Matt Alt is a localizer of Japanese games and manga. Together with Hiroko Yoda he founded the localization company AltJapan and has authored multiple books on
Japan Station: A Podcast About Japan by JapanKyo.com
Aug 1, 2020 • Subscribe
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“Untamed Kitty”: Misbehaving Hello Kitty Meme Spreads from China to Japan
A new meme in China featuring beloved Sanrio character Hello Kitty has also caught fire - and sparked debate - in Japan.
Matt Alt introduces you to Giga Town
Please enjoy the introduction to "Giga Town: A Guide to Manga Iconography."
J-EN Translations: Chatting About Learning Japanese, Translation & More w. Jenn O'Donnell
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we're talking to Japanese to English translator and podcaster Jenn O'Donnell.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Even if you’re not a Sanrio fan, it’s easy to get pulled into the gentle world of the game, and if you enjoy the cozy exploration experience, this…
“Pop” Culture
This is one seriously deranged offering. This is a very binary show: either you like it a lot or you hate it a lot. You also need to…
Make Believe Bonus: Japanese Pop Culture Report From An American Mall
Surely T-Shirt Stalls Next To A Wetzel's Pretzels Offers Deep Insight
Sanrio shifts from Hello Kitty as she turns 50
Plus: AI anime project creates mascot character; Chinese 2D fandom grows despite sluggish economy; Webtoon Entertainment sets sights on markets abroad; and more
Documentaries on Japanese Pop Culture: “Tokyo Idols”
Publisher: KimStim (USA) Format: Region 1 DVD, NTSC, Japanese Dialogue with English Subtitles Length: 92 minutes Production Date: 2...
Make Believe Bonus: 10 Things To Watch From Japanese Pop Culture In 2025 (NewsPicks)
In: Physical Media, Indie, Escapism
How To Learn About Japanese Culture Through Anime
I was looking through my twitter feed when I suddenly remembered how a lot of people kept telling me that I know so much about Japanese culture and…
Pure TokyoScope PODCAST #55: The Japanese Movies That Made Me! - Matt Alt Edition!
In the latest episode of the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Podcast, author Matt Alt goes nuts and names the top five Japanese movies that blew his mind and opened his…
Pure TokyoScope PODCAST #59: The JAPANESE MUSIC That Made Me - Matt Alt Edition!
Matt Alt and Patrick Macias bring you pop culture info from Japan!
Pure TokyoScope Podcast 99: The Japanese Toys That Made Me! MATT ALT Edition!
Patrick Macias and Matt Alt bring you pop culture from Japan!
HELLO KITTY & Yuru Camp official collaboration
Welcome, all, again. Regular readers will no doubt recognize my love for the Yuru Camp franchise. (And in this case, I actually mean the entire franchise, not just…
When pop culture meets culture war
Dragon Quest III HD-2D and the pitfalls of producing content in a polarized world
Five Years On; Anime Feminist Vs Japanese Pop Culture
Well, as you can see, not a great deal of writing is getting done for this blog. To be honest, I have put the blog on hold for…
Case Closed, After the Rain, Horimiya, Kill la Kill, Ristorante Paradiso
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Sets Sail for Nintendo Switch and PC on January 30, 2025
Hello Kitty Island Adventure expands its reach! Discover the cozy life sim game coming to Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam in January 2025.
Hello Kitty (Sanrio) x CLAMP collaboration announced
In celebration of Sanrio’s Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary, a collaboration with CLAMP has been announced! CLAMP will provide an original design for Hello Kitty that will be announced…
HELLO KITTY X Yuru Camp Collab, episode 2
Welcome, all, again. As promised, it’s here–the second installment of the HELLO KITTY and Yuru Camp collaboration. I won’t even bother showing it on this post due to…
“Hello Kitty Island Adventure” Launches on July 28
Hello Kitty Island Adventure, a cozy, life-sim game! Join forces with Hello Kitty to restore cuteness to a desolate theme park and restore former glory; Create the ultimate…
Pure TokyoScope PODCAST #73: Japanese Pop Culture Strikes Back! Earthquakes! Airplane!
Patrick Macias and Matt Alt bring you pop culture from Japan
10 Ways to Say Hello in Japanese
One of the first things you're taught when learning Japanese is "konnichiwa", or "hello", but there's many ways to greet people in Japanese.
Reinventing A Medium: What American Pop Culture Can Learn From Manga
Joshua Pantalleresco examines the world of manga, and how the western pop culture industries could learn from its perennial successes.
Resellers Turn Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary Exhibit into Chaos
A new exhibit honoring Hello Kitty on her 50th anniversary devolved into chaos in Tokyo thanks to resellers looking to make a fast buck.
Loli Pop Culture: The great divide
Twice now I've been called on my labeling of anime characters as lolis, when I thought I was near-certain that they were. And aside from l...
Kodomo no Jikan, OZ, Shakugan no Shana, Shuffle!, Cardcaptor Sakura
Fan Content and Pop Culture References
The Impact of Akira on pop culture is still noticeable today in many different forms. One of the most notable has to be Kanye West’s official music video,…
Yuji Dreams of Noodles: Chatting About Ramen, Fish & Osakana w. Restaurant Owner & Fish Expert Yuji Haraguchi
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Yuji Haraguchi--owner of multiple Japanese restaurants and the Osakana fish market in Brooklyn, New York--talks
Someone Is Missing from the Yu-Gi-Oh! x Hello Kitty McDonald’s Happy Meal Promo
At last, the long-awaited Yu-Gi-Oh! x Hello Kitty and Friends McDonald’s Happy Meal has touched down in the United States. Yu-Gi-Oh! fans of all ages can visit their…
Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary (Sanrio) x CLAMP collaboration: design revealed!
CLAMP’s design for Sanrio’s Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary has been announced! © CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / 講談社 © CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / 講談社 Turns out it’s a d…
3rd (& final) installment of HELLO KITTY X Yuru Camp Collaboration
Welcome, all, again. Here is the third and final installment of the HELLO KITTY X Yuru Camp collab, set at Shibire Lake (from ep 7 of Yuru Camp). …
From YouTube to Oxford: Discussing Japanese, Gendered Speech & More w. YouTuber MissHanake (Hannah Kentridge)
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we're joined by Hannah Kentridge of the popular YouTube channel MissHanake.
[REVIEW] Japanese Culture through Videogames
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Anime Witches in Japanese Culture
In anime witches are often depicted as Magical Girls who wear cute outfits and own cats. Could the origins of their power be something more sinister?
Anime is Not Japanese Culture
The other day I stumbled across various YouTube videos of people who felt like they were “becoming Japanese” because of their increasing love for sushi, anime, manga, and…
A Wonderful Mess: About the Japanese Writing System w. Dr. Wes Robertson
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Dr. Wes Robertson stops by to talk about the wonderful mess that is the Japanese writing system.
Film Festival Week Day 2: Hello Kitty no London ni Orita Uchuujin
It’s about time I looked at this franchise. It’s one of the most famous and enduring media franchises out there. It also happens to star my favourite voice…
Pure TokyoScope PODCAST #63: 2023 is 1973! The Oil Shock's Impact on Japanese Pop Culture!
Matt Alt and Patrick Macias bring you pop culture from Japan
The Revolution Will Be Japanified: Pure Invention and the Multifaceted Influence of Japanese Pop Culture
My daughter has a plush octopus named Veronica. Veronica, a Squishmallow brand toy, came with her name, as well as a stated interest in pretzels, reading, and having…
Venturing to the Theme Parks of Awaji Island: Hello Kitty Smile & Naruto x Boruto Shinobi-zato
The great Hokage watch over Awaji Island. After we had a fantastic stay in Kobe visiting Rokko Island, Chinatown, and Harborland, we decided to take a road trip…
Weekly Round-Up, 26 July – 1 August 2023: “Open to Interpretation,” Josei Marketing, and Hello Kitty
AniFem Round-Up The Problem with Problematic Creators Musing on how one finds the often very personal line when the harm a creator does outweighs the good of their…
Yu-Gi-Oh! x Hello Kitty McDonald’s Happy Meal Promo Comes to 55 Countries, Including US
Konami announced today a global collaboration between Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sanrio — the lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty — at McDonald’s restaurants in 55 countries, including …
How to speak Japanese naturally w/ contractions #1 てる
Learn Japanese with Yuta: https://bit.ly/3hyXcYh Support me on Patreon: https://goo.gl/aiWNd5 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThatYuta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatyuta/ Facebook: https://bit.ly/381qpHS Blog: http://www.yutaaoki.com/blog/
King Yama And Japanese Popular Culture
I was watching Ultraman Taro when a kaiju, Enmargo, appeared that caught my attention. Bearing a sword and shield, his crown adorned with the kanji for King and…
Japanese Culture Events in Texas 2024
Calendar of upcoming Japanese concerts, anime conventions, food festivals, performances, and other events in Texas.
Ainu Culture in Japanese Colonial Photography
Colonialist photography has a complicated and chequered history in Japan. With the surface intention of demonstrating Japan’s anthropological prowess to the rest of the world, it also served…
Books on Japanese Culture and Society
This past semester I taught a class on Japanese science fiction and fantasy, and I was surprised by how interested my students were in learning more about the…
Say hello to Maria!
When Yakeno Yahachi, better known to his friends as “Yakeppachi” (i.e. “desperate”), has ectoplasm seep out of his nose, he does what any normal teenage boy would do…
Say hello to Maria!
When Yakeno Yahachi, better known to his friends as “Yakeppachi” (i.e. “desperate”), has ectoplasm seep out of his nose, he does what any normal teenage boy would do…
A Summer of Japanese Pop Princesses
This past weekend I attended the Miku Expo 2018 to see Hatsune Miku perform at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The month before, I saw Kyary Pamyu Pamyu at the…
