Category Archives: Uncategorized

Though Clint Eastwood has never officially stated when he plans to retire as a director, it seems to be that he once said something about leaving acting behind, but I may have imagined that. In any event, having entered his … Continue reading →

For the second year in a row I have decided to forego a ten best list, since I didn’t see nearly enough of the movies released in Japan in 2021 to make any sort of authoritative judgment on which were … Continue reading →

Over the past month I’ve read many reviews saying that 2021 was an especially great year for music. Given how much longer it took me to compile the following list, I would tend to agree, but we each approach our … Continue reading →

The Utoro district of Uji city in Kyoto Prefecture holds a great deal of historical significance for Zainichi Koreans, meaning permanent residents of Japan with Korean background. During World War II, the area was home to workers who had been … Continue reading →

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about a Korean documentary I recently saw that explored K-pop fandom from the viewpoint of a real K-pop fan who interrogated her devotion to a certain musician after he was convicted of rape. … Continue reading →

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about the media’s, and the authorities’, attitude toward public protest. Generally speaking, the police see their job as maintaining order rather than safeguarding free speech, so the inconsistency that I describe is perhaps best explained … Continue reading →

Here’s this week’s Media Mix about the LDP’s LGBTQ “understanding” bill that stalled and what it really represented. One implication of the incident is that it’s difficult to legislate people’s opinions and feelings, and that popular culture and media exposure … Continue reading →

Given that this weekend marks the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and that the Chinese government has prohibited any memorial of the incident in Hong Kong for the first time, the opening of Sue Williams’ documentary about pop … Continue reading →