This week, we have Kei Kurosawa, a Filipino-Japanese actress, singer-songwriter, dancer, and content creator. She is known for the Japanese indie horror film, The Red Dress (2023), the Filipino youth-oriented series, Zoomers (2024), and the international Japanese action-drama film, Crosspoint (2024). In this entertainment industry-focused version of Japan Expert Insights, Michael [...]

We are thrilled to share that Michael recently sat down with director Jun'ichi Yasuda and actress & assistant director Yuno Sakura to discuss their breakout film A Samurai in Time (侍タイムスリッパー)—a fantasy comedy that has captured the hearts of Japanese moviegoers. Made on a modest budget of 26 million yen and initially screened in just [...]

This week, we have Moeka Iida, a reporter and researcher at The Economist’s Tokyo bureau, covering Japanese politics, society, business, and culture. With a keen interest in subcultures and social trends, she has written about host clubs in Tokyo’s red-light district, the rise of female writers in Japan’s literary scene, and the changing face of [...]

This week, we have Chiaki Yanagimoto, a Japanese-born, Los Angeles-based producer. After producing a series of genre films, Chiaki switched gears to documentaries, including “KAMPAI! For the Love of Sake,” which premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and was released by IFC Films/Sundance Selects. She is also a founder of SAKKA, a US-based [...]

Mark Schilling is a reporter, critic, and author who specializes in Japanese films and popular culture. Since 1989, Mark has been a regular film critic for The Japan Times and has covered the Japanese film industry for Screen International (1990–2005) and Variety (2005–present). Mark has written or contributed to several books, including The Encyclopedia of [...]

In the fourth episode, we’re excited to welcome Susan Miyagi McCormac, the founder, and Editor-in-Chief of JapanCulture•NYC, a website that introduces New Yorkers to Japanese culture and promotes Japanese-related events. In addition to her work with JapanCulture•NYC, Susan is a Vice President of the Japanese American Association of New York, serves on the JET Alumni [...]

In the third episode of Showtime at Japan Expert Insights, we’ll chat with Tetsuki Ijichi about his extensive experience in the entertainment industry and the valuable advice he has for those just starting. With over 45 years in the field, especially independent film world. Tetsuki is an acclaimed film distributor and producer, having distributed [...]

In the second episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Douglas Montgomery, founder and CEO of Global Connects. Douglas will share his insights on the urgent need for Japan to leverage more data in the entertainment industry, while also exploring the dynamic intersection of media and technology. Actively engaged with the Asian community in Los Angeles, Douglas [...]

In this premiere episode, guest Waka (Konohana) Ikeda will discuss the rise of Japonism in the 20th Century and the problems facing Japan that have been revealed through recent international co-productions. Then, she’ll make insightful suggestions on how the Japanese entertainment industry can move forward. Waka san has interviewed countless numbers of Oscar-winning and [...]