Culture Japan started off as an idea in the back of my mind while watching TV precisely this time last year on Jan 2nd 2010. The vision was to create a TV show which would focus on Japanese culture contents that would be targeted at folks overseas - but created in a way so that folks in Japan would enjoy the show too.
Culture Japan not only features Japanese Pop Culture but also some of the more traditional Japan too. The feedback we've had from many Japanese viewers is that the show enables them to start to appreciate more of their own culture.
A year later on the 2nd of January 2011, we broadcast the final episode of Culture Japan season 1. The new years special edition will broadcast tonight in Japan on Tokyo MX TV (channel 9 on your remote) from 21:30 - 22:30. Culture Japan is currently broadcast across the whole of Asia so folks who have Animax will be able to watch this episode too.
But what about folks around the rest of the world? I'm working on the paperwork now to make that happen and everybody should be able to watch starting this month - latest by February.
Have learned a lot about TV production in Japan and met a load of new comrades through the Culture Japan Project. Our translator lives in South Africa, the chap who works on the 3D effects lives in the UK and we will be working with a sound engineer who lives in space. We've also had a load of reader participation on the show too where otaku rooms and cosplay have been featured. Makes me so happy to be able to connect to so many talented folks around the world online ^o^
Its been an incredible experience which has gained much support from industry folks and viewers - thank you all! Going to take a wee little break before starting to film the second season - Culture Japan 2 is just around the corner.
As for tonight's show - we've got the following folks appearing (not in any particular order) :-
Shinichiro Inoue [井上 伸一郎] - President of Kadokawa [角川の社長]
Ichiro Mizuki [水木一郎] - King of Anisong [キング・オブ・アニソン]
Aki Takanori [安藝 貴範] - President of Good Smile Company [グッドスマイルカンパニーの社長]
Takaaki Kidani [木谷高明] - President of Bushiroad [ブシロードの社長]
Toshihiro Fukuoka [福岡 俊弘] - Chief Executive Editor (Weekly ASCII) [週刊アスキー編集長]
Izumi Kitta [橘田いずみ] - Anime seiyuu [アニメ声優]
Suzuko Mimori [三森すずこ] - Anime seiyuu [アニメ声優]
vividblaze - Japanese pop group [素敵なグループ]
Super Sonico [すーぱーそに子] - Nitroplus mascot character [ニトロプラスマスコットキャラクター]
Mirai Suenaga [末永みらい] - Culture Japan mascot character [カルチャージャパンマスコットキャラクター]
The show focuses on Japanese Pop Culture around the world where we feature some of your submitted content. We visit the offices of Aniki, Kadokawa and take a look at what goes on in the Good Smile Company offices. The big bosses give us their insight into how they see Japanese soft content being consumed worldwide and whats instore for us in 2011. Hope you enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed making it ^o^
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