The best kids entertainment is the definitely the kind that parents can enjoy as well. Breakout toddler-oriented music channel Synapusyu treats with truly enjoyable music regardless of age from some major Japanese talent attached.

Chihayafuru: Full Circle brings the franchise back as a TV drama, following new characters drawn into the world of karuta. @aliciahaddick.com gives their review of the legacy sequel to the hit Chihayafuru series.

On December 21, the 21st installment of the M-1 Grand Prix manzai comedy competition took place in Tokyo with duo Takurou winning a long-awaited first prize after years of participation and refining routines.

Kick off your holidays with our final playlist update of 2025! We're capping things off with amazing new tracks from DURDN, Eisei To Karatea, Ichi Takashi, KIRINJI, TEMPLIME & Eiichi Kyo, and VOLTA & ariiol feat. yeil

Maltine Records recent 20th anniversary event at Shibuya's O-East was a wild celebration that brought internet music IRL for a 20 hour party full of energy and a strong sense of community. Patrick St. Michel gives his report!

As a rare major film made by and about trans people in Japan, Blue Boy Trial is a landmark work that reframes a pivotal 1960s legal case. @aliciahaddick.com speaks with director Kasho Iizuka about how it came to life.

New week, new music! Our selection of hand-picked new tracks that deserve your attention from the past week includes 2beef, 7co, abaraya, Regallily, Saori Hayami, and yama!

Akiba Maid War is what happens when you take an anime’s nostalgic take on the early Akihabara culture and throw in a good amount of drama from The Godfather. @thewritersitb.bsky.social gives a rundown on the genre blending series.

Making a visit to Tokyo's popular Mt. Takao? Check out these local spots that can turn your hike into a full day trip with some pre or post-climb relaxation!

From Hikakin to Naniwa Danshi and even Crayon Shin-chan, YouTube FanFest 2025 revealed how the platform has become Japan’s central cultural stage. Patrick St. Michel gives his report on the jam packed event and posits the platform's importance.

The Chatterboxes explores miscommunication between deaf residents and Kurdish immigrants in a changing Japan, blending social insight with sharp comedy. We look at the latest from director Ken Kawai in our monthly film spotlight!

Uncover Racing Lagoon, Square’s forgotten Japan exclusive 1999 street-racing RPG with a unique story and world, killer soundtrack, and era-defining style.

We're back once again with our hand-picked new music selection for your listening pleasure! Check out new tracks from Caeca, HACHI, Inu, sidenerds, Trooper Salute, and uilou!

Swallowtail Butterfly follows young people pushed to the margins as they search for identity, community and a future in a Japan shaped by economic decline. We take a look at one of Shunji Iwai's best films in our latest classic film spotlight.

Shoji Kawamori's Labyrinth is a film that deals with the impact of technology and modern communication on our lives. @aliciahaddick.com speaks with the acclaimed director about his first original feature-length anime film ahead of its January 2026 release.

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