Asian culture, A to Z.
Anime, manga, drama, gastronomy, traditions, personalities. Browse the encyclopedia of Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Anime series adapted from Gege Akutami's manga, produced by studio MAPPA since 2020. Yuji Itadori, a high school student, swallows a cursed finger of the King of Curses Ryomen Sukuna and joins Tokyo Jujutsu High to fight curses. Praised for its exceptional animation and choreographed battles, it became one of the most popular shonen of the 2020s.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Anime series of 64 episodes produced by studio Bones, aired from 2009 to 2010, a faithful adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's manga. Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric seek the Philosopher's Stone to restore their bodies after a forbidden human transmutation. Regularly ranked as the greatest anime of all time by fan communities.
Death Note
Anime series of 37 episodes adapted from the manga by Tsugumi Ohba (story) and Takeshi Obata (art), produced by studio Madhouse and aired from 2006 to 2007. Light Yagami, a gifted high school student, discovers a supernatural notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. A gripping psychological thriller that conquered a worldwide audience well beyond the anime sphere.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Cult anime series of 26 episodes directed by Hideaki Anno and produced by studio Gainax, aired from 1995 to 1996. Teenagers pilot bio-organic mechas called Evangelions to fight enigmatic creatures named Angels. A groundbreaking work that revolutionized Japanese animation through its deconstruction of the mecha genre and unprecedented psychological depth.
Dragon Ball
Legendary anime and manga franchise created by Akira Toriyama, adapted by Toei Animation from 1986 to 2018 for a total of 639 episodes across Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super. Son Goku's adventures, from childhood to cosmic battles, defined the shonen genre and influenced global popular culture.
Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Anime series adapted from Koyoharu Gotouge's manga, produced by studio Ufotable since 2019. Tanjiro Kamado becomes a demon slayer after his family is massacred and his sister Nezuko is turned into a demon. Praised for its revolutionary animation, the franchise produced the highest-grossing anime film in Japanese history.
Attack on Titan
Anime series adapted from Hajime Isayama's manga, produced by WIT Studio (seasons 1-3) then MAPPA (final season). Aired from 2013 to 2023 for a total of 94 episodes, it follows humanity sheltered behind enormous walls against human-eating Titans. One of the most impactful works in 21st-century Japanese animation.
Spirited Away
Animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 2001. Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl, becomes trapped in a spirit world and must work in a magical bathhouse to save her parents who have been turned into pigs. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Bear at Berlin, it is the highest-grossing Japanese film in history with over $395 million at the worldwide box office.
Tokyo
Capital of Japan and largest metropolitan area in the world with over 14 million inhabitants (37 million in the greater metropolitan area). Nerve center of Japanese pop culture (anime, manga, video games), cutting-edge technology, and gastronomy (over 200 Michelin-starred restaurants). Tokyo is a unique blend of tradition and hypermodernity, from the ancient temples of Asakusa to the futuristic skyscrapers of Shinjuku, the electronics district of Akihabara, and the fashion mecca of Harajuku.
Hanami
Ancient Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms (sakura) in spring, generally from late March to early May depending on the region. Families, friends, and colleagues gather under blooming trees for picnics, sake drinking, and celebrating the fleeting beauty of nature, a philosophical concept called mono no aware. Hanami has been deeply rooted in Japanese culture for over a thousand years and attracts millions of visitors to Japan each year.
Ramen
Japanese noodle soup consisting of wheat noodles served in a rich and complex broth, topped with chashu (braised pork), marinated egg, nori, and green onions. Originally from China and adopted by Japan in the early 20th century, ramen has become one of the most iconic dishes in Japanese cuisine with countless regional variations. The four main broth types are tonkotsu (pork bone), shoyu (soy sauce), miso, and shio (salt).
Studio Ghibli
Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, alongside producer Toshio Suzuki. Based in Koganei (Tokyo), the studio is celebrated for its poetic, ecological and visually stunning animated films that have shaped world cinema history. Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, the first non-English language film to receive the honor.
Hayao Miyazaki
Director, animator, screenwriter, and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, born in 1941 in Tokyo. Regarded as the greatest animation filmmaker of all time, he is the creator of masterpieces such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away and an Honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement in 2014, he continues to create despite several announced retirements.
One Piece
Pirate manga created by Eiichiro Oda, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 1997. Monkey D. Luffy and his crew sail the seas in search of the legendary treasure One Piece left by the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. With over 520 million copies sold, it is the best-selling manga of all time and one of the most popular works of fiction in the world.
Naruto
Iconic anime and manga series by Masashi Kishimoto, adapted by studio Pierrot and aired from 2002 to 2017 for a total of 720 episodes (Naruto + Naruto Shippuden). Naruto Uzumaki, an ostracized young ninja carrying the Nine-Tailed Fox demon within him, dreams of becoming Hokage, the leader of his village. One of the most influential and best-selling works in the shonen genre.