Asian culture, A to Z.
Anime, manga, drama, gastronomy, traditions, personalities. Browse the encyclopedia of Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture.
Steins;Gate
Anime series of 24 episodes produced by studio White Fox, aired in 2011, adapted from the visual novel by 5pb. and Nitroplus. Rintaro Okabe, an eccentric self-proclaimed 'mad scientist,' accidentally discovers time travel and must face the devastating consequences of his temporal manipulations. Considered one of the finest works of animated science fiction.
Bleach
Anime series adapted from Tite Kubo's manga, produced by studio Pierrot. The original series (366 episodes) aired from 2004 to 2012, followed by the Thousand-Year Blood War return starting 2022. Ichigo Kurosaki, a high schooler who can see ghosts, becomes a shinigami and protects the living from evil spirits. One of the shonen 'Big Three' alongside Naruto and One Piece.
Hunter x Hunter
Anime series of 148 episodes produced by studio Madhouse, aired from 2011 to 2014, adapting Yoshihiro Togashi's manga. Gon Freecss, age 12, sets out to find his absent father by becoming a Hunter. Renowned for its complex story arcs, its Nen power system, and its ability to subvert shonen conventions.
Spy x Family
Anime series adapted from Tatsuya Endo's manga, co-produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks since 2022. An elite spy, an assassin, and a telepath form a fake family without knowing each other's secrets. A unique blend of comedy, action, and heartwarming moments, Spy x Family became a global popular phenomenon through the Forger family and little Anya.
Chainsaw Man
Anime series adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, produced by studio MAPPA. Season 1 (12 episodes) aired in 2022. Denji, a destitute young man, merges with his chainsaw devil-dog Pochita to become Chainsaw Man, a devil hunter in Public Safety. An ultraviolent, emotional, and deeply original work that redefined shonen conventions.
My Hero Academia
Anime series of 163 episodes adapted from Kohei Horikoshi's manga, produced by studio Bones and aired from 2016 to 2025. In a world where 80% of the population has superpowers called Quirks, Izuku Midoriya, born powerless, dreams of becoming the greatest hero. A vibrant tribute to superhero comics that conquered a worldwide audience.
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.
Hallyu (Korean Wave)
Global cultural phenomenon referring to the international spread of South Korean culture since the 1990s. The term hallyu ('Korean Wave' in Korean) encompasses K-pop, K-dramas, Korean cinema, K-beauty, K-fashion, and Korean cuisine. Accelerated by social media and streaming platforms in the 2010s, hallyu has become a major instrument of Korean soft power, with landmark moments including BTS's worldwide success, Parasite's Palme d'Or and Oscars, and the Squid Game phenomenon on Netflix.
Manga
Japanese comics read from right to left, covering a thematic and demographic diversity unmatched anywhere in the world. Divided into demographic categories (shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, kodomo), manga is a major cultural medium in Japan, representing a market of over $6 billion per year. Titles like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto have conquered a worldwide audience, and manga has become the primary gateway to Japanese popular culture for millions of readers.
Wuxia
Chinese literary and cinematic genre centered on the adventures of wandering martial heroes in ancient China. The term means 'martial hero' (wu = martial, xia = hero/knight) and the genre emphasizes honor, justice, loyalty, and martial arts mastery. Founded by writers like Jin Yong and Gu Long in the 20th century, wuxia has produced cinematic masterpieces such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, and A Touch of Zen, and continues to influence global action cinema.
Anime
Term referring to Japanese animation, covering an immense variety of genres, styles, and target audiences. From Osamu Tezuka's pioneering works (Astro Boy, 1963) to contemporary worldwide hits like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, anime has become a pillar of global popular culture. The Japanese anime industry generates over $25 billion annually and spans TV series, films, OVAs, and streaming platform productions, reaching audiences of all ages across every continent.
K-pop
Musical genre originating from South Korea, blending pop, hip-hop, R&B, and EDM with elaborate choreography and polished visual aesthetics. Born in the 1990s with pioneering groups like Seo Taiji and Boys and H.O.T., K-pop became a global cultural phenomenon in the 2010s, driven by artists like BTS, BLACKPINK, EXO, and Stray Kids. The K-pop industry relies on a unique idol training system (trainee system) and a digital communication strategy that has created worldwide fanbases of unprecedented power.
Parasite
South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho in 2019, exploring class inequality through the infiltration of a poor family into the household of a wealthy Seoul family. The first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, it also earned the Palme d'Or at Cannes and three additional Oscars. Hailed as a landmark work of 21st-century cinema, this dark comedy turned thriller grossed over $263 million at the worldwide box office.
Seoul
Capital of South Korea and megalopolis of over 10 million inhabitants (25 million in the metropolitan area), Seoul is the birthplace and driving force of the hallyu wave (K-pop, K-drama, K-beauty, Korean cinema). A striking blend of Joseon dynasty royal palaces, Buddhist temples, and ultra-modern districts like Gangnam, the city is a global center for technology, fashion, and entertainment. Seoul has undergone a spectacular transformation since the Korean War, going from ruins to one of the most dynamic and connected metropolises in the world.
Bong Joon-ho
South Korean director and screenwriter born in 1969, creator of Parasite (2019), the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. His work is distinguished by a unique genre-blending approach (dark comedy, thriller, sci-fi, horror) and a sharp social critique of class inequality. His filmography also includes Memories of Murder, The Host, Snowpiercer, and Okja, each film demonstrating his mastery of tonal shifts and ability to merge popular entertainment with profound reflection.
Chuseok
Major Korean harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, usually in September or October. Often compared to American Thanksgiving, Chuseok is one of Korea's two main holidays (alongside Seollal). Families gather to honor ancestors during the charye ritual, share songpyeon (half-moon rice cakes), and visit family graves. It is a three-day national holiday when all of Korea mobilizes for family reunions.
Kimchi
Korean national dish of fermented and spiced vegetables, primarily napa cabbage (baechu) seasoned with gochugaru (red pepper flakes), garlic, ginger, green onions, and jeotgal (fermented seafood condiment). Listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, kimchi is present at every Korean meal and comes in over 200 varieties. The fermentation process, called kimjang, is a traditional communal event in Korea.
BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)
South Korean K-pop group consisting of seven members (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook), formed in 2013 by Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE). BTS became the world's most popular music group in the 2020s, carrying the hallyu wave to unprecedented levels. Their ARMY fan community is one of the largest and most organized worldwide. The group has broken records in album sales, streams, and concert ticket sales, and has delivered speeches at the United Nations General Assembly.