Andrez Bergen is senior editor of Impact magazine in the UK. He’s a long-term writer on Japanese pop culture, music, anime, movies and weird stuff who has covered the space since 2001. Andrez also runs Tokyo-based IF? Records, makes music as Little Nobody, writes a personal blog called JapaneseCultureGoNow!, and can be found on Twitter @andreziffy
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- SPOTLIGHT: Tekkonkinkreet
- July 30th, 2010Category: Arts & Entertainment
- Even as Studio Ghibli made a surprising flop that year with Gedo Senki (Tales from Earthsea), 2006 was a highly competitive year for Japanese anime thanks to Madhouse’s double-treat Paprika (directed by the great Satoshi Kon) and Toki o Kakeru Shōjo (The Girl Who Leap ... » Continue Reading
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- Katsushika Yamamoto-tei Teahouse & Shibamata
- July 23rd, 2010Category: Travel
- Shibamata is another of the hidden joys of Tokyo, a place where history stands still - or at least the locals try their best to carefully cultivate this sensation. It’s the hometown of the lovable tramp Kuruma Torajiro (actor Kiyoshi Atsumi), who featured in what was ... » Continue Reading
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- Toho Studios
- July 16th, 2010Category: Arts & Entertainment
- Located in a surprisingly wealthy part of Setagaya here in Tokyo is the sprawling home of Toho Studios. Not only is Toho the largest and most famous film studio in Japan, but it’s the owner of one of the more internationally famous film logos, on par for Asian cinema ... » Continue Reading
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- Spotlight: Ghost in the Shell / Innocence
- July 9th, 2010Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture
- To get in you in the mood for our recently announced animation competition Andrez bergen has put together this look at the Ghost in the Shell series. What other nation in the world annihilates its own capital as much as Japan tends to? Think of all the times Tokyo's be ... » Continue Reading
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- Mandarake Stores
- July 2nd, 2010Category: Shopping
- Starting out in 1987 in the otaku paradise that is Nakano Broadway, in West Tokyo, manga and anime merchandisers Mandarake have conquered the rest of Japan and these days have stores across this metropolis – in Shibuya, Akihabara and Ikebukuro – as well as in other es ... » Continue Reading
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- Tokyo Marble Chocolate
- June 25th, 2010Category: Uncategorized
- Right before it made its debut at the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival 3 years ago, Tokyo Marble Chocolate whipped up a wee bit of a local cinematic feeding frenzy and sold out all seats to the show within one day. I know, 'cos I missed out on that screening. I ... » Continue Reading
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- Keroro Gunso / Sgt. Frog
- June 14th, 2010Category: Uncategorized
- This newsflash just in from the battlefront ‘burbs: Militant extraterrestrial frogs do dig anime, in particular the many series that happen to include Gundam in their title. And when it comes to digging, let it be known that I love Keroro Gunso (ケロロ軍曹, aka Sgt. Frog ou ... » Continue Reading
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- I want my Fugu!
- May 31st, 2010Category: Uncategorized
- There’s a question on my mind, and it’s one I’ve mulled over for years, ever since Homer Simpson demanded fugu (河豚) at a Japanese restaurant, that time when the sushi chef was out canoodling Ms. Krabappel on the backseat of her car. Cue assistant chef’s stressful spli ... » Continue Reading
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- Derelict Store, Ōokayama
- May 27th, 2010Category: Culture
- I found this shop the other week right near my daughter Cocoa's kindergarten in Ōokayama, one stop from our place on the Oimachi Line. Ōokayama is full of some interesting old architecture, some of it condemned and falling apart - like this particular gem, apparently a ... » Continue Reading
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- Satoshi Kon’s The Dreaming Machine
- May 21st, 2010Category: Arts & Entertainment
- Late last year I interviewed essential Japanese anime director Satoshi Kon (he of the notoriety of Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers, and the brilliant Millennium Actress), and that interview appeared in the January issue of Impact mag over in the UK. I'll be running with th ... » Continue Reading
