On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast we take a look at the fascinating intersection between Japanese culture, society, and video games. About Dr. Rachael Hutchinson Dr. Rachael Hutchinson is an associate professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Delaware. She has taught classes on Japanese language, film, anime, manga, and …

Japan’s newest heartthrob is a real baaaad boy. Take a look at the roster of just about any Japanese male idol group and nine times out of ten you’ll find an almost interchangeable collection of beautiful boys. However, the Japanese male idol group *ChocoLate Bomb!! is a bit different. While yes, the majority of its members do indeed fit the …

 In this episode of the Japan Station podcast we’re going deep into the world of J-pop with Dr. Capital. Dr. Jonathan Patterson is an Assistant Professor of Popular Music in the Division of Jazz Studies of the University of North Texas College of Music. Also known by the stage name Dr. Capital, he is a composer, singer, guitarist, and …

This music video is located at the intersection of “absurdly silly” and “NSFW.” On Friday (7/26) the gravure idol (swimsuit/lingerie model) and entertainer Yuu Tejima released the full-version of the music video for her hit song “Hamichichi Paparacchi” (literally “Exposed Breast Paparazzi”). Check out the video below. Keep scrolling for more information on the song and Yu Tejima. Tejima’s new …

Caveman chic meets 1990s Tokyo street style. In the 1990s there was a peculiar fashion trend in Japan that resulted in many Japanese girls bleaching their hair, putting on bright colored clothing, and, perhaps most notably, using tanning beds and/or make up to turn their faces and general skin color about as dark as it could get. These girls came …

 The one and only Crystal Kay is the guest today in this very special episode of the Japan Station podcast. A singer, songwriter, and actress, Crystal Kay has been singing for just about as long as she’s been able to speak. In fact, her first credit is at the age of four when she used her vocal talents in …

Who knew you could play Mario with drums? The soundtracks from the 8-bit Super Mario Bros. games contain within them some of the most iconic and instantly-recognizable video game songs ever. As such, countless people have produced all kinds of covers of these songs, so of course, it takes quite a bit to produce a cover that manages to stand out from …

Get ready for the youngest Japanese idol group ever. A mere hour after the highly anticipated press conference in which it was revealed that Reiwa would be the name of Japan’s new Imperial era, Yasushi Akimoto–the creator of Japan’s most popular idol group AKB48–held his own press conference in which he announced the formation of a new idol group composed …

You know it’s spring when you hear idols growling. Derived from haru (spring) and uraraka (bright, beautiful, glorious), haruurara is a Japanese term used to refer to the wonder and beauty of spring. As such, you probably would not expect that a song titled haruurara would feature guttural growls and ear-piercing vocals. However, that’s exactly what you get when you listen …

Sure, you can play the piano. But can you bench press it too? When you see a muscular guy in a tank top showing off his shoulders and biceps, it’s only natural to think “That guy must spend a lot of time in the gym.” And yes, that’s probably true. However, as the old saying goes “You shouldn’t judge a …

Feel the samurai spirit.The fox mask wearing female music group Mahora has released a cover of one of Japanese heavy metal’s most famous and beloved songs.Known for their use of wagakki (traditional Japanese instruments) to perform covers of popular Japanese songs, Mahora has been wowing people for the past couple of years both with their live performances and on their …

Pucker up. In anticipation of the release of their eighth single on January 16, the Japanese female idol group FES☆TIVE has released a music video, which is sure to put many of the group’s fans in a very festive mood. Titled “Yurayurayurari Koigokoro” (very loosely translates to “A Swaying Heart in Love”), the new song is a catchy and energetic …