ICHIYA’s POP Eye – Manga

　Pop star, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s “Moshi Moshi Nippon” is an NHK international TV show, which is available with the internet, has my corner “ICHIYA’s POP EYE”. It introduces Japanese cool things every time. Let me introduce some of them.    Today’s topic is Manga!   Have you ever read Japanese manga? Japanese cartoon “manga” is now also popular overseas .   In Japan, 64% of the published books are manga. 20% of the sales of all publications are manga. I think, at most, only 1% of respective sales in other countries are manga.  ...

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Multi x Social of the future

　This is a continuation of the talk show on “social media and multi-screen”.  “Is social service still changing now?” 　That kind of social service refers to twitter, Facebook, Line etc… All these platforms changes each year, and it does not seem like they will stop anytime soon. How the media environment will continue to develop will depend on the ability of the users.  　Users in Japan have high abilities in this regard. As Mr. Kawakawi, chairman of NikoNiko Douga puts it, Japanese people are good with Internet and free people who are...

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What is multi-screen living?

　A talk show on “social media and multi-screen”. I was asked what exactly is multi-screen by moderator Dr. Nakamura. That is when I began to realize that different people have different notions of multi-screen.  　As I am a basic nomad, I move around my house and three offices when working. There are televisions and PC in each location. They exist as multi-screens. However, I only use one screen each time. I am empty-handed during movement.  　On the other hand, when my son is connecting the Internet to the television, he opens his PC...

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Participatory Pop Culture Policy

  For policies supporting pop culture, while manga, anime and games are fighting against government, there have been strong opinions that only the private sector has grown and that help should not be provided for the lousy ones. It is correct that only the private sector has grown.    Although Japan has built a variety of genres in pop culture in the Internet or mobile phones, they are all quite similar. From now on, I hope that each time a new media technology appears, Japan can make use of its comprehensive strength and create...

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The Rationale for Pop Culture Policy

 It has almost been 20 years since content has become one particular policy genre. The government has turned up the gear and launched Cool Japan and pop culture with top priority.  However, should one talk about pop culture policy, without hearing the content, there will often be arguments like “I don’t think this country does this!” Although manga, anime and games can be said to be popular overseas, it has reached at most to the level of “sub” culture yet and hence one will be replied with a cold gaze if it is used as a subject for discussion.   The...

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