Casey Baseel

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.

Posted by Casey Baseel (Page 38)

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron nominated for Academy Award

Oscar nod is the fourth for Miyazaki and sixth for Studio Ghibli, which last won the Best Animated Feature award more than two decades ago.

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Shinto shrine naked festival ritual asks men to cover up for first time in three-century history

Loincloths at least, gentlemen, says shrine in change of policy in how to ask the gods for a good harvest and plenty of fish.

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Spirited Away’s No Face pulls up as a car with newest Studio Ghibli Dream Tomica now on sale【Pics】

Toy car based on a boat adds some Ghibli whimsy to the Tomica lineup.

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Field-testing the shark sleeping bag/hoodie/kigurumi being offered for zero yen online【Photos】

We ended up having to pay for ours, but this shark-chic style could be yours for free.

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Miniature version of the real-world Pikachu-shaped Pokémon bus is the newest Dream Tomica car

Takara Tomy dreams up something that exists in the real world, but in a form that non-show biz people can own.

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Which parts of Ishikawa are OK to travel to after Noto quake? Government shares guideline map

“Don’t come to Noto, but please come to Ishikawa.”

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Kyoto Knife Tower hopes to become city’s newest sightseeing power spot【Photos】

Something a little different from the city’s ancient temples and shrines.

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Princess Mononoke head magnets return, now with way to bypass blind-buy game of chance【Pics】

Donguri Kyowakoku wisely realizes that Studio Ghibli fans probably want them all.

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Japan’s biggest ham company is making “tuna” that contains neither ham nor fish

Nippon Ham is getting ready to debut a new tuna sashimi alternative.

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Top cosplayer Enako dons Year of the Dragon costume to celebrate the new year【Photos】

Also taps into another visual motif of New Year’s in Japan.

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Beautiful Ghibli suncatchers are back in stock to bring anime light to your living space【Pics】

Totoro, Kiki, and Howl recreate famous flying scenes in stained glass-style artwork.

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Japan’s biggest dating app says young people not interested in romance, creates AI girlfriend app

Designers hope it can be a stepping stone to relationships with human women.

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American passenger on Tokyo flight arrested for biting flight attendant, says he doesn’t remember

Incident left impression on her skin, but apparently not on his memory.

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21.5-square foot, 272,200-yen build-it-yourself chocolate castle set released in Japan【Photos】

A dessert fit for a king, queen, and several other members of the royal family.

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Taste-testing Japan’s beef tongue/gacha beef vending machine in Sendai【Taste test】

Japan’s gyutan capital has a very unique vending machine.

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Tokyo Auto Salon refuses to let Mr. Sato into the show as a journalist

Japan’s biggest auto aftermarket event shoots down our ace reporter’s request for media access.

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Nintendo’s god-tier customer service continues as they offer free repairs for Noto earthquake victims

Also makes large donation to disaster relief operations.

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Japan travel alert: Cheapest seats on fastest Shinkansen will not be offered for Golden Week

You can still use the cheap-seat ticket, but you absolutely will not get a seat.

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Is Denny’s Japan’s new ultra-expensive Amaou strawberry parfait worth it?【Taste test】

Prized Fukuoka fruit delivers joy to the taste buds, shock to the wallet.

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Rumors say Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple sticks you with bad fortunes, so we bought 100 to find out

Plus, how hard is it to pull Sensoji’s semi-secret super-lucky omikuji fortune?

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