Japanorama

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Japanorama

Japanorama is a series of documentaries

Documentary film

Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to "document" reality. Although "documentary film" originally referred to movies shot on film stock, it has subsequently expanded to include video and new media productions that can be either direct-to-video or made for a televis...
presented by Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court...
, exploring various facets of popular culture and trends of modern-day Japan

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
.

Each episode of Japanorama has a theme, around which Jonathan Ross presents cultural phenomena, films, music, and art that exemplify facets of Japan. The series is colorful in both its creative use of subject matter, and its use of bright colors that helps accent the action on screen rather than distract from it.

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Japanorama'

Start a new discussion about 'Japanorama'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

Japanorama is a series of documentaries

Documentary film

Jonathan Ross

Japan

Junko Mizuno

is a Japanese people manga artist.Mizuno's drawing style, which mixes childish sweetness and cuteness with blood and terror has been termed a Anime and manga terminology or Cuteness in Japanese culture noir style....
. Ross hosts each episode in suits so bright and stylised they could have been stolen from an anime

Anime

is animation in Japan and considered to be "Japanese animation" in the rest of the world. Anime dates from about 1917.Anime, in addition to manga , is extremely popular in Japan and well known throughout the world....
character.

Fans have credited the series for the care that both Ross and the BBC have placed in its production. Time was given to delve into each subject, and Ross was able to interview various figureheads of culture and industry, including Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki

is a prominent filmmaker of many popular animated feature films. He is also the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, an animation studio and production company....
, Mamoru Oshii

Mamoru Oshii

Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling. Presently, Oshii lives in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan with his dogs – a basset hound named Gabriel and a Mixed-breed dog named Daniel ....
, Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami

, is a prolific Contemporary art Japanese artist who works in both fine arts media, such as painting, as well as Digital media and commercial media. He blurs the boundaries between high culture and low culture....
, Takashi Miike

Takashi Miike

is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991....
, and Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano

is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, Painting, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic film work....
.

The theme song of the show is Kiyoshi no zundoko bushi by Kiyoshi Hikawa

Kiyoshi Hikawa

is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977 in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. His real name and he is known as "The Prince of Enka" due to his young age and popularity....
.

Series and episodes

Japanorama consists of three series, each with six episodes. The first series was shown on BBC Choice

BBC Choice

BBC Choice was a TV station from the BBC, which launched on 23 September 1998. It was the first United Kingdom TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format....
in 2002

2002 in television

The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002-03 United States network television schedule....
, while series two and three were shown on BBC Three

BBC Three

BBC Three is a television channel from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, Freeview , IPTV and Satellite television platforms. The channel is described by the BBC as an outlet for 'New drama, talent, comedy, films, and accessible news'....
in 2006

2006 in television

The year 2006 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2006.For the American TV schedule, see: 2006-07 United States network television schedule....
and 2007

2007 in television

The year 2007 in television involves some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2007....
respectively.

Series 1

Title	Episode	First aired
Science Fiction Science fiction Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theatre, and other media....	001	June 9, 2002
Segments include:	TV: Ultraman Ultraman is a fictional character featured in tokusatsu, or "special effects" television programs in Japan. Ultraman made his debut in the tokusatsu science fiction/kaiju/superhero TV series, Ultra Q: Ultraman: Special Effects Fantasy Series, a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q.... and interview with the director Film: Tetsuo: The Iron Man Tetsuo: The Iron Man *Tetsuo: The Iron Man* is a 1989 in film Japanese Cyberpunk film by cult-film director Shinya Tsukamoto. This, his third film, is an extremely graphic but also strikingly-filmed fantasy shot in the same low-budget, Underground culture-production style as his first two films.... (1988) and interview with director Shinya Tsukamoto Shinya Tsukamoto is a Japanese film director and actor with a considerable cult following both domestically and abroad.... Video games: Interview with the CEO of UGA Etiquette: How to enter a room Anime: Astro Boy (1963), and Akira Akira (film) is a 1988 in film anime film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo based on Akira of the same name. The film is set in a neon-lit Tokyo in 2019.... (1988) Film: Ghost in the Shell Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese people cyberpunk manga created by Masamune Shirow, and first published in 1989 in Young Magazine. A collected edition was released in 1991; a sequel, Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface, was released in 2002; and a serialized manga, Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor, was released in 2003, which contain... , Avalon and interview with director Mamoru Oshii Mamoru Oshii Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling. Presently, Oshii lives in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan with his dogs – a basset hound named Gabriel and a Mixed-breed dog named Daniel .... Culture: Robot Japanese robotics While robots often elicit ambivalent reactions in the west, because of the not-so-distant possibility that the technology may play an integral role in the future due to a quickly aging, large generation of baby boomers in Japan, Japanese society generally shows a high enthusiasm for all kinds of robots.... pets and robot people Film: I.K.U. I.K.U. *I.K.U.* is a 2001 in film independent film directed by Taiwanese-United States experimental filmmaker Shu Lea Cheang. It was marketed as "a Cinema of Japan Science fiction film Pornographic film Feature film".... (2001), sci-fi porn feature inspired by Blade Runner Blade Runner *Blade Runner* is a 1982 in film Cinema of the United States science fiction film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young....
Youth Youth Youth is the period between childhood and adulthood, generally from ages 13-21. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals exist at all ages....	002	?
Segments include:	Film: Waterboys Waterboys (film) is a 2001 in film comedy film screenwriter and film director by the Japanese film director Shinobu Yaguchi, about five boys who start a synchronized swimming team at their high school.... (2001), a comedy Conceptual Art: Cupheads Etiquette: How to laugh Culture: J-Pop J-pop J-pop is an abbreviation of Japanese pop, but is also a loosely defined musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in 1990s.... Idols Film: Love and Pop (1998) and interview with director Hideaki Anno Hideaki Anno , born 22 May 1960 in Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan, is a Japanese animation and film film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.... Culture: "Hostbed" , this is how internet was meant to be Interview: Hayao Miyazaki Hayao Miyazaki is a prominent filmmaker of many popular animated feature films. He is also the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, an animation studio and production company.... , director of some of Japan's most popular animated films Film: Battle Royale Battle Royale (film) is a 2000 in film Japanese Cinema of Japan based on the Battle Royale and directed by Kinji Fukasaku. It was written by Kenta Fukasaku, and stars Takeshi Kitano and Tatsuya Fujiwara.... (2000): a group of teenagers on an island are forced to kill each other
Sex Sex In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetics traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into male and female types ....	003	?
Segments include:	Film: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge Warm Water Under a Red Bridge is a 2001 in film Cinema of Japan by director Shohei Imamura. This was Imamura's last feature film.... TV: The Paradise TV network, 24 hour erotic show Film: In the Realm of the Senses In the Realm of the Senses is a 1976 in film Cinema of France-Cinema of Japan film directed by Nagisa Oshima. It is a fictionalised and sexually explicit treatment of an incident which occurred in 1930s Japan, that of Sada Abe.... and interview with Nagisa Oshima Nagisa Oshima , born March 31, 1932 in Kyoto, is a famous Japanese people film director. After graduating from Kyoto University he was hired by Shochiku and quickly progressed to directing his own movies, making his debut feature A Town of Love and Hope in 1959 in film.... Interview: The "Kings of Pink" - Serious adult film makers Etiquette: Chopsticks Chopsticks Chopsticks are a pair of small, equal-length, tapered sticks. They are used as the traditional eating utensils of China, Japan, Korea, Republic of China, and Vietnam.... Anime: Looks at sex in various anime Anime: Legend of the Overfiend (1989) Culture: Figure, erotic cosplay Cosplay , short for "costume play", is a type of performing arts whose participants outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories, as a specific character.... with masks Film: Tokyo Decadence Tokyo Decadence *Tokyo Decadence* is a 1992 Japan Cinema of Japan. The film was directed by Ryu Murakami with music by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The film stars Miho Nikaido and is known by two other titles, Topaz and Sex Dreams of Topaz.... (1992), about a SM girl for hire
Crime Crime Societies define Crime as the breach of one or more rules or laws for which some Government or force may ultimately prescribe a punishment.The word crime originates from the Latin crimen , from the Latin root cerno and Greek ????? = "I judge"....	004	?
Segments include:	Film: Tokyo Drifter Tokyo Drifter is a 1966 in film Yakuza film action film directed by Seijun Suzuki. The story follows Tetsuya Watari as the reformed yakuza Contract killing "Phoenix" Tetsu who is forced to roam Japan awaiting his imminent execution by rival gangs.... (1966 1966 in film The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.... ) Film: Branded to Kill Branded to Kill is a 1967 in film Cinema of Japan yakuza film directed by Seijun Suzuki and starring Joe Shishido, Koji Nanbara, Annu Mari and Mariko Ogawa. It was a low budget, production line number for the Nikkatsu.... (1967 1967 in film The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. It is widely considered as one of the most ground-breaking years in film.... ) Film: Brother Brother (2000 film) *Brother* is a 2000 film actor, screenwriter, film director and film editor by Japanese people filmmaker, Takeshi Kitano. It is also his fifth collaboration with renowned Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi.... (2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.... ), interview with actor and director Takeshi Kitano Takeshi Kitano is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, Painting, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic film work.... Etiquette: How to exchange business cards Interview: Director Takashi Miike Takashi Miike is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991.... — Audition (1999 1999 in film The year 1999 in film involved some significant events and was arguably the most successful year for films released in the 1990s. Several new feature films, including Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, The Sixth Sense, new sequel Toy Story 2, first of The Matrix, Disney's animated Tarzan , The Mummy , and the hig... ), City of Lost Souls (2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.... ), Ichi the Killer Ichi the Killer is a Japanese films of 2001 Cinema of Japan directed by Takashi Miike, based on Hideo Yamamoto's manga series of the same name.... (2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... ) Reality TV: "Crybaby". Which girl can produce the most tears? Interview with producer and winner Music: Pizzicato Five Pizzicato Five Pizzicato Five is a Japanese Pop music group best known to audiences in the Western world in their later incarnation as a duo of Maki Nomiya and Yasuharu Konishi.... , interview with Yasuharu Konishi Yasuharu Konishi is a Japanese people musician, composer and DJ. He was a founding member of Pizzicato Five and the only founding member to stay with the group until its breakup in 2002.... Anime: Defining the difference between anime and cartoons with The Professional: Golgo 13 Golgo 13 is a manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's Big Comic magazine since 1969. In 1976, the manga won the 21st Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.The series follows Duke Togo, a professional assassin for hire.... (1983 1983 in film EventsFebruary 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together* opens in New York... )
Tradition Tradition The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:...	005	?
Segments include:	Manga: Lone Wolf and Cub Lone Wolf and Cub is a well-known gekiga or manga created by the writer Kazuo Koike and the artist Goseki Kojima. Its story led to the creation of six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and much more.... , Interview with writer Kazuo Koike Kazuo Koike is a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.... Etiquette: How to bow Film: Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman Zatoichi is a fictional character featured in one of Japan's longest running series of films and a television series set in the Edo period. The character, a blind masseur and swordmaster, was created by novelist .... (1971 1971 in film The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.... ) Film: Samurai Fiction Samurai Fiction *Samurai Fiction* is the English language title for SF???????????? , a comedy-samurai film directed by Hiroyuki Nakano. It is almost entirely black-and-white, and follows a fairly standard plotline for a comedy and jidaigeki samurai movie, but the presence of Tomoyasu Hotei's rock-and-roll soundtrack separates it from the fil... (1998 1998 in film The year 1998 in film involved some significant events.... ), interview with director Nakano Hiroyuki Anime: Ninja Scroll Ninja Scroll is a Japanese action film Thriller anime, set in History of Japan#Feudal Japan, by critically acclaimed film director/writer Yoshiaki Kawajiri who was best known for his previous thriller Wicked City .... Conceptual Art: Breadman Film: Onibaba Onibaba is a J-horror based on a Buddhist parable. Directed by Kaneto Shindo, the film is set in rural Japan in the fourteenth century and features Nobuko Otowa and Jitsuko Yoshimura as a woman and her daughter-in-law who attack and kill passing samurai, strip them of their valuable armor and possessions, and dispose of the bodies in a deep pit.... (1964 1964 in film The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.... ) Culture: Kano Sisters Kano sisters and , known collectively as the , are tarento.... , celebrities known for nothing in particular Music: SUPERCAR Supercar (band) was a Japanese people rock music band active from 1995 to 2005, and who made their debut in 1997. Consisting of songwriter and vocalist Koji Nakamura , guitarist Junji Ishiwatari , bassist Miki Furukawa , and drummer Kodai Tazawa , Supercar is best known for combining alternative rock with electronic music.... , J-Rock Film: Seven Samurai (1954 1954 in film The year 1954 in film involved some significant events.... ), Yojimbo Yojimbo (film) is a 1961 in film jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of a ronin , portrayed by Toshiro Mifune, who arrives in a small town where competing crime lords make their money from gambling.... (1961 1961 in film The year 1961 in film involved some significant events.... ), hosts from Akira.
Horror Horror fiction Horror fiction is fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the audience. Historically, the cause of the "horror" experience has often been the intrusion of a supernatural element into everyday human experience....	006	?
Segments include:	Interview: Architects and Godzilla Godzilla is a kaiju from the Godzilla series of science fiction films. He was first seen in the 1954 in film film Godzilla and has appeared in 28 films to date, all of which were produced by Toho As one of the most iconic characters in film history, Godzilla has also appeared in numerous Godzilla , Godzilla video games, novels and Godzilla in popula... actors Etiquette: Numbers Film: Kwaidan (1964 1964 in film The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.... ) Film: Scarecrow Kakashi , is a manga by Junji Ito. In 2001, it was adapted into a live-action J-Horror film directed by Norio Tsuruta.The story follows Kaoru who, while searching for her brother, ends up in a remote mountain village.... (2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... ) Film: St.John's Wort (2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ... ) Film: Ring Ring (film) is a Japanese films of 1998 Cinema of Japan J-horror mystery film film from film director Hideo Nakata, adapted from Ring by Koji Suzuki, which draws from the Japanese folk tale Bancho Sarayashiki.... (1998) and Ring 2 Ring 2 *Ring 2* , directed by Hideo Nakata, is the sequel to the Japanese horror film, Ring .Ring was originally a novel written by Koji Suzuki; its sequel, Rasen , was also adapted into a movie as the Ring movie's sequel.... , interview with director Hideo Nakata Hideo Nakata Hideo Nakata is a Japanese film director.... Anime: Barefoot Gen Barefoot Gen is a Japanese manga series by Keiji Nakazawa. It ran in several magazines, including Weekly Shonen Jump, from 1973 to 1985. It was subsequently adapted into three live action film adaptations directed by Tengo Yamada, which were released between 1976 and 1980.... (1983 1983 in film EventsFebruary 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together* opens in New York... ), interview with writer Keiji Nakazawa Keiji Nakazawa is a Japanese manga artist and writer.He was born in Hiroshima, and was in the city when it was Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. All of his family members who had not been evacuated died in the bombing except for his mother, and an infant sister who died several weeks after the bombing.... Interview: Junko Mizuno Junko Mizuno is a Japanese people manga artist.Mizuno's drawing style, which mixes childish sweetness and cuteness with blood and terror has been termed a Anime and manga terminology or Cuteness in Japanese culture noir style.... Interview: Dir en grey Dir en grey Dir en grey is a Japanese band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. As of 2008, they have recorded seven Album and while the group's lineup has remained consistent since its inception, numerous stylistic changes have made its music's genre difficult to determine .... and fans

Series 2

Title	Episode	First aired
Kakkoii (Cool Cool (aesthetic) Cool is an aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance, style and Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning.... )	001	September 7, 2006
Segments include:	Architecture: Buildings in Omotesando, Tokyo. Interview: Pop and video artist Nagi Noda Nagi Noda was a Japanese people pop artist and Film director born in Tokyo.Among her works are the short film Mariko Takahashi's Fitness Video for Being Appraised as an "Ex-fat Girl", the half-poodle-half-something-else Hanpanda life-sized figures, and the video for Japanese singer Yuki Isoya's song "Sentimental Journey".... , creator of the Hanpanda. Custom: Slurping when eating noodles. Interview: Nigo Nigo is a Japanese people music producer, DJ and the creator of the the urban clothing line A Bathing Ape, otherwise known as Bape.... , creator of Bathing Ape. Interview: Actor Tadanobu Asano Tadanobu Asano Tadanobu Asano , born Tadanobu Sato , is a joyu.... . Technology: Robots, such as ASIMO ASIMO is a humanoid robot created by Honda. Standing at 120 centimeters and weighing 54 kilograms , the robot resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack and can walk or run on biped at speeds up to 6 kilometres per hour , matching EMIEW.... , and an interview with robot builder Tatsuya Matsui.
Otaku Otaku is a Japanese language term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games.... (Nerd Culture)	002	September 14, 2006
Segments include:	Culture: Akihabara Akihabara , also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to Akiba in Japan.... Film: Train Man Densha Otoko (film) is a 2005 Japanese film, starring Takayuki Yamada and Miki Nakatani. It is part of the Densha Otoko franchise. The film was a big success at the box office, making the story of Densha Otoko popular.... Interview: Toru Honda, "King of Otaku" Culture: Garage kit Garage kit A garage kit or resin kit is a predominantly Japanese type of scale model kit casting in polyurethane resin, most commonly figures portraying female anime characters.... s and other anime model kits, as well as Wonder festival Wonder Festival The Tokyo , or for short, is an annual event to display and sell "garage kits", which are sculptures that usually replicate anime and game characters, but also popular mecha/sci-fi characters and creatures.... , an annual event dedicated to these things Culture: Moe Culture: Cosplay Cosplay , short for "costume play", is a type of performing arts whose participants outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories, as a specific character.... Culture: Maid cafes Custom: Lying and the Japanese saying that doing so would cause you to lose your tongue in the afterlife Music: AKB48 AKB48 AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. AKB48 currently consists of 48 members divided into three teams: Team A, Team K and Team B.... , an idol group catering to Otaku
Zoku Zoku is a Japanese language term meaning tribe, clan or family. As a suffix it has been used extensively within Japan to define and coin subcultural phenomena.... (Tribes)	003	September 21, 2006
Segments include:	Culture: Harajuku Harajuku Harajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya, Tokyo of Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is known for the patrons that visit the area every Sunday.... , Tokyo Tokyo , officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people.... and the subcultures who go there to show off — gothic lolita Gothic Lolita Gothic Lolita or "GothLoli" sometimes "Loli-Goth" has two definitions. The term "Gothic and Lolita" is used by the Japanese to describe a sub-culture of teenagers who wear a wide range of fashions.... s, gyaru Gyaru is a Japanese language transliteration of the English language word gal. The name originated from a 1970s brand of jeans called "gals", with the advertising slogan: "I can't live without men", and was applied to fashion- and peer-conscious girls in their teens and early twenties.... , rockabilly Rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a Portmanteau word of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development.... s and the like. Music: Junko, dancehall Dancehall Dancehall is a type of Jamaican popular music which developed in the late 1970s, initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of reggae than the Roots reggae style that had dominated much of the 1970s.... queen. Custom: On graduation day, girls ask the boy they like for their second uniform button — the one closest to his heart. Interview: Fashion designer Paul Smith Paul Smith (fashion designer) Sir Paul Smith, Royal Designers for Industry, is an England fashion designer, whose business and reputation is founded upon his menswear. He is both commercially successful and highly respected within the fashion industry.... Culture: Yakuza Yakuza , also known as , are members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan, and also known as "violence groups".Today, the Yakuza are among the largest crime organizations in the world.... and their style in clothes and tattoo Tattoo A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.... s.
Owarai Owarai is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the Honorific speech in Japanese#Honorific prefixes form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile".... (Comedy)	004	September 28, 2006
Segments include:	Culture: Manzai Manzai is a style of stand-up comedy in Japan, which usually involves two performers?a Double act and a double act ?trading jokes at great speed. Most of the jokes revolve around mutual misunderstandings, double-talk, pun and other verbal gags.... , stand-up comedy Interview: TV comedian Hard Gay TV: Oh! Mikey OH! Mikey *The Fuccons, known in Japan as Oh! Mikey* , is a series of Japan comedy sketches created by Yoshimasa Ishibashi featuring a family of United States living in metropolitan Japan.... , TV comedy sketches Film: Cop in a Wig Film: Cromartie high Film: The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai began life as a pink film, the durable Japanese soft-core genre, with the title Horny Home Tutor: Teacher?s Love Juice but it developed into a cult hit and the producers allowed director Meike Mitsuru to expand it into its present form....
Bushido Bushido , meaning "Way of the Warrior", is a Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honour until death.... (Samurai Spirit)	005	October 5, 2006
Segments include:	Culture: Beetle sumo Interview: Director Minoru Kawasaki Minoru Kawasaki Minoru Kawasaki may refer to:Minoru Kawasaki Minoru Kawasaki ... about his films Calamari Wrestler, Executive Koala and Crab Goalkeeper Crab Goalkeeper *Crab Goalkeeper* is a Japanese film directed by Minoru Kawasaki starring Hiroshi Fujioka and Naoto Takenaka.The film documents the life of an oversized crab who is hired by a soccer team as a goalkeeper.... Technology: Sumo robots controlled by cell phones via Bluetooth Bluetooth Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks . It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables.... Film: The films with Chiaki Kuriyama Chiaki Kuriyama is a Japanese actress and Model . She is best-known in the West for the part of the bloodthirsty schoolgirl-dressing bodyguard, Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Volume I....
Kawaii Cuteness in Japanese culture Since the 1970s, has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, Japanese street fashion, Japanese cuisine, designer toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms.... (Cute)	006	October 12, 2006
Segments include:	Culture: Hello Kitty Hello Kitty , is one of the best-known of many simply drawn fictional characters produced by the Japanese company Sanrio. Designed by Ikuko Shimizu, the first product, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974, and in the United States in 1976.... . Music: Ichirou Mizuki Ichirou Mizuki , born , is a famous, highly prolific Japanese singer, lyrist, composer, seiyu and actor best known for his work on theme songs for Tokusatsu and Anime, having performed numerous theme songs for Japanese film, television, video and video games.... , King of the Anime Singers. Custom: The tradition to throw a fallen-out bottom tooth over your house to symbolise the new tooth growing straight up quickly. Upper teeth should be thrown under the house. TV: Ga-Ra-Ku-Ta: Mr. Stain on Junk Alley and Funny Pets by Ryuji Masuda Ryuji Masuda is a Japanese CGI animation director. He was born in the year 1968, in Kumamoto city, Japan.... . Culture: Gloomy Bear and an interview with its creator, Mori Chack Mori Chack Mori Chack is the artist name of a Japanese people Graphic design, who was born in Sakai, Osaka, Japan. He is famous for his Chax product line, and especially the character Gloomy Bear, a 2m tall, violent, pink bear that eats humans.... . Culture: Japanese dolls, in particular the Super Dollfie Super Dollfie , often abbreviated SD, is a brand of ball-jointed doll, or BJD, made by the Japanese company Volks. They are Casting in polyurethane resin, a porcelain-like, hard, dense plastic.... dolls.

Series 3

Title	Episode	First aired
Gaijin Gaijin is a Japanese language word meaning "foreigner" or "non-Japanese". The word is composed of two words: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word literally means "outside person." The word can refer to nationality, Race , or ethnicity.... (Outsiders)	001	March 19, 2007
Segments include:	Culture: Bosozoku Bosozoku is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle Motorcycle club.They were first seen in the 1950s as the Japanese automobile industry expanded rapidly.... (bikers) Culture: Drift racing Drifting (motorsport) refers to a driving technique and to a motor sport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while preserving vehicle control and a high exit speed.... Music: Electric Eel Shock Electric Eel Shock Electric Eel Shock are a three-piece Garage rock Heavy metal music band, formed in Tokyo in the late 1990s. They first toured the United States in 1999 and have been touring the world ever since.... hard rock band Culture: Truckers decorating their trucks Manga: Afro Samurai Afro Samurai is a Japanese dojinshi manga series created by Takashi Okazaki, originally featured in the NOU NOU HAU dojin magazine. It was adapted into a 5-episode anime miniseries directed by Fuminori Kizaki and produced by Gonzo , a Japanese traditional animation studio.... , manga and anime series about a black samurai taking revenge Culture: Yayoi Kusama Yayoi Kusama Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist. Her paintings, collages, soft sculptures, performance art and environmental installations all share an obsession with repetition, pattern, and accumulation.... , polka dot artist
Ai and Koi (Love Love Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment . The word wikt:en:love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from generic pleasure to intense interpersonal attraction.... and Romance Romantic love Romance is a general term that refers to a celebration of life often through art, music and the attempt to express love with words or deeds. It also refers to a feeling of excitement associated with love.... )	002	March 26, 2007
Segments include:	Religion: Shinto Shinto is the former state religion of Japan and remains the most common name for the nation's non-Buddhist ethnic religion practices. It was formed from disparate local mythologies, beginning with the Kojiki of 712, into an imperial cult called State Shinto that solidified in the Meiji period.... shrines with fertility rites and penis Penis The penis is an external sex organ of certain biologically male organisms, in both vertebrates and invertebrates.The penis is a reproductive organ, technically an intromittent organ, and for Eutheria, additionally serves as the external organ of urination.... festivals. Culture: Host clubs where women go to meet well-paid male hosts for companship. There are also onnabe hosts — women dressed as men and taking hormone Hormone Hormones are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism.... s to grow beards. Culture: Takarazuka Revue Takarazuka Revue The Takarazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theater in the city of Takarazuka, Hyogo, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Women play both male and female roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions ? most of their plays are Western-style musicals, and sometimes they are stories adapted from shojo manga and folktales of China and Japan.... , an all-female revue form of theatre. Manga: Yaoi Yaoi Yaoi In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, ya-oh-ee. is a popular term for fictional media that focuses on Homosexuality male relationships, yet is generally created by and for females.... manga Manga , , are comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century. In their modern form, manga date from shortly after World War II, but they have a long, complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art.... , comics featuring romance and sex between males. Culture: Air sex Air sex Air sex is a performance activity invented in Japan; clothed men simulate human sexual behavior with an invisible partner, often in an exaggerated manner, set to music, and in a competition before an audience.... , like air guitar Air guitar Playing air guitar is a form of dance and movement in which the performer imagination to play rock or heavy metal music-style electric guitar guitar solo.... but pretend sex instead of guitar play. Culture: Businesses renting rooms with latex love dolls Sex doll A sex doll is a type of sex toy in the size and shape of a sexual partner for aid in masturbation. Typically of human form but models of animals exist for humans or animals consumption.... to men.
J-Art (Japanese Pop Art Pop art Pop art is a visual art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in UK and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of Fine Art since Pop removes the material from its context and isolates... )	003	April 2, 2007
Segments include:	Culture: Takashi Murakami Takashi Murakami , is a prolific Contemporary art Japanese artist who works in both fine arts media, such as painting, as well as Digital media and commercial media. He blurs the boundaries between high culture and low culture.... 's "Superflat Superflat Superflat is a postmodern art movement, founded by the artist Takashi Murakami, which is influenced by manga and anime. It is also the name of a 2001 art exhibition, curated by Murakami, that toured West Hollywood, Minneapolis and Seattle.... " style of subversive characters derived from Manga and Anime, turned into merchandise Culture: Gesai #10, Tokyo fair for young artists, 2006 Culture: Toast Girl uses household items for performance art Culture: Yoshitomo Nara Yoshitomo Nara is a contemporary Japanese Pop artist. He currently lives and works in Tokyo, though his artwork has been exhibited worldwide. Nara received his B.F.A.... and his paintings with dark child-like figures Culture: Toy-art Designer toys Designer toys is a term used to describe toys and other collectibles that are produced in limited editions and created by artists and designers.... , collectible figures created in limited editions Culture: Tomohiro Yasui creates paper figures of wrestling robots Culture: Hard Gay's paintings and sculpture, showing a giant anus Culture: Keiichi Tanaami Keiichi Tanaami is a major Japanese people artist and designer who often produces colorful psychedelic art and has exhibited widely in painting, Publishing and film.... has created colorful psychedelic art since the late 1960s.
Densetsu (Legend Legend A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude .... s)	004	April 9, 2007
Segments include:	TV: 40 years of Ultraman Ultraman is a fictional character featured in tokusatsu, or "special effects" television programs in Japan. Ultraman made his debut in the tokusatsu science fiction/kaiju/superhero TV series, Ultra Q: Ultraman: Special Effects Fantasy Series, a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q.... , and the "Ukulele Ukulele The ukulele , , or abbreviated to uke, is a chordophone classified as a Pizzicatoed lute; it is a subset of the guitar family of musical instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four Course of strings.... Ultraman" pop video Anime: Gundam Gundam is a metaseries of Japanese anime, featuring giant robots, or "mecha", created by Sunrise studios. The series started in April 1979 as a TV series called Mobile Suit Gundam, and later became a franchise name with more sequels, prequels, side stories and alternative timelines, published and aired in various media including TV anime, OVA, ma... , Pokémon Pokémon (anime) *Pok?mon* is an ongoing Japanese anime series, which has since been adapted for the North American and European television market. It is somewhat based on the Pok?mon and a part of the Pok?mon franchise.... , Astro Boy Culture: Illusionist Princess Tenko Princess Tenko Princess Tenko is the stage name of , a pop singer turned Magic specialising in grand illusions. Her name is taken from , a male Japanese magician who was managed by the same person as Mariko and to whom Mariko was apprenticed in 1976.... Song: Haruka and Rena perform "Tarako, Tarako, Tarako" Food: Ramen Ramen is a Japanese cuisine noodle dish that originated in China. It tends to be served in a meat-based broth, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and even corn.... , noodles in broth with toppings Interview: Martial arts actor Sonny Chiba Sonny Chiba , also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese people actor. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.... , about his film The Street Fighter The Street Fighter , literally Clash, Killer Fist!, is a Japanese martial arts film released in 1974 and produced by Toei Company Ltd. The copyright for the film failed to be renewed and it expired into public domain.... and his acting in Kill Bill Kill Bill *Kill Bill* is the fourth film by writer-Film director Quentin Tarantino. Originally conceived as one film, it was released in two separate volumes due to its running time of approximately four hours....
Kaidan Kaidan *Kaidan* is a Japanese language word consisting of two kanji: ? meaning ?strange, mysterious, rare or bewitching apparition" and ? meaning ?talk? or ?recited narrative.? In its broadest sense, kaidan refers to any ghost story or horror fiction, but it has an old-fashioned ring to it that carries the connotation of Edo period... (Scary Stories)	005	April 16, 2007
Segments include:	Culture: Kimodameshi (scary walks for children) Entertainment: "Haunted Hospital" in Fuji-Q Highland Fuji-Q Highland Fuji-Q Highland is an amusement park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.The themepark is near the base of Mount Fuji. It has a number of roller coasters, as well as a large Haunted_attraction and Thomas Land, a children's area with a Thomas the Tank Engine theme.... , one of the scariest haunted house Haunted house A haunted house is defined as a house that is believed to be a center for supernatural occurrences or paranormal phenomena. A haunted house may allegedly contain ghosts, poltergeists, or even malevolent entities such as demons.... s, with life actors Anime: Spirited Away Spirited Away is a 2001 in film Japanese anime written and directed by famed animator Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film sees a sullen ten-year-old girl in the middle of her family's move to the suburbs wander into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures.... (Oscar, 2001), Pom Poko Pom Poko is a 1994 in film Japanese Anime film, the eighth written and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli.Consistent with Japanese folklore, the Tanuki are portrayed as a highly sociable, mischievous species, able to use "illusion science" to transform into almost anything, but too fun-loving and too fond of tasty treats to be a rea... (1994) Culture: Obake Obake and are a class of monster or spirit in Japanese folklore. Literally, the terms mean a thing that changes, referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting.... , transforming monsters in Japanese folklore Japanese folklore The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism in Japan, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yokai , yurei , Japanese dragon, and animals with supernatu... , including Kaminari, Bake Chochin and Karakasa Obake Kasa-obake , or Kasa Obake, are a type of Tsukumogami, a form of Japanese Spirit that originate from objects reaching their 100th year of existence, thus becoming animate.... (one-legged umbrella) Music: Interview with Demon Kogure Demon Kogure Biography Kogure went to Waseda University. His elder sister is a former Tokyo Broadcasting System News presenter, Yumiko Kogure ... , head of a religious heavy metal band who claims to have conquered Earth in 1999 Film: J-Horror J-Horror J-Horror is a term used to refer to Japanese contributions to horror fiction in popular culture. J-Horror is noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western treatments.... films including Kwaidan (1964) with "The Woman of the Snow" and "Hoichi the Earless"; Kuroneko Kuroneko is a 1968 in film J-Horror, directed by Kaneto Shindo. The title means "Black Cat" in English.... (1968); Ring Trilogy Ring Trilogy The Ring Trilogy is a series of novels by Koji Suzuki: Ring , Spiral and Loop . Suzuki also wrote a collection of short stories, The Birthday .... (1998) by director Hideo Nakata Hideo Nakata Hideo Nakata is a Japanese film director.... ; Ju-on: The Grudge Ju-on: The Grudge is a Japanese films of 2003 Cinema of Japan "J-Horror" film, written and directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film is the third entry in the Ju-on series and is the first film theatrically released .... (2003) by Takashi Shimizu Takashi Shimizu Takashi Shimizu is a Japanese film director, best known for the Ju-on series of horror films.... Manga: Interview with Junji Ito Junji Ito Junji Ito is an author of Japanese horror manga.Born in Gifu Prefecture in 1963, he was inspired from a young age by his older sister's drawing and Kazuo Umezu's comics and thus took an interest in drawing horror comics himself.... , creator of Uzumaki Uzumaki is a Horror fiction manga by Junji Ito, serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits.The story concerns the people of a small Japanese town by the name of Kur?zu-cho, and how they become obsessed by the occurrences of natural and artificial spirals around them.... (The Spiral), Tomie Tomie is a Japanese horror manga series written and illustrated by Junji Ito.The comic book has been adapted into a Tomie released between 1999 and 2007.... and Gyo Gyo is a horror manga by Junji Ito. It also includes a number of "bonus" stories, such as The Enigma of Amigara Fault and The Sad Tale of the Principal Post.... Photography: Kaoru Izima takes pictures of fashion models as if they were dead Film: Ero guro ("erotic grotesque") movies, many based on the horror novels by Rampo Edogawa, e.g. Japanese Hell (1999) and The Blind Beast Vs The Dwarf (2001) by Teruo Ishii Teruo Ishii was a Japanese film director best known in the West for his early films in the Super Giant series, and for his films in the Ero guro subgenre of pinku eiga such as Shogun's Joys of Torture .... and Sexual Parasite: Killer Pussy (2004) by Takao Nakano
Gyaru Gyaru is a Japanese language transliteration of the English language word gal. The name originated from a 1970s brand of jeans called "gals", with the advertising slogan: "I can't live without men", and was applied to fashion- and peer-conscious girls in their teens and early twenties.... (Bad girls)	006	April 23, 2007
Segments include:	Culture: Kogal Kogal File:Kogal.jpg is a subculture of conspicuous consumption among girls and young women in urban Japan Is is one of several types of so-called gyaru, or peer conscious social groupings.... s, Ganguro Ganguro Ganguro is an alternative fashion trend of blonde or orange hair and tanned skin among young Japanese people women that peaked in popularity around the year 2000, but remains evident today.... and Yamanba girls. Dance: Para Para Para Para Para Para was a popular Japanese synchronised group dance. Unlike most club dance and rave party dancing, there are specific, preset movements for each song, and everyone does the same moves at once, much like line dance.... , synchronised group dancing performed to eurobeat Eurobeat Eurobeat, as the name implies, is a music genre from Europe. It is a sub-genre of 80s italo disco . In the USA, it was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits.... music. Interview: Maeda Ken, para para pop star behind the Maeken Trance Project Maeken Trance Project is project group of Japanese comedian Maeda Ken best known for trance music rendition of O-Zone hit Dragostea Din Tei.... . Film: Azumi Azumi is a manga series created by Yu Koyama, later adapted to film. It concerns the title character, a young woman brought up as part of a team of Assassination, charged with killing three warlords that threaten Feudal Japan with an agenda of war and bloodshed.... (2003 2003 in film The year '2003 in film' involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Freddy vs Jason, X2: X-Men Uni... ). Feature: Entertainer Reiko Ike Reiko Ike , is a Japanese people actress, singer, and entertainer. She is best known for her roles in the genre of action/erotic movies known as pink films.... , best known for her action/erotic roles in so-called "pink films". Film: Kamikaze Girls Kamikaze Girls *Kamikaze Girls, known in Japan as is a light novel written by Novala Takemoto that has been adapted into a manga and film.Kamikaze Girls centers around two students, Momoko Ryugasaki and Ichigo "Ichiko" Shirayuri , who are from completely different backgrounds: one is a Lolita fashion girl, the other a Yankee#In_other_parts_of_the... (2004 2004 in film The year '2004 in film' involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ,The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Shrek 2, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs.... ), Sakuran Sakuran is a manga series created by Moyoco Anno. The manga is about a girl, Kiyoha who becomes a tayu or oiran courtesan.... (2007 2007 in film The year '2007 in film' saw major releases such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ,The Simpsons Movie, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Transformers , TMNT , Saw IV, and Live Free or Die Hard as well as releases of third installment films, such as: The Bourne Ultimatum , Pirates of the Caribbean:... ) and interview with actress and pop idol Anna Tsuchiya Anna Tsuchiya is a singer, lyricist, Model , and actress. Anna was born to a Japanese people mother and a Russian-American father. She has a younger brother, Kenneth and an older sister, Angela, who is a Model as well.... . Culture:* Female wrestling Wrestling Wrestling is part of the martial arts. A wrestling match consists of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over, or control of, the opponent.... . Music: Female pop stars Namie Amuro Namie Amuro is a Japanese people singer, dancer, and former child actor/child singer, who, at the height of her popularity, was referred to as the "Teen Queen [of Japan]" and the "Queen of J-pop".... , Ayumi Hamasaki Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer-songwriter and former actress. Also called *Ayu* by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" due to her popularity and widespread influence in Japan.... and Kumi Koda Kumi Koda , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her Urban contemporary and Contemporary R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion / 1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game Final Fantasy X-2... . All-female bands Metal Chicks, The Feminine and eX-Girl EX-Girl eX-Girl is a Japanese female pop music trio.... .

Japanorama

Series and episodes

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

See also

External links