Review: ‘Manga マンガ’at the British Museum 23 May – 26 August 2019

Dedicated to the victims of the Kyoto Animation fire in Uji City!

Belonging to Kōzan-ji temple in Kyōto the Japanese National Treasures the eight ‘Scrolls of Frolicking Animals’ and the ‘Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans’ called ‘Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga’ (animal-person caricatures) were painted between the 12^th and 13^th centuries by, it is thought, the artist-monk Toba Sōjō. They are credited by many as the earliest form of manga.

Fast forward nearly a thousand years and the Citi Exhibition ‘Manga マンガ’ at the British Museum (supported by CITI with logistics partner IAGCargo) is touted as the biggest

Interview: Sebastian Masuda – Art Director and J-Pop Culture Pioneer

Internationally-renowned artist Sebastian Masuda brings global participatory art project to London with NHK WORLD TV for Hyper Japan!

In the run up to Hyper Japan, which took place on July 15 – 17 July, internationally-renowned artist and Japanese pop culture expert Sebastian Masuda – who is art director for Kawaii International  – brought his global art project to London with NHK WORLD TV.

Time After Time Capsule is a five-year participatory artwork in which Masuda, invites people to share their love of kawaii. It has been created in collaboration with NHK WORLD TV to

DVD Review: Ben-To Complete Series Collection

It’s not just dinner, it’s a matter of victory!

Ben-to is originally a Japanese light novel series written by Asaura, with illustrations by Kaito Shibano. Shueisha published 15 novels from February 2008 to February 2014. Shibano also illustrates three manga adaptations, and a fourth manga is drawn by Sankaku Head. The name literally is to mirror the word Bento box but adding that ‘-‘ makes it a lot more easier to Google against all those tasty packed lunch photos online.

After the success from the light novel it was adapted into a 12-episode anime TV series  You follow protagonist Sato Yo who is a

Event: Hyper Japan 2015 In Pictures

The UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture!

Hyper Japan, the UK’s biggest and best-loved annual J-Culture convention, returned on 11th – 13th July for another weekend extravaganza of all things Japanese from the authentic and traditional to the contemporary. Thousands of Japanophiles descended upon London’s O2 in Greenwich over the three days for an exciting time of live music, fashion shows, videogames, manga/anime activities, martial arts demonstrations and

DVD Review: Good Luck Girl Complete Series

Breasts, ghosts and growing a conscience!

Good Luck girl also known as Binbogami ga! translated as “This Damn God of Poverty!” based on the comedy manga series by Yoshiaki Sukeno, originally published in Jump Square magazine between July 2008 and August 2013. The anime adaptation aired in Japan from September 26, 2012 showing its popularity before the manga ended.

The first five minutes sets the scene in a land of gods who watch earth and its inhabitants. An imbalance of luck has over flowed in an area where popular, pretty, wealthy girl Ichigo Sakura is sucking the luck from

Press Release: Hyper Japan Christmas Market 2014

Get ready for a pop culture explosion at the UK’s largest J-culture event!

Date: 14-16 November 
Venue; National Hall, Olympia, London

Music, street fashion and cosplay – 3 pillars of Japanese pop culture which have captivated audiences and amassed devoted fans across the globe. At our HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market, we bring together the best of this trendy crowd and offer visitors the rare chance to experience a range of Japanese musical acts (both real and virtual), and to enjoy our HYPER J-style fashion show and

WIN Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist On DVD & Blu-Ray Plus 2 Randomly Selected Manga UK DVD And/Or Blu-Ray Titles!

Hooray! It’s competition time again!

To celebrate the release of Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist on DVD & Blu-Ray on Monday 27th October we have a Blu-Ray copy to give away, plus 2 randomly selected Manga UK DVD and/or Blu-Ray titles!

Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist tells the origin story of Street Fighter’s most famous duo, Ryu and Ken. Learning the way of the warrior at the secluded dojo of martial arts master Gouken, the pair are the last practitioners of an ancient fighting style known as Ansatsuken – ‘The Assassin’s Fist’. But the Ansatsuken style hides a dark and tragic secret; a legacy that is about to catch up with

Japan Film Society Announces Film Lineup For LA EigaFest 2014

September 12^th – 14^th, 2014 at the Egyptian Theater

International Premiere of LUPIN THE THIRD to Open LA EigaFest and welcome director Ryuhei Kitamura and actress Meisa Kuroki (Crows Zero 1 & 2, Space Battle Yamato), US Premiere of RUROUNI KENSHIN: KYOTO INFERNO to Close Film Festival

Godzilla: The Japanese Original (1954) and Godzilla (2014) to be screened back-to-back in celebration of 60^th anniversary

Tom Cruise, Doug Liman, and Legendary Pictures to Receive

Event: Japan Matsuri 2014 London Trafalgar Square

The spectacular annual Japan festival returns for more fun and excitement!

Date: Saturday, 27th September 2014

Location: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Time: 11 am – 9 pm

Hyper Japan 2014 In Pictures

The UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture!

Every year since it first began back in 2010, the annual London event Hyper Japan keeps getting better and better, not to mention bigger and bigger, and this year’s extravaganza held on 25 – 27 July at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre was no exception.

The fantastic line-up catered to all tastes in Japanese pop-culture from traditional dancers and musicians like the very popular Hyper Japan regulars Hibiki Ichikawa and Akari Mochizuki, who this time around were accompanied by guitarist Hide Takemoto, to contemporary

Event: MCM Manchester Comic Con 19-20 JULY

MCM Comic Con is back in Manchester …and this time it’s for the whole weekend!

Calling all sci-fi fans, film buffs, comic collectors, anime enthusiasts, gamers and cosplayers! Following last year’s record attendance, MCM Manchester Comic Con returns to Manchester Central bigger and better than ever. Running over a full weekend for the first time, the show takes place on 19-20 July, playing host to everything from

DVD Review: Chrome Shelled Regios Collection 1

The world of tomorrow is an arid wasteland!

In the future we wonder what might happen if we become invaded by beings who want to ravage the world we try to live in, and Chrome Shelled Regios is one of many from anime history. The characters drive the story, and there are a good few that the viewer might care about, but others they may not as their personalities haven’t been fleshed out enough. It tells the story of several survivors of a future earth that has suffered the effects of living  with mutated beasts called Filth Monsters, (in the anime it translates as Contaminoids) and we see the story through the eyes of these survivors who have

MCM Comic Con Comes To Belfast

 Special guests includes voice artist D.C. Douglas one (Resident Evil 5 and Tekken 6)!

When: 7 – 8 June 2014

Where: Kings Hall Pavilions, Belfast, Ireland

Calling all sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts! MCM Comic Con comes to Belfast for the very first time on 7-8 June, and we’ve got a show jam-packed with geeky goodness in store for you. Here’s a round-up of just some of the special guests and attractions that you’ll find at the inaugural MCM Belfast Comic Con:

Press Release: Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival Cardiff, Wales

Saturday 7th June 2014 – Cardiff, Chapter Arts Centre

Saturday 21st June 2014 – Aberystwyth Arts Centre

It’s nearly time for this year’s Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, so we would like to take this opportunity to notify all our newsletter subscribers about this year’s programme and the exciting

WIN Dragon Ball Season One (Episodes 1-28) DVD Box Set

Hooray! It’s competition time again!

Goku may be small, but this fearless warrior packs a punch as powerful as any on the planet. Left alone after his grandfather’s death, this unusual boy is happy to spend his days hunting and eating and eating some more. But everything changes on the day he meets Bulma – a bossy, blue-haired beauty with boys on the brain. Together, they set out to track down the seven magic Dragon Balls and make the wish that will change their lives forever.

Courtesy of Manga Entertainment UK we have a DVD box set to give away to one lucky winner. Dragon Ball Season 1 is out

Press Release: Ai My Maid x Boba Jam – MIKO MIKO KYUN London Maid Cafe Event

A message from the organisers:

When: Saturday, 3 May 2014 (12.30 – 19.30)

Where: Boba Jam 61 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0NE               

“Dear goshujin-sama and ojou-sama (masters and mistresses), we are Ai My Maid, a group specialising in hosting maid cafe events. We are extremely excited to announce our 2nd standalone event ‘Ai My Maid x Boba Jam ~ MIKO MIKO KYUN’, this time with the help of one of London’s very first Bubble Tea shops, BOBA JAM ヾ(＠^∇^＠)ノ As the name of the event suggests, our maids are ‘miko’, or shrine maidens, so expect to see things inspired by miko and traditional Japan itself (but with a cute

Blood C: The Last Dark DVD Competition Now Closed And The Winner Is…

Competition is now closed and a winner have been chosen!

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition to win a copy of Blood C: The Last Dark.

And the winner is…

WIN Blood C: The Last Dark DVD

Hooray! It’s competition time again!

Following on from the award winning series, Blood C returns with its movie, The Last Dark, in a film that has monsters, lots of violence, a lust for revenge, great visuals and action to boot!

Blood C: The Last Dark is out to own on DVD and Blu-ray now and courtesy of Manga Entertainment UK (available at Amazon.co.uk), we have a copy on DVD to give away!

To enter, all you have to do is:

Dragon Ball GT DVD Competition Now Closed And The Winner is…

Competition is now closed and a winner have been chosen!

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition to win a copy of Magi.

And the winner is…