Japanzine is a Japan-based English-language magazine, published by Carter Witt Media.
 June 2010 cover | |
| Editor | Doug Breath |
|---|---|
| Categories | Newsmagazine, Local interest magazine |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Circulation | 52,000 |
| Publisher | Carter Witt |
| First issue | April 1990 (as The Alien) |
| Company | Carter Witt Media |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | English |
| Website | japanzine.jp |
History
editJapanzine is the successor magazine to The Alien.
In May 2008 the magazine introduced Gaijin Sounds,[1] a national music competition for foreign artists residing in Japan, created as an attempt to counteract the lack of press coverage given to "home-grown" artists. Twelve artists from around Japan were selected as winners with music ranging from techno to indie-pop to rap. Gaijin Sounds Vol. 2, was launched the following year, featuring in the May 2009 issue.[1] The competition soon expanded to the live arena, with 2 live "finals" in Osaka and Tokyo in autumn 2009, featuring over 8 bands such as Fukuoka outfit, Nanbanjin; Tokyo-based Kev Gray & The Gravy Train - both who had won the award twice[2] - and the former Matsuyama indie rock band The Watanabes, also based in Tokyo.[3][4]
The competition returned in 2010, where winners included Andy Tyrone Rogers[1] and The Mootekkis, who featured on the cover.
In 2012, Japanzine opened up the competition to all-Japanese line-ups with a national Bands of Japan contest.[4]
Publications on Japanzine stopped, and Carter Witt and Doug Breath moved on to develop Nagoya Buzz.[5]
Description
editJapanzine caters largely to the expatriate community in Japan. Each edition of the magazine contains a map of various Japanese cities and an entertainment guide,[6] as well as several articles - both satirical and serious - on Japanese life.
The comic strip character Charisma Man first appeared in The Alien and later in Japanzine.[7]
The magazine provided a regular gig guide for music lovers in Tokyo with a mix of international and up and coming local artists.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Seek Japan :: Gaijin Sounds". www.seekjapan.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-06-07.
- ^ Wilks, Jon. "Kev Gray: A Bit of a Genius". Seek Japan. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012.
Avid readers will recall that he was one of the winners of our Gaijin Sounds competition, when "How the Story Ends" went in for such heavy rotation in the Japanzine office that our neighbors called in the medics, convinced we'd dropped dead on the repeat button.
- ^ Davies, Jonti (9 October 2009), "The Watanabes: A Tale of Indie Success in Japan", Japanzine, archived from the original on 28 September 2011
- ^ a b Ostrander, Daniel (20 June 2012), "Bands Of Japan: The Watanabes", Japanzine, archived from the original on 3 December 2013
- ^ "Subscribe to Nagoya Buzz!". Nagoya Buzz. 2024-07-22. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ "American-style peace redefines Japanese palate". Japan Times. 2001-08-30. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ "The return of Charisma Man". Japan Today. 2010-07-20. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ "Japanzine Gig Guide". Archived from the original on 2008-03-29.
External links
edit
- Official website
Media related to Japanzine at Wikimedia Commons
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