Pure TokyoScope

FEATURE

Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) take time out from their busy schedules to celebrate four decades of the legendary anime series Super Dimension Fortress Macross (better known in the west as Robotech: The Macross Saga). To aid them in this task, special guest Macross maniac Renato Rusca Rivera joins the battle. WE WILL WIN!

INFO

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

FEATURE

Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) finally leave their otaku-strewn bedrooms and make for the All-Japan Model and Hobby Show to bring you a report from the field!

NEWS

For many, it was business as usual in Tokyo on Abe’s funeral day

Antonio Inoki, pro wrestler who went into politics, is dead

Kappa Sushi president arrested on suspicion of obtaining data from rival chain

INFO

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

FEATURE

In the show's first ever open Q&A, Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) answer YOUR burning questions about the best toy stores in Tokyo, the forgotten Japanese Animation Archives, and take the Voight-Kampff to try and determine who is a Rock Lord!

NEWS

Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap

The "Mario-like" go carting experience is up and running again

Copy of 'Mach 5' car from anime 'Speed Racer' joins police patrol in Japan

Japan's funeral for divisive slain PM Shinzo Abe fuels backlash

INFO

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

FEATURE

As Japan plans to reopen the borders to tourists again, Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) look back the first times they ever set foot in the Land of the Rising Fun. Don’t shoot up in the ramen restaurant and don’t lose your passport!

NEWS

Nintendo's Splatoon 3 hits Japan sales record, beats Animal Crossing

Major publishing company Kadokawa’s chairman arrested in Tokyo Games-related bribery case

With the yen near the cheapest level in decades, Japan is set to reopen its borders

INFO

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

This week writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) conclude their interview with Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura and talk about his two new films THE PRICE WE PAY and THREE SISTERS OF TENMASOU and look back at his 2004 title Godzilla: Final Wars!

NEWS

Top Kadokawa execs arrested in widening Tokyo Olympics bribery scandal

Japan metro websites hit, apparently by pro-Russia hacker group

Suntory eyes U.S. canned cocktail push as young Japanese shun booze

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

This week writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) talk to Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Azumi, Godzilla: Final Wars) about his recent release of the soundtrack to the 1983 film VILLAGE OF DOOM, inspired by the true events of the 1938 Tsuyama shotgun massacre in Okayama Prefecture

Village Of Doom (1983)

Director: Noboru Tanaka

Cast: Masato Furuoya, Misako Tanaka, Kumiko Ohba

Music: Masanori Sasaji

Soundtrack available from XROSSCOUNTER

Wikipedia article on the Tsuyama Massacre 

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

Writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) combine their powers Voltron-style to bring you news, views, and pop culture direct from the Land of the Rising FUN!

NEWS:

Rigid rules at Japan PM's office require officials to come in person for 'online' meetings

Japan PM Kishida orders new nuclear power plant construction

Godzilla Disaster Drill Posters

Matsuya Ends Free Miso Soup Service, Citing Rising Costs

FEATURE:

Matt and Pat make it a traditional spooky summer by taking some time to talk about YOKAI, Japan's traditional supernatural creatures and creepy crawlies with a discussion of Yokai films, key texts, and come face to face with the burning question: is Cookie Monster a Yokai? Should he be? 

Conversation inspired by the book

Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

Writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) combine their powers Voltron-style to bring you news, views, and pop culture direct from the Land of the Rising FUN!

NEWS:

Japan launches nationwide competition to boost alcohol consumption

Ex-Olympic organizing committee director, 3 others arrested

FEATURE:

MY LORD! The streets of Tokyo are empty, and the tourists have all run away! Matt Alt and Patrick Macias use this dramatic pause in the space-time continuum to ponder the past, present, and future of otaku culture (DO YOU KNOW?), from the very beginnings, to the mainstreaming of Akihabara, otaku crime, Train Main, the interwebs, and finally… your mom in a Star Wars shirt!

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

Writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) combine their powers Voltron-style to bring you news, views, and pop culture direct from the Land of the Rising FUN!

NEWS:

Live-Action Pac-Man Movie in Works at Bandai Namco, Wayfarer Studios

One Piece Screenings in France Almost Turn Into a Riot

Japan population falls by record 726,342 to 125.93 mil. in 2021 amid COVID

Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake dies at 84

Japanese actor Kiyoshi Kobayashi, known for voicing Lupin's Daisuke Jigen, dead at 89

FEATURE:

Andrew Szymanski is a Japanese game industry veteran whose experience includes producing titles for Tecmo, Capcom, DeNa, and more! In part 2 of our interview, Andrew takes us deep inside the secretive lair of Team Ninja to reveal what it was like working with the legendary game designer Tomonobu Itagaki (Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden).

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy

Writers Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion) combine their powers Voltron-style to bring you news, views, and pop culture direct from the Land of the Rising FUN!

NEWS:

Crunchyroll Merges With Anime Store, Right Stuf

Heavy rain hits northeastern, central Japan, 100,000 told to evacuate

Japan says five Chinese ballistic missiles landed inside EEZ near Okinawa

FEATURE:

Andrew Szymanski is a Japanese game industry veteran whose experience includes producing titles for Tecmo's Team Ninja, Capcom, DeNa, and more! In part 1 of our interview, we learn how Andrew fell in love with Japan (hint: Nintendo), survived working in a ramen shop, and nabbed a dream job at Tecmo.

LINKS:

Pure TokyoScope on YouTube

Pure TokyoScope on Twitter 

Matt Alt on Twitter

Patrick Macias on Twitter

Visit www.tokyoscope.comfor merch

Visit TokyoScope on Patreon for bonus episodes and content

The podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC©, and engineered and edited by Patrick Macias

Theme song by Marxy