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Return of the Yokai

Jun 24, 2020

34:06

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Episode notes

Introduction

1min

The Fascinating Facts About Moving to Japan

2min

Twitter: A Rollercoaster Ride of Emotions

2min

The Oniony History of Amabie

2min

The Origins of Yokoi

2min

The Origins of Shintoism

2min

The History of Yokai in Japan

2min

The Yoga of Cholera

2min

The Myth of Amabiye

2min

10.

Inoue's Ghostbuster

2min

11.

The Psychology of Yokai

2min

12.

Mizuki Sigru's Gagegan Oftestaro

2min

13.

Mizuki Shigeru and the Rise of Yokai in Japan

2min

14.

The History of Yokai in Japan

2min

15.

The Amabie as a Counter Attack to the Virus

2min

16.

How to Deal With Pandemic Anxiety

2min

17.

Hello Kitty: A Cultural Export From Japan

2min

18.

Hello Kitty Is Not a Cat

2min

19.

Hello Kitty Is a Cat

2min

20.

Hello Kitty Is Not a Cat

2min

21.

Pure Invention: How Japanese Pop Culture Conquered the World

2min

In the US, mascots are used to pump up crowds at sporting events, or for traumatizing generations of children at Chuck E. Cheese, but in Japan it’s different. There are mascots for towns, aquariums, dentists' offices, even prisons. There are mascots in cities that tell people not to litter, or remind them to be quiet on the train. Everything has a mascot and anything can be a mascot. The reason why mascots and character culture flourish in Japan is connected with the nation’s fascinating history with mythical monsters known as Yokai.

Return of the Yokai

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