KotobaInteractive
Journal

The Kotoba Interactive journal.

Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.

Glossary
4 articles
Pile de volumes d’une anthologie de mangas, illustrant la diversité des magazines de prépublication shōnen et seinen.
JapaneseArts11 min

Seinen vs Shōnen: Understanding Manga Demographics

Seinen or shōnen? Decoding manga's demographic categories: target ages, tone, magazines, examples and false friends. What truly decides the label.

Read
Serveuse en costume de maid dans un maid café japonais.
JapaneseSociété14 min

Maid Café: Origins and Codes of the Japanese Meido Kafe

History and rituals of the Japanese maid café (メイドカフェ): birth in Akihabara, moe culture, the okaerinasaimase welcome, cheki photos, etiquette and variants.

Read
Boutique Hello Kitty de Sanrio, vitrine de la culture kawaii.
JapaneseSociété9 min

Sanrio and Hello Kitty: The Global Empire of Japanese Kawaii

From silk to Hello Kitty through Kuromi, Cinnamoroll and My Melody, the history of Sanrio, the Japanese company that invented the economy of kawaii.

Read
Boutique Pokémon Center au Japon, vitrine du phénomène Pokémon.
JapaneseArts13 min

Pokémon: The Story of Japan's Greatest Pop Phenomenon

From Satoshi Tajiri's insect-hunting childhood to a planetary empire: the Pokémon saga, the highest-grossing franchise ever and icon of Japanese culture.

Read