Matt Alt
Tokyo-based translator and writer specializing in the intersection between Japanese pop culture, global culture, and politics. He is the author of Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World.
Best podcasts with Matt Alt
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11 snips
May 31, 2025 • 35min
The Sunday Edition: Why everyone's going to Japan
Matt Alt, a Tokyo-based translator and writer, discusses the fascinating rise of 'kidults' in Japan and how this trend reflects societal shifts amid economic challenges. He explores the impact of Japanese pop culture on Western audiences, emphasizing the embrace of anime and gaming as escapism. Alt also delves into Japan's economic journey from prosperity to decline, and the cultural evolution that followed. This rich conversation reveals how Japanese media continues to transform identities and provide solace in a disjointed world.
Mar 28, 2025 • 34min
Why everyone's going to Japan
Matt Alt, a Tokyo-based translator and writer, explores how Japan's 'kidult' culture emerged amid economic turmoil, allowing adults to connect with their childhood interests. He discusses how this trend has shifted perceptions of adulthood in the West, especially for millennials and Gen Z. The conversation highlights the rise of anime and gaming as mainstream escapes and cultural influences on Western society. Alt reflects on how nostalgia for Japanese pop culture offers comfort and identity, showing that the intersection of youthful passions and adulthood is more relevant than ever.
