Latest News
Japanese/American Untold Stories with Chie Schuller
Chie Schuller is the founder of Mano Global Learning and a U.S.–Japan intercultural trainer and consultant. Bringing people together despite differences is at the heart of everything she does. Having lived and worked extensively [...]
The Art of Crafting Subtitles with Harumi Yamamoto
This week's guest is Harumi Yamamoto, a Toronto-based audiovisual translator with a particular passion for crafting subtitles for Japanese films. Having lived extensively in both Japan and Canada, she brings a nuanced cross-cultural perspective to [...]
Catching Up: New Projects with Donie Ordiales
Joining us this week is a filmmaker who is redefining international independent cinema. Born in Las Piñas, Metro Manila, and trained at the Tokyo Film Center School of Arts, he has spent the last two [...]
Japan’s Global Winning Moment with Chiaki Yanagimoto
This week, we have Chiaki Yanagimoto back on the show, a Japanese-born, Los Angeles-based producer of award-winning features. Chiaki has produced multiple cross-cultural documentaries, including “KAMPAI! For the Love of Sake,” which premiered at the [...]
The New Director of Japanese Cinema with Taro Kawasaki
Our next guest is Taro Kawasaki. Born in Yamagata and a graduate of the Tohoku University of Art & Design, Taro Kawasaki represents the next generation of Japanese directorial talent. He sharpened his skills [...]
Osaka Travel Guide: Exploring Japan’s Vibrant Culture Capital at Chicago’s Anime Central 2026
On behalf of the Chicago Sister Cities International Osaka Committee, Michael William Foster and Rosemary Skeen spoke about the vibrant city of Osaka and its rich connection to Chicago. Michael highlighted the many striking cultural [...]
Bringing Noh Theater To The World with Mariko Anno
This week's guest is Mariko Anno, a Japanese American scholar and performer bridging the worlds of academia and traditional Japanese music. An associate professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo, Mariko brings a unique perspective [...]
Insights on Japan’s Cultural Legacy with Roland Kelts
This week, our guest is Roland Kelts, an award-winning journalist and the author of "Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture has Invaded the US" and "The Art of Blade Runner: Black Lotus." He writes for [...]
Talking About The Film Rental Family with Michael and Maya
This week on Showtime at Japan Expert Insights, Maya Matsuoka and Michael Foster are taking a deep dive into the 2025 film Rental Family. Directed by the visionary Hikari, this poignant dramedy follows an [...]
Notes on a Lifelong Film Career with Eiji Uchida
On the last day of Asian Pop Up Cinema 2026, our guest today is a filmmaker whose work fearlessly explores the fringes of Japanese society with both grit and a profound sense of empathy. We [...]
Talking About the Film “How Dare You?” with Director Mipo O
Welcome back to week two of Asian Pop-up Cinema. Today, our special guest is the visionary director Mipo O. A graduate of Osaka University of Arts and a former protégé of Nobuhiko Obayashi, Oh [...]
The Film Seaside Serendipity with Satoko Yokohama
We are back at the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Satoko Yokohama to discuss her latest [...]
The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat with Yukihiro Morigaki
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Yukihiro Morigaki to discuss his latest feature film, The [...]
From Independent Films To Emmy Wins with Yuki Sakamoto Solomon
Our next guest is a powerhouse in the international film community. Yuki Sakamoto Solomon is a Chicago-based producer, festival director, and the founder of Coyote Sun Productions. With a career spanning Japanese public broadcasting and [...]
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema Showcase
Our next guest is Sophia Wong Boccio. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Sophia's deep roots in the film industry began with her parents' careers as a prominent editor and actress. She launched her professional [...]
From Stir Friday Night To Chicago Med
Maya Tanaka Allwardt is an actor and musician originally from the Bay Area. She is a recent Jeff Award nominee for her role as Little Sally in Theo Ubique’s Urinetown. You can also see [...]
The Untold Epic Story of Commodore Perry in Japan
This week’s guest is Harry Wright, the founder of All Things Japan and the visionary behind a developing historical project titled The Black Ships: A Sea of Change. Drawing on his deep cultural fluency [...]
Making A Japanese Harry Potter Film/TV Series
There is a secret hidden at the summit of a Japanese volcano... and it isn't a myth. It’s canon. Did you know that within the official Harry Potter canon, there is a premier Wizarding [...]
news and articles
Bringing Noh Theater To The World with Mariko Anno
This week's guest is Mariko Anno, a Japanese American scholar and performer bridging the worlds of academia and traditional Japanese music. An associate professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo, Mariko brings a unique perspective as both an ethnomusicologist and a professional flutist. She is the author of the award-winning book Piercing [...]
Insights on Japan’s Cultural Legacy with Roland Kelts
This week, our guest is Roland Kelts, an award-winning journalist and the author of "Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture has Invaded the US" and "The Art of Blade Runner: Black Lotus." He writes for publications in the US, Japan and Europe, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, [...]
Talking About The Film Rental Family with Michael and Maya
This week on Showtime at Japan Expert Insights, Maya Matsuoka and Michael Foster are taking a deep dive into the 2025 film Rental Family. Directed by the visionary Hikari, this poignant dramedy follows an American actor in Tokyo who joins a daiko agency to play various roles for hire. We will [...]
Notes on a Lifelong Film Career with Eiji Uchida
On the last day of Asian Pop Up Cinema 2026, our guest today is a filmmaker whose work fearlessly explores the fringes of Japanese society with both grit and a profound sense of empathy. We are diving deep into the life and career of Eiji Uchida, the visionary director behind Midnight Swan [...]
Talking About the Film “How Dare You?” with Director Mipo O
Welcome back to week two of Asian Pop-up Cinema. Today, our special guest is the visionary director Mipo O. A graduate of Osaka University of Arts and a former protégé of Nobuhiko Obayashi, Oh has established herself as a master of intimate, empathetic storytelling. She gained international acclaim with The Light [...]
The Film Seaside Serendipity with Satoko Yokohama
We are back at the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Satoko Yokohama to discuss her latest feature film, Seaside Serendipity. The film follows a group of teenagers in a small seaside town that [...]
The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat with Yukihiro Morigaki
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Asian Pop-Up Cinema here in Chicago. For today’s podcast episode, we are sitting down for an in-person interview with director Yukihiro Morigaki to discuss his latest feature film, The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat.The story centers on eight-year-old Yamabuki, a young boy caught in the [...]
From Independent Films To Emmy Wins with Yuki Sakamoto Solomon
Our next guest is a powerhouse in the international film community. Yuki Sakamoto Solomon is a Chicago-based producer, festival director, and the founder of Coyote Sun Productions. With a career spanning Japanese public broadcasting and serving as a juror at the Chicago International Film Festival, Yuki has dedicated her work to connecting [...]
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema Showcase
Our next guest is Sophia Wong Boccio. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Sophia's deep roots in the film industry began with her parents' careers as a prominent editor and actress. She launched her professional journey in the 1990s by creating the Sophia’s Choice movie series in Beijing and later curating film [...]
From Stir Friday Night To Chicago Med
Maya Tanaka Allwardt is an actor and musician originally from the Bay Area. She is a recent Jeff Award nominee for her role as Little Sally in Theo Ubique’s Urinetown. You can also see her on screen as Amy Keening on season 11 of Chicago Med. Maya is active in the [...]
The Untold Epic Story of Commodore Perry in Japan
This week’s guest is Harry Wright, the founder of All Things Japan and the visionary behind a developing historical project titled The Black Ships: A Sea of Change. Drawing on his deep cultural fluency and a career as a retired U.S. Navy officer living in Japan, Harry is currently crafting a [...]
Making A Japanese Harry Potter Film/TV Series
There is a secret hidden at the summit of a Japanese volcano... and it isn't a myth. It’s canon. Did you know that within the official Harry Potter canon, there is a premier Wizarding School located in Japan? Situated at the summit of the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima, the [...]
videos
Chicago Comic Con : Reinventing Pop Culture as a Visual Language
Some say the American Empire is folding, others say it is just beginning. Regardless of your position, one cannot deny the cultural impact America currently has upon the world. With the advent of mass media in the 20th century, the stage has been set for a new cultural revolution led by the United States. Presented here is the first 20 minutes of the lecture.
PechaKucha 20×20: Reinventing Perceived Value, Space, and Time Through Modern Art
From prehistoric cave paintings to Jackson Pollack, art emotionally defines a society. Sadly, we tend to devalue art because it does not directly fulfill basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. Artist and designer Michael Foster discusses how viewing modern art will confront someone with socially acquired patterns of feelings, thoughts, and actions—in a fairly safe environment. And he will demonstrate the secrets and motivations behind his own work.
The Reinvention Project: Articles and Essays on Technology
For several years, Michael Foster and Russell C. Smith wrote for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today about the rapid pace of technology and society. Living in the Age of Reinvention is a project aimed at the minds and hearts of everyone who is determined as never before to change their lives and become a participant in the new world of reinvention, The Reinvention Project incorporates stories, speculations and theories on current world events, twentieth and twenty-first century mass media, current social media and business trends, ancient cultures and myths, the Singularity, art and culture, discoveries in particle physics, and studies in human psychology and how we interact with new technology and the web. You can view the entire body of work on this website.
