It is amazing how little of a culture you actually know when you are fond of a culture that isn’t your native one. You can spend years watching films like DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, ONMYOJI, and IKIRU and that would be not even the tip of the iceberg - more like trying to shoot at it and barely grazing the tip. Then you could be part of your high school’s anime club and consume sushi, tea, and poppy sticks and it is barely any more. Japanese pop/sub culture is such a large field of interest. Sadly, only a fraction is available to us here in America.
In comes Patrick Macias. Editor of OtakuUSA and author of a lot of books on the subject, and even a presenter of some screenings of Nippon Eiga (along with August Ragone). An intellectual in the field, Macias has made this youtube series which helps give those who cannot truly go to Japan for whatever reasons get a taste of Japanese culture with a bi-lingual Macias going to different places in Japan and taking us through a tour and showing us a lot of eye candy, weather you are an anime otaku or a kaiju loving G-Fan.
I approve of the series. Macias gives us a great look at Japan. Additionally, his knowledge of everything Japanese helps makes sense for those who will experience something of a culture shock. Not to mention the occasional Japanese lesson. Macias is featured along side anime voice actress Yuu Asakawa (of FINAL FANTASY 12 fame) who at times goes with Macias to some of the events and such and sometimes just talks at the Otaku Verse Zero headquarters.
Bottom line, it is a great series - one which every Japanophile should watch. You will learn at least one thing with each episode. Thank you Patrick Macias.
A good episode to start off with for the kaiju crowd.
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