Author Archives: philipbrasor

Media Mix, Mar. 20, 2011

Posted on March 20, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is ostensibly about Japanese commercial TV coverage of the disaster, though it mainly addresses the lack of debate surrounding Japan’s nuclear energy policy. As I say near the end, now is not the time … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Mar. 6, 2011

Posted on March 6, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is a survey of recent news stories related to the issue of illegitimate children, a term that has mostly been abandoned in the West since it bears a negative stigma. “Out-of-wedlock” is more neutral … Continue reading →

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Walking between the raindrops of normalcy with Johnny Depp in Tokyo

Posted on March 5, 2011 by philipbrasor

Say what you will about Johnny Depp’s privileges as one of the biggest movie stars in the world, the guy doesn’t take them for granted. Though he’s made blockbusters, he’s made them on his own terms because he doesn’t seem … Continue reading →

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March 2011 movies

Posted on March 3, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here are the movie reviews I wrote for the March 2011 issue of EL Magazine. The films are being released in Tokyo between the end of February and the middle of March. Amazing Grace Old-fashioned in its determination to provide … Continue reading →

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March 2011 albums

Posted on February 27, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here are the albums I reviewed for the Mar. issue of EL Magazine, which came out last Friday. Also, be sure to check out the new EL website at http://elbuzz.tv. Hotel Shampoo -Gruff Rhys (Ovni/Hostess) Jonny (PIAS/Hostess) By rights the … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 27, 2011

Posted on February 27, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about the increasingly blurry line between content and commercials on TV variety shows. After filing the story I had misgivings about using “Gatchiri Academy” as an example of a show that made use of the … Continue reading →

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Idol Chatter: The Evolution of J-Pop

Posted on February 26, 2011 by philipbrasor

The following article originally appeared in the April-June 1997 issue of Japan Quarterly, a now defunct English-language publication put out by the Asahi Shimbun. For a continuation of the story, there is an article I wrote for The Japan Times … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 20, 2011

Posted on February 20, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about rice and Japan’s consideration of participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would remove the import tariffs that protect Japanese farmers, in particular rice farmers. I plan to post a related article at … Continue reading →

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Keepin’ on: No Age in the age of anything

Posted on February 18, 2011 by philipbrasor

The heady rush that punk delivers is indistinguishable from its hard-fast-short credo, and what emo has drained from the punk experience isn’t so much its native cynicism but rather its performance rigor. Years ago punk cured me of my consumerist … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 13, 2011

Posted on February 13, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about K-pop, specifically the TV Tokyo drama series Urakara starring the Korean girl band Kara. Though I don’t discuss the quality of the show in any detail, readers should be warned that it’s … Continue reading →

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