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July 26, 2026
 

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CULTURE

TV & Streaming

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The bittersweet nostalgia of the first season of ¡®Vivant¡¯
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
The bittersweet nostalgia of the first season of ¡®Vivant¡¯
Taking place in a version of Japan that espouses tolerance and acceptance, the espionage drama¡¯s first season feels increasingly at odds with today¡¯s reality.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
How ¡®The Solitary Gourmet¡¯ became one of Japan¡¯s most enduring TV hits
The understated TV series has won devoted fans by celebrating Japan¡¯s neighborhood eateries and the quiet pleasures of dining alone.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
The beating heart inside ¡®Human Vapor¡¯
Director Shinzo Katayama and actor Shun Oguri discuss the cross-cultural collaboration behind Netflix¡¯s ¡°Human Vapor.¡±
The actor known as Uta stars as the eponymous antagonist in Netflix¡¯s ¡°Human Vapor¡± limited series, adapted from a classic 1960 sci-fi film.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jul 3, 2026
¡®Human Vapor¡¯ brings blockbuster energy to the small screen
By James Hadfield
Striking visuals and solid performances make the Netflix limited-series adaptation of a classic 1960 sci-fi movie well worth a watch.
Shota Sometani (left) and Masaki Okada play brothers on a quest for vengeance in the TBS detective drama ¡°Tagusari Bros.¡±
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jun 20, 2026
¡®Tagusari Bros.¡¯ searches for the meaning of justice
By Gabriella Geisinger
Themes of vengeance and closure are nothing new in the world of crime dramas, but few tackle them with the emotional nuance of TBS¡¯ ¡°Tagusari Bros.¡±
Detective Aki Suzumiya (Anne Watanabe) teams up with Finnish counterpart Jon Laine (Jasper Paakkonen) in a gritty drama that spans geography and time.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 23, 2026
Nordic noir meets Japanese occult in ¡®Blood and Sweat¡¯
By Gabriella Geisinger
The Finnish-Japanese coproduction evolves from a classic detective drama into a fun, pulpy thriller, blending Japan¡¯s folklore with sharp plotting.
Netflix limited series ¡°Soul Mate¡± stars Hayato Isomura (right) and Ok Taec-yeon as two men whose friendship unfolds from a chance encounter in Berlin.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 21, 2026
¡®Soul Mate¡¯ reaches for pathos but remains hollow
By Mike Fu
With a globe-spanning story and plenty of melodrama, Netflix¡¯s queer-themed limited series ultimately falters under the weight of its own ambiguity.
Season Two of ¡°Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡± raises the stakes with bigger creature battles and expanding Monsterverse lore.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 7, 2026
¡®Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡¯ loses its human touch in sprawling second season
By Gabriella Geisinger
The Apple TV series lets bloated and unwieldy storytelling overwhelm the sharp character work that once set it apart.
Erika Toda brings force but limited nuance to her portrayal of Kazuko Hosoki in "Straight to Hell."
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Apr 28, 2026
¡®Straight to Hell¡¯ gets stuck in purgatory
By James Hadfield
Lies and lurid twists stack up in Netflix¡¯s take on fortune teller Kazuko Hosoki, but when it reaches her empire and influence, the story feels rushed and insight runs thin.
Fans gather at a Netflix-sponsored World Baseball Classic event at Tokyo Skytree on March 6.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 26, 2026
The WBC was a hit in Japan. Watching it wasn¡¯t.
By Gabriella Geisinger
Netflix¡¯s WBC streaming push included ¡°Hometown Hero¡± viewings, but many fans in Japan still lacked easy access to games.

Japan to set up expert working group on accepting foreign nationals
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (second from left) addresses a meeting of ministers responsible for policies concerning foreign residents, held at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Japanese shoppers drive up jewelry sales to a record
The Mitsukoshi department store in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, Japan¡¯s largest department store operator, saw jewelry and watches continue to lead domestic sales, according to a company spokesperson.
Former head of Japanese barbecue chain arrested over tax evasion
The 55-year-old former president of New Look, who goes by the name Shigenori Kanemoto, is suspected of evading some ?367 million in income tax by concealing about ?2.276 billion in income in 2023.
Kozo Okamoto, last surviving participant of 1972 Lod Airport massacre, dies
Kozo Okamoto attends a ceremony organized by Palestinian militants to mark the 50th anniversary of the Lod Airport attack in Beirut on May 30, 2022.
Japan to set up expert working group on accepting foreign nationals
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (second from left) addresses a meeting of ministers responsible for policies concerning foreign residents, held at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
Inside Toho Archive¡¯s mission to save Japan¡¯s cinematic memory
The goal of restoration is not to artificially upscale but to return the film to the condition it was in ¡°the very first day it appeared in the world,¡± says Nobushige Toshima, president and sales division manager of Toho Archive.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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