Sales of manga comic books and magazines in Japan were estimated to have hit a record 677 billion yen in 2022, but the rise was only marginal as fewer people stayed indoors than during the earlier years of the COVID-19 pandemic, industry data showed Friday. (Japan Today)

Demand for “intimacy coordinators” is on the rise in Japan following a slew of sexual abuse and harassment scandals, which rocked the country’s television and film industry. (South China Morning Post)

Manga master Leiji Matsumoto, whose epic sci-fi stories were highly influential in Japan's comic-book and anime worlds, has died aged 85, production company Toei said Monday. (zawya.com)

An entertainment academy in Okinawa known for producing some of Japan's biggest celebrities -- like Namie Amuro -- is opening up to a fresh crop of aspiring stars for the first time in years. (Nikkei)

With Yakuza (er, Like A Dragon now) having finally gained global popularity in the last few years, this was the best time to bring over Ishin, a period spin-off in the franchise that never quite made it to the west, set during the 19th century, when Japan was undergoing several social, cultural, and political upheavals. (gamingbolt.com)

Naoki Urasawa x Osamu Tezuka "PLUTO" winner of manga awards around the world, finally gets its first animated adaptation! (Netflix Anime)

Momo Hirai, inspired by Namie Amuro as a child, moved to Korea at the age of 16 to start her career with TWICE along with Sana.

Japan’s new Japanese horror film Re/Member could be the perfect thing to put at the top of your watch list. (ustimespost.com)

Naomi Watanabe (渡辺 直美) is a Japanese comedian, actress, and fashion designer who rose to fame in 2008 for her imitation of Beyoncé, after which she was given the title “the Japanese Beyonce”.

Yuta Nakamoto (中本悠太) is one of two Japanese members of K-Pop band NCT (Neo Culture Technology). Born in Kadoma, Osaka, his fans call him the "Takoyaki Prince".

Sana Minatozaki (湊崎 紗夏) is a Japanese singer based in South Korea. She is one of three Japanese members of the South Korean girl group Twice, formed in 2015 by JYP Entertainment.

A 10-year-old French-Japanese boy will become the first officially recognized dual-national kabuki actor, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a star of the traditional art form. (Japan Today)

Rola (ローラ) is a Japanese entertainer of Japanese, Russian and Bangladeshi descent. As a model, she is known for her regular appearances in the Japanese fashion magazine Vivi and in numerous commercials.

A 13-year-old Japanese girl has become the youngest-ever professional title holder in the strategic board game "Go." (NHK)

Japanese musician and composer Masanori Takumi won a Grammy award on Sunday for his album featuring songs performed with traditional Asian instruments. (Japan Today)

Netflix Japan has come under fire after claiming to have used artificial intelligence to help create anime programmes. (unilad.com)

From the mind of horror manga maestro Junji Ito comes a spine-tingling selection of some of his most bizarre, disturbing and terrifying tales. (Netflix Anime)

The post Foo Fighters, The Strokes to Headline Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival 2023 appeared first on Consequence. (yahoo.com)

In Kyoto, geisha apprentices called maiko have taken part in a traditional bean-throwing ceremony for the first time in three years. (NHK)

Mina Myoi (名井 南) is a Japanese singer and dancer based in South Korea. She is one of the three Japanese members of the K-Pop girl group Twice, formed by JYP Entertainment in 2015.

Kiko Mizuhara (水原 希子) is an American-born model, actress, singer and designer who has lived in Japan since childhood. She started her modeling career at the age of twelve when she entered an audition contest for Seventeen magazine in which readers selected their favorite new face for the magazine.

Joji is a Japanese singer and songwriter, born in Osaka. His father is Australian, and his mother is Japanese.

In this "romantic comedy but sometimes serious magical school story," life as Arata Kasuga knows it is wiped out by a bizarre incident known as "Collapse Phenomenon," which causes worldwide destruction and takes his cousin Hijiri Kasuga to the next world. (Anime Explained)

Shotaro became the second Japanese member of K-Pop band NCT, after Yuta, in 2020. Fans say his squinting smile resembles a sea otter. One of his special skills is tooth whistling.

A slower month of kabuki, but with some notable highlights, including Nizaemon XV's isse ichidai, Takanosuke's memorial performance for his late father, and an excellently cast Sannin Kichisa. (Kabuki In-Depth)