Kick off your week with some hand-picked new music courtesy of our weekly selections. This week's highlights include tracks from AssToro, Laura day romance, Manolia Cacophony, PAS TASTA, SOM4LI, and Yutai Communications!

Blue Boy Trial revisits a 1964 landmark case, focusing on the trans women whose testimonies shaped Japan’s approach to gender and identity for decades. We dive into one of the year's best, and most important films.

The November edition of our recurring selection of stand-out Japanese albums curated by Make Believe Melodies from his weekly newsletter is here, this time featuring new releases from yukiguni, ikea, Daoko, cambelle, and rirugiliyangugili!

m-flo has announced their 10th studio album, alongside their first solo live event in 6 years, to be released in February 2026 with a creative “liminal period” to follow.

Meets the World is a moving look at identity, self-acceptance, and emotional connection that follows three lost souls searching for belonging on the streets of Kabukicho. We look at the film by Daigo Matsui in this month's film spotlight.

As part of their 20th anniversary celebration the iconic and influential Japanese netlabel Maltine Records has released a compilation that embodies their spirit and legacy titled CITY. scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel offers his review of the jam-packed album.

Ryuhei Tamura's latest, COSMOS, sees the mangaka jumping ship to a different publisher and changing his formula following his post-Beelzebub misses. How does it stack up? We give our thoughts.

Mamoru Hosoda's Scarlet is destined to be a blemish on the acclaimed director's body of work. Poor writing, misguided subject matter, and baffling visuals culminate in a total miss. Read on for our full review.

We're back after the holiday weekend in Japan with our weekly round of up excellent new music recommendations! This week featuring: Fuki Kitamura Gekkan Pam kinoue64 ReGLOSS Yuri xiexie

Kick off you week with our selection of fresh new tracks direct from Japan. This week is stacked with new music from: cephalo DE DE MOUSE & namitape YeYan, Ivy & Saggypant Shimba Massage Attack NerdNeko ft. Hatsune Miku Top Secret Man

Grounded performances and striking visuals give “A Pale View of Hills” weight, though it can’t fully capture the source material’s layered ambiguity. @aliciahaddick.com gives their review of Kei Ishikawa's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 1982 novel.

Blonde is a sharp critique of Japan’s strict school rules, conformity, and social change kicked off by a student hair-color protest. @aliciahaddick.com shares their thoughts on Yuichiro Sakashita's Tokyo International Film Fest Audience Award winning film.

Super Psychic Policeman Chojo ended abruptly despite strong sales and fan support, leaving readers puzzled as its unexpected anime adaptation approaches.

Flipper’s Guitar helped define the sound of Shibuya-kei, blending global pop, British indie, and bossa nova into a collage that reshaped ’90s Japanese music. scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel (of make believe melodies) gives a crash course introduction to the iconic Japanese duo.

We're back once again with our weekly new music selections & playlist update! Kick off your week with excellent new tracks from: CUBΣLIC KUROJI Nao Kodama and THE BED ROOM TAPE ODETRASH PAX0 V6

We're back again with our monthly bandcamp spotlight! Check out new releases on the platform from: Gimgigam milkeystain momonesuko RGL callasoiled House Of Tapes Grandma's Garden

Original manga magazines are growing in value and collectibility, as evidenced by a sale of a magazine containing Kentaro Miura's original Berserk prototype for ¥2,000,000 at a recent auction.

What begins as a strange conversation between a dying man and a talking flower becomes a reflection on love, regret, and everything that makes life worth living. Read on for our review of Kazuya Konomoto & Baku Kinoshita's “The Last Blossom”.

Can’t Cry With Your Face redefines the body-swap story as an intimate, emotional exploration of identity, empathy, and what makes us who we are. @aliciahaddick.com gives their impression following its screening at Tokyo International Film Festival.

We're back again with a selection of new Japanese music to start your week off with! Check out fresh new tracks from: Denei to Shonen CQ Dos Monos e5 Lucky Kilimanjaro Situasion Snow Man

Our recurring selection of stand-out Japanese albums curated by Patrick St. Michel from his weekly MAKE BELIEVE MAILER newsletter is back, this time featuring new releases from hardnuts, 4s4ki & DE DE MOUSE, hitsujibungaku, and more!

Labyrinth captures the tension between our digital and real selves, with Shoji Kawamori blending sleek visuals and a simple, if effective, story. @aliciahaddick.com provides their review following its Tokyo International Film Festival screening.

New York's @japansociety.org is hosting acclaimed director Shinichiro Watanabe for a series of talks and film screenings in late November, including a dive into his relationship with Jazz & Hip-Hop music hosted by LeSean Thomas.

Crayon Shin-chan series spinoff Style of Hiroshi Nohara's LUNCH has been embraced by netizens for its immense meme-ability, but behind the jokes is a charming show that celebrates how uplifting a good meal can be.

Released today via Steam, MotionRec has been one of our most anticipated indie games of 2025. Developed by the team at HANDSUM and published by PLAYISM, this fun, creative, and unique puzzle platformer is a title we’re excited to dig into!

🚨New music alert!🚨 We're back once again with our weekly playlist update, this time around featuring tracks from: HARETOKIDOKI Kuromi LIL SOFT TENNIS ft. tofubeats ponderosa may bloom SaToA yeti let you notice

The upcoming Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 adapts the Chainsaw Man creator’s early works into a series of vibrant shorts that reveal both his growth and creative blueprints. @aliciahaddick.com provides a review from their limited theatrical run in Japan

Just in time for her new album “Kabu”, punipunidenki sat down with @mbmelodies.bsky.social on our behalf to discuss the new release, collaborating with other artists, and why physical releases still matter.

Tokyo Game Show proves itself to be an important yearly event for the gaming industry at large in ways that set itself apart from its global contemporaries, and demonstrates the function of these large scale events in a post-E3 world. www.scrmbl.com/post/importa...

We're back with this week's new Japanese music picks and accompanying playlist update! Check out new tracks from: Ako CVLTE Gliiico hardnuts MyM P1nkboy ft. Worldwide Skippa & Yachi

TOWER RECORDS Shibuya is set to undergo a major renovation starting in November to re-imagine the iconic location as a place where fans can experience and engage with their favorite music and pop-culture in new ways.

Egoist is a film that delivers a rare, intimate queer romance in Japan, exploring love, grief, and class through raw emotion and striking performances. @aliciahaddick.com revisits for this month's classic Japanese film showcase.

Yunyun Syndrome!? Rhythm Psychosis is an upcoming rhythm game from Alliance Arts that stood out at TGS with chaotic denpa beats, parasocial storytelling, and presentation that channels the otaku culture that inspired it.

At BitSummit we had the chance to connect with Kakehashi Games @kakehashigames.com co-founder Zach Huntley to talk about how the company helps indie developers bring unique games to Japan’s competitive and evolving market.

We're back from the holiday with our weekly new music picks! Check out excellent new tracks from: maya ongaku Sam is Ohm ft. Rachel & YonYon Satoko Shibata & Elle Teresa ft. Le Makeup Suichu Spica Toaka

The live-action Five Centimeters Per Second dazzles visually but loses the quiet poetry and emotional depth that made Makoto Shinkai’s original timeless. @aliciahaddick.com reviews the new film.

Kizuna AI’s Homecoming reflects on her legacy as the pioneering VTuber, blending melancholy and hope in a mature, genre-spanning pop return. @mbmelodies.bsky.social provides his review.

Square Enix’s KILLER INN blends murder mystery, action, and social deduction in a stylish new live service game tailored for Japan’s streaming scene.

Episode 3 part 2 of This is New PANTY & STOCKING continues the in depth discussion between ☆Taku Takahashi and Yackle about their work on the soundtrack for the series! Don't miss this conclusion to the deep-dive behind the scenes podcast series!

Keishi Otomo’s Hero’s Island is a 3-hour epic set in post-war Okinawa, capturing the anger, loss, and resilience of those living under U.S. occupation. @aliciahaddick.com gives a deep dive in this month's Japanese film spotlight.

Episode 3 of the This is New PANTY & STOCKING podcast focuses on the series’ music with a talk between producer ☆Taku Takahashi and one of his many collaborators, Yackle! Check out part 1 of our approved English translation for insight behind the sounds!

We're back with our weekly new music picks fresh from Japan! This week featuring tracks from: CRCK/LCKS GANMI feat. Ole and tofubeats iScream Mamiya Mani ladepool SUPER★DRAGON

From strange origins to global acclaim, NieR’s 15th anniversary exhibition celebrates Yoko Taro’s haunting, humanistic world. @aliciahaddick.com gives an account of the limited time event.

It's Bandcamp Friday which means it's time once again for our monthly new release roundup! Support great music on the platform from: Takao Robou No Ishi Samuel Smoky Purple Chouchou Kaomozi Records inuha and more!

FFXIV and Monster Hunter unite again! At TGS 2025, Yoshi P, Ryozo Tsujimoto, and Yuya Tokuda discuss their latest collaboration: new quests, raid bosses, and integrated mechanics that respect both worlds while pushing gameplay.

The Nintendo Museum added an art gallery to showcase concept art, design docs, and development history, offering a deeper look at their creative process. @aliciahaddick.com offers their first hand impression of the addition.

This is New PANTY & STOCKING podcast Episode 2, Part 2 digs into the origins of the series and a lot more! Read on for our approved English translation of the discussion between TRIGGER's Hiroyuki Imaishi, and Hiromi Wakabayashi, and ☆Taku Takahashi!

100 Meters blends the sports drama of UOTO's original manga with Kenji Iwaisawa’s directorial artistry, delivering a powerful story of rivalry, growth, and the thrill of the race. @aliciahaddick.com reviews this adrenaline pumping new anime film.

Kick off your week with some new music! Our weekly picks & playlist update this week includes tracks from: Ai Furihata BPM15Q e5 in the blue shirt MFS omeme tenten

Kakegurui hits the stage in Tokyo with a full-blown musical adaptation. Idol power, wild gambles, and over-the-top chaos bring Hyakkaou Academy to life. A three-hour frenzy that proves insanity can sing.