Pure TokyoScope

Unicorns are real and they’ve taken over the podcast! This time, Matt Alt ( Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World ) and Patrick Macias ( TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion ) welcome special guest Caro Buermann of Sweet Streets to talk about the 40th anniversary of the 1982 film THE LAST UNICORN produced and directed by Rankin/Bass and animated by Japanese studio Topcraft. Caro...

FEATURE As the 69 year old Shibuya Toei cinema is set to close it’s doors, Matt Alt ( Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World ) and Patrick Macias ( TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion ) laugh and reminiscence about movie theaters and movie going in Japan from the lowdown grindhouse, to the super deluxe big screens. Hear our war-cry: NO MORE EIGA DOROBO! NEWS Shibuya once again pr...

FEATURE Matt Alt ( Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World ) and Patrick Macias ( TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion ) visit the first-ever event dedicated to the 1980-1981 Japanese puppet science fiction series X-BOMBER , which was televised in the UK as STAR FLEET ! STAR FLEET episodes at Archive.org Music video for STAR FLEET PROJECT - Brian May & Friends NEWS Even mascot...

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 j...

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...

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 a...

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 Anim...

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 Oly...

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...

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 c...

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 L...

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...

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 Chines...

1 and 1 we're having some fun! It's time for Episode 11 of the Pure TokyoScope podcast! 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: Sakurajima volcano erupts, triggering highest alert...

Double digits! It's time for Episode 10 of the Pure TokyoScope podcast! 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: Tokyo's COVID-19 cases top 30,000 Cases of people getting unwanted c...

News: More Shinzo Abe, Japan Election Results, Ken Akamatsu, and Golgo 13 Feature: The Argument Against Machine Translation Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine… it’s time for Episode 9 of the Pure TokyoScope podcast! 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...

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! IN THIS SPECIAL ALL-NEWS EPISODE Shinzo Abe: Ex-Prime Minister of Japan assassinated while giving speech Godzilla Special Effects Director Teruyos...

BEHOLD! It's time for episode (ultra) seven of PURE TOKYOSCOPE! 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! In this episode: NEWS: Japan swelters in its worst heatwave ever recorded FEATURE:...

Hello from The Big Mikan! It's episode 6 of PURE TOKYOSCOPE! 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! In this episode: NEWS: Cool Japan Fund may be merged, eliminated if it does not impro...

SLAM into overdrive! It's a Bonus Episode of the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Podcast ! 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! In this bonus episode: We present a 2016 conversation between Matt and...

SLAM into overdrive! It's episode 5 of PURE TOKYOSCOPE! 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! In this episode: NEWS: Japanese government survey shows 1 in 4 singles in 30s not willing...

HARK! It’s time for Episode 4 of the PURE TOKYOSCOPE podcast!  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: The guys have an update about tourism in Japan (spoilers: it doesn...

Prepare thyself for Episode 3 of PURE TOKYOSCOPE podcast! 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! In this episode: NEWS: Matt Alt talks about his recent visit to the radiation and earthq...

Electric Boogaloo! It’s Episode 2 of PURE TOKYOSCOPE podcast! 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! In this episode: NEWS: Japan says the tourists are set to come back in June, but are...

WOW! It's the very first episode of the PURE TOKYOSCOPE podcast! 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!  In this episode: NEWS: The guys react to the Hollywood Reporter article on...