From manga and anime to movies, magazines, video games, advertising and music, Japanese schoolgirls are everywhere.

For years, schoolgirls have shown up in internationally popular anime such as Sailor MoonThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Blood: The Last Vampire. Films such as Battle Royale inspired Quentin Tarantino to include a fighting schoolgirl in Kill Bill; and recently, Rinko Kikuchi received an Oscar nomination for her role as a schoolgirl in the film Babel.

There are schoolgirl characters in video games such as Street Fighter. And the “Japanese Schoolgirl Watch” column in Wired magazine has long kept an eye on the trends emerging among these stylish teens. In effect, the Japanese schoolgirl has all but replaced the “geisha-girl” as Japan’s new female icon.

This is a “must have” for any serious Japanophile, anime otaku, or fan of Japanese school girls.

If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of the sailor suit uniform, or are fascinated with the power these teenagers hold over the Japanese economy, this book is for you.

Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool

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Finally after weeks of back and forth with Apple, the free version of the Japancast iPhone/iPod Touch app is available!

The app is identical to the paid version, except for the number of kanji available.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FREE APP

You can learn to read and write all hiragana & all katakana with this app.

Here’s the video preview of how it  functions:

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Bleach episode 285, news from Japan, and an amazing kid plays guitar with Ozzy Osborne on this week’s episode.

Japancast HD Video Episode 013 from Hitomi Griswold on Vimeo.

Links to items mentioned in this episode:

Perfect Blue

Paprika

Satoshi Kon’s last words (Japanese)

English Translation

The Exquisite Short Films of Kihachiro Kawamoto (1968-1979)

The Book of the Dead (Kihachiro Kawamoto)

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私の誕生日に、デンマークに住んでいる私のスペイン語の先生が、デンマークのパンが作れる材料を送ってくれました。

(わたし の たんじょうび に、デンマーク に すんでいる わたし の スペインご の せんせい が、デンマーク の パン が つくれる ざいりょう を おくってくれました)

じゃじゃーん! これが、その材料です。

(じゃじゃーん! これ が その ざいりょう です)

まずは、粉。

(まずは、こな)

それから、かぼちゃの種。

(それから、かぼちゃ の たね)

それから、イースト。

よくまぜて・・・。

オーブンで1時間焼いて、出来上がり♪

(オーブン で いちじかん やいて できあがり)

切ってみました。おいしそうでしょ?

(きってみました。 おいしそうでしょ?)

今日のおやつに、こんな風にして食べてみました。 と~ってもおいしかったです♪

(きょう の おやつ に、 こんなふうにして たべてみました。 と~っても おいしかったです)

ルイースさん、素敵なプレゼントを本当にありがとう!とってもおいしいパンが出来ました♪

(ルイースさん、すてきな プレゼント を ほんとうに ありがとう! とっても おいしい パン が できました)

Gracias por el maravilloso regalo de cumpleaños.

みなさんは、どんなパンが好きですか?

(みなさんは、 どんな パン が すきですか?)

Love,

ひとみ

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The last K-On! we’ll cover, Japan’s self defense, high school festivals, and bad kanji tattoos.

Japancast Video Episode 012 – Learn Japanese @ Japancast.net from Hitomi Griswold on Vimeo.

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In this episode: self mummification, cutting off your finger for the one you love, PLUS – submit your questions for anime director Michael Arias!

Japancast Video Episode 011 – Learn Japanese @ Japancast.net from Hitomi Griswold on Vimeo.

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Aug 152010

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Aug 122010

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Aug 122010

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