Guest Posts

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Perfect Anime for Japan’s Economic Crisis

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Editor’s note:

This article originally appeared on Pop Pacific, a blog sponsored by the International Institute of Asian Studies and shared in full on Yamato Magazine with permission from writer Jayson Makoto Chun. Neon Genesis Evangelion remains an iconic anime series for its expression of mental health, the complexities of parenthood, teenagerhood and the rights of women.

Enjoy this thought-provoking article that Jayson has written and be sure to check out more of Pop Pacific’s content that looks at multiple aspects of anime across cultures.

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The Kokoro Files

A One-Way Ticket to Tokyo: Bobby Dixit On Risk, Reinvention And The Wild Early Days of PlayStation

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Yamato Magazine: Let’s start at the beginning. What brought you to Japan in the first place?

Bobby Dixit: I was in my third year at King’s College London and I was struggling to know which direction I wanted to take. An opportunity came up to study in Japan at the Chiba Institute of Technology for a year. Of course I went.

Yamato Magazine: How did that experience take you back to Japan?

Bobby: After that, I came back to the UK to complete my master’s and then I interviewed for a position to do my second master’s thesis at Sony’s Broadcast & Professional Europe research labs in Basingstoke. It was between me and a mature student who I thought would get the job because he was very polished. There I was, a kid with a ponytail in flip flops.

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Japanese Fashion · Pop Culture and Japan

Celebrating Japan Week 2025 In Manchester

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Japan Week 2025 in Manchester is a historical event that further strengthens the ties between Manchester and Japan.

The city of Manchester and Japan have a special connection. This dates back to 1865 at the height of the Industrial Revolution, when a group of students from Satsuma came to Greater Manchester to investigate the booming cotton trade. The students visited manufacturers in the region of Oldham called the Platt Brothers and were so impressed by the machinery that they took it back with them. 

This was the start of a strong and fruitful working relationship. Over the next century and a half, Manchester would continue to build strong ties with Japan. A more recent example is Manchester mayor Andy Burnham being part of an initiative and UK delegation to Japan to establish further bonds of urban development and carbon remission. In fact, Manchester has become the sister city to Osaka and the two mirror each other in terms of aspirations, people and world views.

As a proud Manc, I’m excited to see my city’s connection with Japan continue to flourish. And as a celebration of this connection, Japan Week 2025 in Manchester is sure to be amazing. Taking place across the city from September 4th – September 9th, here are the events you’ll want to check out.

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Pop Culture and Japan

How Does The Silver Samurai Break The Mould Of The Traditional Samurai Image?

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Samurai are traditionally depicted as brave warriors who value honour and duty. They were known to serve their masters loyally, to lay down their lives and sacrifice everything in the pursuit of bushido. Marvel Comics has done a great job of emphasising Japanese culture, with the Silver Samurai representing a traditional image. The identity has been used by two characters, though it has been linked with dishonour, due to the original bearer of the identity, Kenuichio Harada, starting off as a villain. Over time, Harada looked to regain his honour.

Let’s look into the history of the Silver Samurai to see how his identity contrasts with conventional Japanese imagery.

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Mental health essays

Understanding The Japanese Philosophy Of Omoiyari

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Omoiyari involves compassion and empathy in Japanese society with deep nuances.

Empathy and compassion are generally considered two of the most valuable personality traits to have. To be truly empathetic is to understand the needs of someone else and to be compassionate is to act in such a way that empathy is shown. When those traits are viewed through a Japanese lens, they take on more nuance.

The Japanese philosophy of omoiyari is the expression of empathy and compassion. And yet, there is much more than a surface level understanding of those words when implemented in Japan.

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Pop Culture and Japan

The Truth About Real Samurai In Anime

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Samurai are some of the most iconic figures in Japanese history. They’ve appeared in films,
games, books, and especially anime. But anime often bends the truth.

Real samurai lived by strict codes, fought deadly battles and shaped Japan’s future. Anime
samurai? They shoot lightning, ride motorcycles and sometimes travel through time. This article breaks down how anime reimagines real historical samurai. We’ll compare fact vs. fiction and see why the truth is sometimes even more interesting than the fantasy.

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Pop Culture and Japan

Japanese Writing for Beginners: Learn Hiragana & Katakana

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For newcomers to the Japanese language, the writing system often appears as an intimidating barrier. Unlike languages that use the Latin alphabet, Japanese employs three distinct writing systems simultaneously: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. But don’t let this complexity discourage you! With the right approach and resources, mastering Japanese writing can be an enjoyable journey. In this guide, we’ll focus on the first crucial step: learning hiragana and katakana.

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Poetry

Fatherhood

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When you’re in the world
I will be your protector
As a samurai
protects what matters the most
Even when I don’t
have all the answers for you
I will have questions
To find meaning together
On the winding road
You’ll walk to uncertain ends
Like a katana
You’ll be forged imperfectly
Full of golden cracks
Shining in kintsugi soul
I will say to you
That the world isn’t to be feared
That it is a place
To find what matters the most
There will be long nights
You’ll want to hide away from
I will hide with you
Long enough to see the dawn
All darkness passes
You can be more than one thing
The best of two worlds
Free to choose a destiny
A destination
At the end of your journey
And I will be proud
To watch how far you travel
From the first moment
I held you tight in my arms
My daughter…My daughter. Mine.

Pop Culture and Japan

The One-Eyed Dragon And Walking Your Own Path

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A young man glared at his reflection in the mirror. The reflection, half-obscured by a mane of thick black hair, glared back. The young man swept his hair out of his face, determined to face himself. Through distorted vision, he saw a boy with a bulging eye, a boy who was jeered, ridiculed, looked down upon as an abomination even by his own mother. A boy who’d been named the leader of his clan and who everyone expected to fail.

The young man continued to repeat the mantra he’d been telling himself again and again: You are Botenmaru no more. Your name is Date Masamune. Son of Tenamune. The right to lead this clan is yours by birth. Kill the boy and let the man be born.

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