Traditional accommodation in Tokyo’s ritzy Minato Ward doesn’t get much cheaper than this…but there’s a catch.
reviews
HodoBuzz shines a spotlight on women in the media with a cast of characters that redefines what it means to be Japanese.
As you probably know, Attack on Titan, the mega-popular manga and anime series, was recently adapted into a live-action movie and infamously received absolutely horrible reviews—it might be a toss-up between this movie and Fantastic 4 as to which summer blockbuster was worse. For its part, the Attack on Titan movie was so horrible that one Japanese critic hoped for the titans to eat the characters and be done with the whole thing. No one is asking Dr. Doom to eat Mr. Fantastic…yet.
As they say though, you shouldn’t judge something till you see it for yourself, so we had to send one of our own.
Many would argue that Mamoru Hosoda is the most talented director of family anime in the industry today. That “family” classification is two-fold, by the way. Not only are Hosoda’s works appropriate for just about all ages, taking the high road by eschewing in-your-face sex appeal and gratuitous violence, the bond between family members is a recurring theme in his films. In 2009, Hosoda’s Summer Wars showed audiences an extended yet close-knit family headed by the female lead’s tough yet kind grandmother. Three years later, the focus was on a single mother raising two lycanthropes in rural Japan in Wolf Children Ame and Yuki.
Now, Hosoda is turning viewers’ gaze towards a relationship he hasn’t put the spotlight on before, with the just-released The Boy and the Beast, which asks what a boy needs to learn from his father, and also what that father can learn from his boy. So how does it answer those quesitons? Read on for the rest of our review of Hosoda’s latest hit to find out.








Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Japanese vending machine serves up unique drinks at four Tokyo train stations
Bear meat noodles?!? Tokyo restaurant adds a new kind of niku soba to its menu【Taste test】
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Canned cuteness as Hello Kitty and friends kick off Can Chara capsule toy line【Photos】
Japan’s foreign tourist numbers projected to fall for first time in years in 2026
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
New Japanese menstrual product seeks to help women spot unidentified iron deficiencies
Nearly one in ten young adults living in Japan isn’t ethnically Japanese, statistics show
【Rocket Food】 One Piece Chicken! Cook for Monkey D. Luffy at Home Tonight with this Simple Recipe
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Japan’s foreign tourist numbers projected to fall for first time in years in 2026
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
New Japanese menstrual product seeks to help women spot unidentified iron deficiencies
Nearly one in ten young adults living in Japan isn’t ethnically Japanese, statistics show
【Rocket Food】 One Piece Chicken! Cook for Monkey D. Luffy at Home Tonight with this Simple Recipe
Which Japanese beef bowl chain’s near-identical demon grater onioroshi ponzu gyudon is the best?
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
Four Shinto shrines to pray for love at in Japan to start the New Year
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
“Denki Anma”: The Japanese traditional torment that you’ll be glad stays in Japan
We troll a scammer online, make him wish he’d never tried to take our money