Anime

After you’ve finished binge-watching your favorite show for the tenth time, you might find yourself wondering about the fashion sensibilities of the best dressed anime characters in it. Did any...

Inspired by one illustration, the remarkable directorial debut from the popular illustrator loundraw blends together his lush visual sensibility with a supernatural coming-of-age drama about the poignant struggles of growing...

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (or Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana o Kazarō; literal translation ‘Let's Decorate the Promised Flowers in the Morning of Farewells’) is a...

From jumping back to the past to starting in medias res (“in the midst of things”), great narratives have always used time as a key element in storytelling. Time provides...

Japanese comics or Manga cover a wide range of topics, including Shounen, Shoujo, sports, music, and many more. If you’ve ever eaten food and thought “I want to see this...

If there is one thing you should know about food in anime, it’s that it always looks amazing and it inspires! Let’s be real, you’ve probably craved a taste of...

The original fairy tale from Hans Christian Andersen (first published in 1837), The Little Mermaid, receives an inventive cultural and temporal retelling in Tetsurō Araki’s new film Bubble. In this...

You’ve no doubt heard of Studio Ghibli and their remarkable movies such as “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. One of the main reasons why people love these movies is...

When most people think of Japanese culture, the first thing that comes to mind is anime.; Is anime enough to properly embody and exhibit the many aspects of a country's...

After almost 30 years since its release, why is Sailor Moon still popular amongst people around the world? Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, or more commonly known as Sailor Moon, is...

Japan has contributed a lot to the world of art and entertainment. In the past few decades, Japanese pop culture has flourished at an exponential rate. Countless Japanese musicians, filmmakers,...

In celebration of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) anime season, we at Japan Nakama are excited to bring you the latest about the incredible slew of anime classics set to...

Makoto Shinkai seems to have nailed the formula for creating legendary masterpieces in the Anime film genre. If you want to see high-quality animation, you can never go wrong with...

The timeless charm of an eighties jazz club, coupled with the smell of vintage cigarettes and wine. Piano keys tinkle softly as soulful trumpets croon in the foreground. These are...

If you watch anime or you are interested in Japanese pop culture, it is likely that you know of the word “kawaii”. This Japanese word is frequently used by Japanese...

Recontextualising history is no new feat for anime filmmakers. Series such as Demon Slayer (2019), produced by Ufotable and based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, taking Japan’s Taishō era,...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away came a franchise loved by men and women of all ages across the world. Spanning multi-award-winning movies, TV series, books,...

One of the most popular animated films of all time, Princess Mononoke explores the delicate balance between nature and human industry, as well as the conflict that arises when both...

Batman: Gotham Knight is a deft exploration of the DC universe’s millionaire crime-fighting vigilante - with a twist. Airing in 2008 as a bridge between Batman Begins and the now-released...

Do you like anime and sneakers? Would you call yourself a sneakerhead? Then this list is definitely for you! We’re counting down the best anime sneaker collaborations, and where to...

“lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to” — Sound familiar? Surely, there are very few people on the internet who haven't seen this recommended video on their Youtube...

Finally, BFI's two-month ANIME season is here to entertain and captivate all of us anime enthusiasts and newbies alike. From March 28 through May 31, 2022, the British Film Institute's...

Like a Studio Ghibli film gone rogue, “Akira” (1988) is a Japanese animated sci-fi thriller that's a wonder to watch. With its visually stunning animations, awesome world-building, and intense action;...

In Mamoru Hosoda's inventive take on the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, a tale as old as time gets a futuristic retelling. The newest feature film by director Mamoru...

We had the pleasure of speaking with visual artist Akiko. We sat down with her to learn more about her creative process, as well as what inspires and drives her....

2022 marks 36 years since Studio Ghibli was first founded on June 15, 1986. Since then, the studio has gained accolade after accolade in the realm of animation, setting the...

While we love to indulge ourselves with tasty treats from time to time, there’s just something about anime food that makes our mouths water and our tummies rumble. Even after...

Cyberpunk and anime: an artistic mashup that has led to some of the most elaborate depictions of dystopia in the medium’s century-spanning history. From the early works of Osamu Tezuka...

One commonality among most Cyberpunk anime is the unique world-building that different premises are built on. Regardless of if the story is about politics, power, or relationships, the main appeal...

From Kamisama Kiss’ Tomoe to Spirited Away’s No-Face, and even Genshin Impact’s Yae Miko and Kujou Sara, these beloved characters all have one thing in common: they are reimagined portrayals...

Hollywood is known to rip off stories, but when it comes to Japanese cinema, it's in a league of its own. Japan has given Hollywood some of the best movies...

It has gotten harder and harder to create a fresh and new anime each year that passes. Given that around 50 shows air every quarter, rehashes and cliches are aplenty,...

The Cyberpunk genre is a classic, and since its humble beginnings, has evolved into an always compelling inspiration for anime. Western and Japanese cyberpunk artists, alike, have each offered their...

Everyone has heard of Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda. Even non-gamers are familiar with Mario and Pokemon. All of these well-known games are such cultural institutions that if...

“The Matrix” is a visually stunning cyber adventure packed with explosive energy. It portrays a dystopian future in which humanity is inadvertently imprisoned within the Matrix, a virtual world designed...

Lofi beats — the music genre associated with chill and relaxing sounds that make you want to sit down and work on your tasks as its downtempo and chillhop beats...

The magic behind the JRPG, or Japanese role-playing game, is its ability to transport players from real life to the colorful and vibrant world of anime. With the genre’s blend...

Live-action anime adaptations have seemingly always been criticized in their efforts to replicate their source material. Most would argue that anime is simply just better suited for animation. From the...

After the success of Perfect Blue, the question on everyone's mind was “why doesn’t Satoshi Kon make a live action film?”. A question that was thrown at him tirelessly, and...

MilkTea, a screening label specialising in East and Southeast Asian films, will offer a trio of Japanese family films in December that will showcase families of all shapes and sizes as...

Japan’s influence is no stranger to the metaverse, where it has ingrained itself in the dizzying world of NFTs. And now, the next generation of gaming has elevated NFTs and...

Anime streetwear collabs are all the rage, and here are the brands leading the charge (plus, an honorable mention--stick around to find out more!) Streetwear and anime have long been...

If you can’t decide on an anime to watch next or to add to your watch list, you might want to consider checking out My Hero Academia. Boku No Hero...

Surely, you’ve heard of lo-fi hip-hop since it seems to be everywhere nowadays — in cafés, on Spotify, radio streams, and YouTube. No wonder it’s so popular; its chill beats,...

NFTs are some of the biggest trends to grace the metaverse this year. While they’ve been around for years, the frenzy over online collectables took off when an artist, Beeple,...

Learning Japanese is a journey. A multi-destination, cross-continental, fifteen-hour layover – including a half day travel by car – adventure. Oh, and to a different time zone too. Suffice to...

What do the famously hard-working Japanese salarymen do after a long day of work? Sing karaoke, of course! While some go to the izakaya (bar) and have a drink, nothing...

Introduction As you watch your twentieth slice-of-life Anime series – walls covered in posters of all your favorite waifus – Do you ever wonder what it takes to really grasp...

Cryptocurrency has been all the rave for the past year. Even the far corners of the world aren’t immune to its influence, sparking conversations over Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain, and NFTs....

We're thrilled to announce BFI: Japan 2021, the UK's largest Japanese film festival. Film screenings were postponed last Autumn 2020 due to COVID, so we're overjoyed to watch some of the best...

Lo-fi beats have been getting more love these days. Whether you're listening to them on a sunny, rainy, or cloudy day, you're guaranteed to stay chill, productive, and focused alongside...

Few things are constant in this world: change, scientific laws, and people wanting to wear clothing with their favorite characters on it! It’s the easiest way to show your love...

David Watts Barton, award-winning writer, editor, musician, and author of the recently published book Japan from Anime to Zen, joined us for a chat. David's book provides all those intrigued...

Historical fiction has always had a tricky role to play. First and foremost, it must be a historically accurate portrayal of the time period; otherwise, you risk offending those who...

Satoshi Kon is regarded as one of the most groundbreaking and influential directors who ever set foot in the industry of animation and, to a larger extent, cinema. He only...

1. Kawaii culture 2. Anime Cosplayers 3. Gyaru and Ganguro 4. Nanchatte Seifuku 5. Kimono DanceOn TikTok, creativity reigns supreme! This makes it the ideal platform for unique subcultures to...

We can all agree that Hayao Miyazaki's films are magnificent works of cinematic art. However, Studio Ghibli's beautiful aesthetics are truly complemented by the rhapsodic music that accompanies them, helping...

What Are NFT's Anime Coin: The World’s First Completely Decentralized Digital Art Platform AnimeCoin: For anime content creators Anime Coin: For Anime Fans With NFT’s (or non-fungible tokens) being the...

Japanese music has, whether you’re aware of it or not, had a huge influence on culture and music worldwide.  From the underground scene that emerged post-war in the 20th century,...

Face masks have seen an impact on global fashion trends as a result of Covid 19. Anime masks are now becoming an essential accessory for showcasing style while remaining virus-free...

Over the years, the popularity of ‘Anime Subscription Boxes’ has boomed. Combining monthly subscriptions for Anime fans is a great way to express their loyalty as part of the Anime...

Italian shoe and sportswear brand FILA has struck a cool collaboration with Radio Eva (apparel outlet of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise) - resulting in a fresh Neon Genesis Evangelion...

It's no secret Japan goes crazy for anime and manga, no matter the genre or theme. Classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Your Name, and Castle in the Sky...

With COVID-19 encouraging us to hibernate inside and unleash our introverted side, we now have more time than ever to watch anime online. Anime (animated Japanese cartoons) is an obsession....

If you have ever watched a piece of media before, you will likely have had to sit through an intro sequence of sorts.  Let’s take Friends as an example. How are...

We all love anime. Some of us pride ourselves on watching the most obscure shows imaginable. The more obscure, the truer the fan that you are so to speak. However,...

With an endless array of captivating cinema dating back to 1894, Japanese films make up one of the largest, oldest, and universally admired film industries in the world. Luckily for...

Ever wondered what Ponyo's favourite noodle dish tasted like? Ever thought what Pikachu was snacking on from Brock’s satchel? Ever wanted to try the variety of cute-looking dishes in Studio...

Whether you like to unwind in front of a Studio Ghibli film, lose yourself in the fantastical worlds of Haruki Murakami’s novels, or gobble up succulent sushi until your bank...

The rainy Sunday before Monday... how boring! Don't worry, if you're looking for some anime series to watch, we got you covered. Check out our 7 Jaw-Dropping Anime to watch...

Hyper Japan is back to break through the winter chills with steaming ramen, live music, and soul-warming Japanese tea. In the build-up to London's largest Japanese convention, I've picked out...

The critically acclaimed book, Mangasia, has begun its five-year world tour. So we sat down with its creator, Paul Gravett. Having started its journey at the Palazzo Delle Esposizioni in...

Who is Hello Kitty? An adorably innocent cartoon character? A symbol of female oppression? Or, alternatively, a feminist icon? It’s nearing five decades since her debut appearance on a vinyl...

The Japan Nakama team went down to Granary Square in Kings Cross this week to check out the acclaimed House of Illustration exhibition Anime Architecture: Backgrounds of Japan. Remember the Ghost...

Meet Hikari Azuma, a holographic Artificial Intelligence Gatebox. Recently arriving on the scene to uniquely rival (Dominate) other Gateboxes such as Amazon Echo, Alexa, and even China’s new “LingLong DingDong”...

We all have our favourite moments in Anime! They make us laugh, they make us cry, they make us want to go get out and do something! Anime shows can...