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 519)
New year, new bullet train as Japan Railway debuts its high-speed art gallery.
Hayao Miyazaki is responsible for one of the biggest social media trends in the world, but one of his closest associates says the legendary anime director doesn’t know about it.
Who needs a home away from home when you can have a second house inside your living space?
The first hit by the creator of Voices of a Distant Star and 5 Centimeters Per Second is getting an animated TV adaptation.
Finally! You no longer have to let language barriers keep you from lying to random girls you meet on the street of a foreign land.
Some universities try to recruit students by telling them about all the fun they’ll have there, but not this Tokyo institute of higher learning.
Like a star athlete who just won a championship, video game heroine Lightning has followed up on saving the world of Final Fantasy XIII by landing an endorsement deal.
Since there’s no spot for the cat in the Chinese zodiac, this Japanese kitty turned to some cute cosplay to get in on the Year of the Monkey fun.
Because it’s not like it can choose itself, is it?
Admirers of the virtual female form are claiming victory as they point to the growing discrepancy in the view-count between promotional videos starring the bikini-clad vixens of Dead or Alive Xtreme and the battle-ready Princess Zelda of Hyrule Warriors Legends.
There’s a reason why the same parents who encourage their kids to become doctors or lawyers don’t try to steer them into becoming anime studio employees.
Because if someone’s going to stick you with a handful of needles, you might as well have some anime girls watching.
With 60 items for just 1,000 yen (US$8.35), Animate’s lucky bag might just be the luckiest of all.
The premiere of the Kuroko’s Basketball stage play is still a few months away, but the producers are giving fans of sports anime and/or dreamy boys a sneak peek with the first in-costume cast photo.
Is the landmark manga and starting point of the smash-hit anime losing its cultural relevancy?
The legendary creator of Lone Wolf and Cub has no patience for such affronts to fine dining.
J-pop vocalists dress up as Miss Claus.
Daigo Umehara may be famous for playing video game Street Fighter as Evil Ryu, but he just did a very good deed.
MOST POPULAR
Today
Studio Ghibli releases new plush mascot character collection with a focus on friendship
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime stationery collection, with a Spirited Away River God memo stand
Pikachu plushie actually goes into space as part of Pokémon/European Space Agency collaboration
Final Fantasy VII’s Buster Sword gets real-world practicality as a giant towel [Photos]
Famous Kyoto shrine has a message for foreign tourists who think it’s okay to dance at sacred sites
Japanese convenience store is very focused with its new bento…maybe TOO focused
Emperor of Japan poses for photo with Studio Ghibli’s No Face [Video]
Japanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Dazs and Muji take different paths to our hearts
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
My night trapped in Nagoya’s flood: what do you do when Japan’s trains shut down?
Weekly
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Bear spotted near most popular hiking trail on Tokyo’s most popular hiking mountain- Japanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Dazs and Muji take different paths to our hearts
Get more room in your luggage with new clothing compression machines at Haneda and Narita airports- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
OC Japan Fair returns to California packed with all kinds of Japanese culture- Studio Ghibli unveils new anime stationery collection, with a Spirited Away River God memo stand
Pokémon Adidas crossover sneaker line releases in Japan, gives your feet Pikachu hugs [Pics]
Tokyo’s Square Burger claims it’s a viral hit with foreign tourists who’ve given it near-perfect Google reviews
Everything old is new, and cool, again at this hotel in Japan’s hot spring town comeback king
Monthly
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors- New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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Japanese convenience store is very focused with its new bento…maybe TOO focused
Emperor of Japan poses for photo with Studio Ghibli’s No Face [Video]
Japanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Dazs and Muji take different paths to our hearts
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
My night trapped in Nagoya’s flood: what do you do when Japan’s trains shut down?
Three amazing Japanese convenience store sweet potato desserts to eat right now (and 11 for later)
Denny’s Mapputatsu? Parfait is hiding a big secret in plain sight that splits us down the middle
Here’s why you’ll never want to hit a hole-in-one in Japan
Three Daiso ideas for a super-cheap but still cool (or cute) Halloween look
Car-floating sheets selling well to cope with increasing flood risk in Japan
Only two Yoshinoya branches in all of Japan are on a train platform, and this is one of them
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
JAL first class cakes can be bought for a bargain, but are they as bougie as they seem?
Studio Ghibli releases new anime socks that pay tribute to characters from four different movies
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