Japan Station: A Podcast About Japan by JapanKyo.com
Society & Culture:Places & Travel
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we're exploring the history of Japanese aidoru (idols) and discussing the dynamics behind one of Japan's most popular idol groups: AKB48.
Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith is a lecturer at Senshu University in Tokyo. He is one of the world's leading experts on the topic of Akihabara and the related subcultures that are often associated with this famous district of Tokyo. Galbraith is the author of man y books and articles, including Tokyo Realtime (2010), The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan (2014), The Moe Manifesto: An Insider's Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming (2017), and others. His most recent book, published by Duke University Press Books in 2019, is Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan.
Note: The conversation on this episode was recorded on April 24, 2020 (JST).
Support on PatreonIf you enjoy Japan Station and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. For a minimum pledge of $1 a month you'll get access to extra blog posts and additional input on future content. You'd also receive Tony's eternal, profound, and undrying gratitude.
The book on which much of the conversation heard during this episode was based is called AKB48 and was written by Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith and Dr. Jason G. Karlin. You can purchase it via the Amazon affiliate link below. A Kindle version is available.
AKB48 is part of a series of books published by Bloomsbury that is called 33 1/2 Japan. If you would like to purchase any of these, you can use the Amazon affiliate links below.
If you would like to purchase Dr. Galbraith's most recent book--Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japani--you can use the Amazon affiliate link below.
Opening/Closing song: Oedo Controller (大江戸コントローラー) by Yunomi featuring Toriena (Used with permission from Yunomi)
To listen to more of Yunomi's music, check out his Soundcloud page or YouTube channel.
Japan Station cover art: Provided by Erik R.
Featured image: Courtesy of Patrick W. Galbraith
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20 Talking About Yōkai w/ Author Charles Kowalski
19 Deconstructing J-pop with Jonathan "Dr. Capital" Patterson
18 Author Barry Lancet
17 Comedian Ollie Horn
16 The Women of the Iwakura Mission (Janice P. Nimura)
15 Gaijin Goombah
14 Documenting the Lives of Brazilians in Japan (Aaron Litvin, Ana Paula Kojima Hirano, Marlom Meirelles)
13 Crystal Kay
12 Kaiju for Hipsters (Kevin Derendorf)
11 Sacred High City, Sacred Low City (Dr. Steven Heine)
10 Photographer Andrew Faulk
09 Ghosts of the Tsunami (Richard Lloyd Parry)
08 The Origins of Shōjo Manga (Dr. Deborah Shamoon)
07 The Wacky World of Japanese Mascots (Chris Carlier)
06 Talking Zen with Gesshin Claire Greenwood
05 Rakugo Performer, Ventriloquist & Comedian Showko Showfukutei
04 All About Trying to Become Big in Japan (David Elliot-Jones)
03 The Origins of Anime and the Making of Japan's First Feature Length Animated Film (Dr. Jonathan Clements)
02 How To Become A Comedian in Japan (Ann Lethin)
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