's global charts. Explore how Japan's raw storytelling is captivating audiences worldwide.
In May 2026, "Zipangu," the largest Japanese-only music festival ever held on U.S. soil, brought Ado, Atarashii Gakko!, Chanmina, HANA, MAN WITH A MISSION, Yuki Chiba, and 10-FEET to a 35,000-capacity venue near the Rose Bowl in LA. Following K-pop's KCON model, J-pop is now building its own global showcase infrastructure. We explore what this historic event means for J-pop's international expansion.
Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto and Tatsuya Imai all crossed the Pacific for the 2026 MLB season. Japan's most passionate and fickle online baseball community, "NanJ," made bold pre-season predictions for all three. Here they are, side by side with the actual numbers as of July 2026.
15 shows across five domes. About 490,000 fans. A new song called "Five", once a candidate for the group's name. The Kōhaku farewell that never was. And on May 31, 2026, at Tokyo Dome, ARASHI will close their 27-year story with their own hands. What they leave behind, what lives on, and the question they ask every fan. The final part of a 5-part series.
After the hiatus, five men walked separate paths — marriage, fatherhood, a samurai epic, an art-filled island retreat. Then came a company called "ARASHI Inc.," eighteen months of secret talks, and one video on May 6, 2025, where Ohno Satoshi showed his face for the first time in 1,587 days. Part 4 of a 5-part series.
Billboard Japan's "2025 Global Data Digest" analyzes Japanese music streaming data across 200+ countries. With J-POP holding a 2.52% global share (ranked 9th), the 71-page report examines how artists like Kenshi Yonezu and Creepy Nuts are breaking through internationally, the impact of anime tie-ups, and how world tours drive streaming numbers in different regions.
Multiple Spring 2026 anime have been delayed, yet Japanese fans are surprisingly optimistic. "Though I Am an Inept Villainess" now premieres in July, perfectly matching the story's timeline, while fans of "The Reincarnated Great Saint Hides Her Status" welcome the chance for higher quality. We explore the industry-wide labor shortage behind the delay trend.
Creator Shun Umezawa reveals the fascinating backstory behind Darwin's Incident characters. Discover how Billie Eilish's "bad guy" MV influenced Lucy's design, the philosophical origins of Charlie the Humanzee, and behind-the-scenes casting stories from the hit anime adaptation.
The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics has introduced FPV drone cameras for the first time in Olympic history. These 100mph first-person-view drones deliver breathtaking footage that makes viewers feel like they're racing alongside athletes, but the high-pitched buzzing has drawn comparisons to the 2010 World Cup vuvuzelas. Here's how Japan and the world are reacting to this broadcasting revolution.
Cubs GM reveals Shota Imanaga's WBC 2026 absence was a team-driven decision. While Imanaga wanted to play for Japan, the Cubs prioritized spring training. Explore how MLB teams shape Samurai Japan's roster and the impact on Japan's pitching staff.
Netflix's live-action ONE PIECE Season 2 drops its official trailer. Creator Eiichiro Oda promises to "destroy expectations," as the full Straw Hat crew makes their first-ever official visit to Japan. Season 2 premieres March 10, 2026 with fan events across 13 global cities.