Explore every episode of the podcast Nante Japan Podcast

Nante Japan's review of November 2024, featuring segments on the "75th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen" performers, the "66th Japan Record Award" nominees and winners, ELLY of Sandaime J Soul Brothers' praise of Donald Trump, Snow Man's best album announcement, and more.

Nante Japan's review of September and October 2024, featuring segments on Travis Japan's New York concert, New York Comic Con, the denial of an international fan to a NEWS concert and more.

Nante Japan's review of December 2023, featuring segments on the “74th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen”, the renaming of the company formerly known as Johnny & Associates, Snow Man's record breaking New Year's Eve livestream, Jin Akanshi and Meisa Kuroki's divorce, and more.

Nante Japan's review of 2023, featuring segments on the trends of the year, whether the concept of an album is dead or alive in Japan, the STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (fka Johnny & Associates) scandal, our top songs and albums of the year, and more.

A special episode where the fans of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, formerly Johnny & Associates, speak out on the monumentous year that was 2023. Fans from around the world discuss the Johnny Kitagawa abuse scandal, the changes the company has made in its wake, what they see in the company's future, their favorite company moments of the year, and more.

Nante Japan's review of November 2023, featuring segments on  the “74th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” lineup, Yuzuru Hanyu's divorce, the concert film "OPUS | Ryuichi Sakamoto", the year end streaming charts, Anime NYC 2023, and more.

Nante Japan's review of October 2023, featuring segments on the second Johnny & Associates press conference, the fallout from the press conference, the formation of Number_i, a new book on why women aren't topping the Japanese charts, and more.

Nante Japan's review of August 2023, featuring segments on the United Nations press conference about Johnny & Associates, the Johnny & Associates third party investigation report, Bishonen's scandals, and more.

Nante Japan's review of July 2023, featuring segments on Yamashita Tatsuro's defense of Johnny Kitagawa, Shinjiro Atae's coming out, The New York Asian Film Festival, our midyear favorites, and more.

A special episode about our trip to Anime Expo 2023! In this episode, we discussed all the things we experienced at the con, including VTuber concerts, anisong clubbing, and the North American premiere of "The First Slam Dunk."

Nante Japan's review of June 2023, featuring segments on Ronald's trip to Japan to see Snow Man at Tokyo Dome, the half-year charts, this year's "Talent Power Ranking", criticism of our site's handling of the Johnny Kitagawa abuse scandal, and more.

A special episode where the Japanese Netflix gay dating show "The Boyfriend" is discussed. Not only is the show itself discussed, but also how it relates to the gay ecosystem of Japan. Other related topics include xenophobia on the show and how the show's true purpose isn't finding love, but to propel the careers of its stars, including some into BL spaces.

Nante Japan's review of May 2023, featuring segments on Julie Fujishima's apology over the Johnny Kitagawa abuse scandal, the demise of King & Prince 2.0 / birth of King & Prince 3.0,  JPop's rise in South Korea, and more.

Nante Japan's review of April 2023, featuring segments on the life and legacy of Ryuichi Sakamoto, Johnny & Associates music show clips on YouTube, the RIAJ report for 2022, and more.

Nante Japan's review of March 2023, featuring segments on the BBC documentary on the Johnny Kitagawa abuse allegations, our trip to Washington to see and interview Travis Japan, Hideaki Takizawa's new company, Sho Hirano's comments while in South Korea, and more.

A special episode centering on Usami Rin's award-winning hit novel "Idol, Burning". In this episode, we discussed several key points in such as how authors have discussed women's issues through the lens of insanity, how this particular book fits into that larger tradition of feminism, and how what seems like a simple book about idol fandom may be anything but.

Nante Japan's review of February 2023, featuring segments on the the return of cheering at concerts, Koki Tanaka's drug sentence, Snow Man's ticket scalping, King & Prince's fans attempts to save the group, and more.

Nante Japan's review of January 2023, featuring segments on Yoshihiko Inohara's interview about Johnny & Associates, Ken Miyake leaving Johnny & Associates, Snow Man's Raul at Paris Fashion Week, the death of Yukihiro Takahashi, our thoughts on XG, and more.

Nante Japan's review of December 2022, featuring segments on the “73rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen”, the creator of "silent" coming out against the show's international distribution, the Sho Hirano / HYBE rumor, season 2 of "Alice in Borderland", and more.

Nante Japan's review of 2022, featuring segments on the year end charts; the trends of TikTok, VTubers, and boybands; our top songs and albums of the year; and more.

The first episode of the rebranded Nante Japan Podcast! This is our review of November 2022, featuring segments on  the “73rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” lineup, the 2022 Gen Z trends list, the failure of Cool Japan, the proposed usage of national IDs to go to concerts and how this affects international fans, Anime NYC 2022, and more.

A special episode focusing on the drama surrounding Johnny & Associates in late October / early November 2022. Topics covered include the departure of Hideaki Takizawa, the impending departure of three of the five members of King & Prince, Johnny & Associates threatening Shukan Bunshun with legal action, and the company's future.

Nante Japan's review of Summer 2024, featuring segments on the midyear charts, this year's anan Sex issue, MUSIC MAGAZINE's best of 2000s & 2010s JPop lists, our favorites of the first half of 2024, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of October 2022, featuring segments on Travis Japan's global debut, Fujii Kaze's cultural appropriation & "N word" scandal, the "JPop influenced KPop, but was inspired by black music" Twitter discourse, and “73rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” predictions.

Arama! Japan's review of September 2022, featuring segments on our trip to South Korea, the lack of energy in Japan's current female acts, Travis Japan's semi-final appearance on "America's Got Talent", and the success of Snow Man's second album.

Arama! Japan's review of August 2022, featuring segments on Otakuthon 2022, our interview with Genki Iwahashi, and Seiho's sexual assault case.

Arama! Japan's review of July 2022, featuring segments on the assassination of Shinzo Abe, Max Matsuura's bashing of KPop in favor of XG, Travis Japan's appearance on "America's Got Talent", and news from Anime Expo 2022.

Arama! Japan's review of June 2022, featuring segments on the half-year charts, this year's "Talent Power Ranking", our interview with Keito Okamoto, and Harry Styles' appearance on "THE FIRST TAKE."

A special Pride episode featuring discussion of Dr. Thomas Baudinette's book "Regimes of Desire: Young Gay Men, Media, and Masculinity in Tokyo" with the author. In this episode we discussed several key points in the book including Yukio Mishima's lasting impact on Japanese gay men,  the Japanese gay porn industry, Japanese gay men's thoughts on Johnny & Associates, and how things are changing for LGBT people in Japan.

Arama! Japan's review of May 2022, featuring segments on “KanJam Kanzennen SHOW”'s Reiwa Artists Pick the Top 30 Heisei Songs list, how JPop and KPop treat choreography differently, and the stalking of 7 MEN Samurai’s Taiko Sasaki.

Arama! Japan's review of April 2022, featuring segments on Arata Mackenyu's multiple scandals, Sono Sion's sexual harassment scandal, and Utada Hikaru at Coachella.

The second part of Arama! Japan's review of March 2022, featuring segments on the US theater screening of Arashi's 20th anniversary concert film, last year's growth of the Japanese music industry, Fujii Kaze's rise to fame, and more.

The first part of Arama! Japan's review of March 2022, focusing on the Academy Award-winning film "Drive My Car." In this part, we discuss the film, its international promotion, and the response to it within Japan.

Nante Japan's review of May 2024, featuring segments on Hoshino Gen's cheating rumor, the departure of Jun Matsumoto from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, Shiina Ringo's new album, and more.

The second part of Arama! Japan's review of February 2022, focusing on the Netflix orginal series "Fishbowl Wives." In this part, we break down each episode of the drama.

The first part of Arama! Japan's review of February 2022, featuring segments on Mafumafu & Rushia's scandal, Kizuna Ai's retirement, King & Prince's dome tour, and more. 

The second part of Arama! Japan's review of January 2022, focusing on Utada Hikaru's new album, "BAD Mode." In this part, we break down each song on the album, talk about the sudden interest of the Western press in regards to Utada, and the split release of the album.

The first part of Arama! Japan's review of January 2022, featuring segments on SixTONES' The Japan Times interview, the Omicron wave at Johnny & Associates, and the conjuction of VTubers and BL.

Arama! Japan's review of December 2021, featuring segments on the "72nd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen", BiSH's disbandment announcement, the  “63rd Japan Record Awards”, and the Johnny & Associates year end shows.

Arama! Japan's review of 2021, featuring segments on our thoughts of this year, this year's trends of downer & escapist music, trends for 2022, our top songs and albums of the year, what we didn't like this year, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of November 2021, featuring segments on Sayaka Kanda's death, the new generation boyband battle between Naniwa Danshi, INI, and BE:FIRST, Ayumi Hamasaki's health scare, and why Tomohisa Yamashita can't seem to be canceled.

Arama! Japan's review of October 2021, featuring segments on this year's Kohaku rumors, the lack of new female acts in JPop, this year's MTV VMAJ, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of September 2021, featuring segments on King & Prince's The Japan Times interview, the success of Snow Man's debut album, Japan's and international fans of Japanese media's reaction to "Squid Game", and more.

Arama! Japan's review of August 2021, featuring segments on Seiko Oomori's abuse scandal, "Talent Power Ranking 2021", Japanese hip hop's horrible summer, and more.

Nante Japan's review of April 2024, featuring segments on the state of HYBE's Japanese operations, Billboard's article on Western songwriters in Asia, Utada Hikaru's 25th anniversary best album "SCIENCE FICTION", and more.

Arama! Japan's review of July 2021, featuring segments on the drama of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (on the ground and in fandom), Suzuki Tatsuhisa cheating on LiSA, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of June 2021, featuring segments on Utada Hikaru coming out as non-binary, the half year charts, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of May 2021, featuring segments on Hoshino Gen & Aragaki Yui's marriage, the Japanese music industry's 2020 decline, King & Prince's "Magic Touch", the anti-blackness of idol fans, and more.

Arama! Japan's review of April 2021, featuring segments on Kondo Masahiko leaving Johnny & Associates, Arata Mackenyu getting COVID-19 on a date, Kiko Mizuhara coming out, the problem with Mukai Taichi, and more.