Kitano Takeshi is back, movie lovers, and you better cover up that little pinky because he’s liable to chop it the f*ck right off. That’s right, he’s dusted down the black Mercedes and the...
For those who have been living under a rock (or worse, been offline), the world is supposed to end today. More accurately, a group of fringe evangelical Christians in California led by Harold...
After nearly 20 years in the business, Shonen Knife are still neither bored nor boring. The punk/pop band from Osaka has always been a trio, but there have been quite a few lineup changes over the...
After 10 years in the business, Japan’s Red Bacteria Vacuum is a perfect example of how to do women in punk the right way. Powerful without being over the top about it, by turns aggressive and fun,...
Though many of us did not notice, April 9, 2010 was a historic day for humankind. When the shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station, three women, Naoko Yamazaki, Stephanie...
Polysics are Japan’s answer to Devo. Weird, experimental, blending elements of pop, punk, rock, and New Wave into a stew that’s definitively Polysics, they’re fun and totally unique. With...
Toshiya, bassist for Japanese alt rock phenomenon Dir en grey, isn’t interviewed very often, but we got a chance to catch up with him during their recent American tour and found him smart,...
Mark Farnsworth is currently reviewing selected films from the London Film Festival. Osamu Tezuka’s classic manga strip “Astro Boy” has just received a bubblegum and lipstick makeover in David...
After 17 years together, Tokyo-based alterna rock band Noodles are still going strong. Kirsty Evans sat down with them during their latest trip to the USA as part of the Japan Nite tour to talk about...
Hayao Miyazaki’s "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" is another perfect illustration of why he may well be the most quietly influential feminist filmmaker out there right now. Unlike previous works...