Debra Occhi is
@debraocchi.bsky.social
Anthropology and linguistics of Japanese character culture, regionality, Pokémon tourism | qual research | consulting | 日本語OK
Pinned
Debra Occhi is
@debraocchi.bsky.social
· Jan 13
In Deep with Characters - Outside in Lost in Academia | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
American linguistic anthropologist Debra Occhi dives into the fascinating world of mascots and characters. From adorable to heroic, she explores how their naming is shaped by sound.
www3.nhk.or.jp
This is up till at least Nov something 26 www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
Oh cool, thanks for this too! 😄@jjwalsh.bsky.social
Great talk with the amazing @debraocchi.bsky.social Prof.Debra Occhi this morning - short clip here of one of the many interesting stories about the Japanese folklore character KAPPA has changed over time
youtube.com/shorts/EA9J6...
youtube.com/shorts/EA9J6...
How the Kappa reimagined from terrifying YOKAI to cute mascots in Japan
YouTube video by Seek Sustainable Japan | JJWalsh
youtube.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Oh cool, thanks for this too! 😄@jjwalsh.bsky.social
This was fun! Thanks ☺️ @jjwalsh.bsky.social
Wonderful talk with Dr.Occhi about cute & bizarre characters in Japan with historical & creating better society connections as well as commercial - we do need more fun characters to promote sustainable strategy in Japan though - fabulous 😍 insights @debraocchi.bsky.social
youtu.be/9J7nYZeYIN4?...
youtu.be/9J7nYZeYIN4?...
Why Japan has so many cute & bizarre characters - Professor Debra Occhi
YouTube video by Seek Sustainable Japan | JJWalsh
youtu.be
February 9, 2026 at 8:39 AM
This was fun! Thanks ☺️ @jjwalsh.bsky.social
They mention a resemblance to Japanese characters, but ones with crooked mouths are usually evil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
February 5, 2026 at 9:55 PM
They mention a resemblance to Japanese characters, but ones with crooked mouths are usually evil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
Join me & linguist-anthropologist Dr.Debra Occhi this Saturday 9am for insights on Japan's cute characters & mascots @debraocchi.bsky.social
#seeksustainablejapan #talkshow
www.youtube.com/live/DsDS7RD...
#seeksustainablejapan #talkshow
www.youtube.com/live/DsDS7RD...
Debra Occhi - Linguist-Anthropologist View of Japan Mascots & Characters
YouTube video by Seek Sustainable Japan | JJWalsh
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Join me & linguist-anthropologist Dr.Debra Occhi this Saturday 9am for insights on Japan's cute characters & mascots @debraocchi.bsky.social
#seeksustainablejapan #talkshow
www.youtube.com/live/DsDS7RD...
#seeksustainablejapan #talkshow
www.youtube.com/live/DsDS7RD...
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
My declaration for (particularly) Japan studies as the world burns.
If Japan is the future, why aren’t we more upset? - Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
[…]
apjjf.org
January 23, 2026 at 5:20 PM
My declaration for (particularly) Japan studies as the world burns.
This is up till at least Nov something 26 www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
In Deep with Characters - Outside in Lost in Academia | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
American linguistic anthropologist Debra Occhi dives into the fascinating world of mascots and characters. From adorable to heroic, she explores how their naming is shaped by sound.
www3.nhk.or.jp
January 13, 2026 at 11:34 AM
This is up till at least Nov something 26 www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
Went to show this video in class and learned that none of the local students have ever been to see these local wild horses that are 1.5 hours drive away youtu.be/2CwXMJEOJzA?...
4K 都井岬 宮崎県 Cape Toi Miyazaki Kyushu JAPAN
YouTube video by SHISO PRODUCTIONS.
youtu.be
January 13, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Went to show this video in class and learned that none of the local students have ever been to see these local wild horses that are 1.5 hours drive away youtu.be/2CwXMJEOJzA?...
Wasei Eigo! Plan your bestseller J culture essentializing book on…?? Mine’s about magic tape
Seeing as we’re doing this again, the screenshot you take here is the 和製英語 word you will start using like it’s English in 2026, cause it makes more sense anyway.
ご協力ありがとうございました♪
ご協力ありがとうございました♪
January 2, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Wasei Eigo! Plan your bestseller J culture essentializing book on…?? Mine’s about magic tape
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
Jazz OTD: Pianist David Hazeltine recorded his lyrical, exceptionally well-played tribute to Bill Evans, “Waltz for Debby,” on December 27, 1998 with George Mraz (b) and Billy Drummond (d). #jazzsky
Time Remembered
YouTube video by David Hazeltine Trio - Topic
youtu.be
December 27, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Jazz OTD: Pianist David Hazeltine recorded his lyrical, exceptionally well-played tribute to Bill Evans, “Waltz for Debby,” on December 27, 1998 with George Mraz (b) and Billy Drummond (d). #jazzsky
It’s online for a YEAR 🤗
The NHK show about my research on Japanese mascots and heroes is now online in English until 12/4
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
In Deep with Characters - Outside in Lost in Academia | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
American linguistic anthropologist Debra Occhi dives into the fascinating world of mascots and characters. From adorable to heroic, she explores how their naming is shaped by sound.
www3.nhk.or.jp
November 30, 2025 at 1:15 PM
It’s online for a YEAR 🤗
The NSF grant that supported my PhD thesis research was ‘archived’ 😨
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Today's biggest science news: Doomed comet explodes | Comet 3I/ATLAS course alteration | Dark matter detected?
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
www.livescience.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The NSF grant that supported my PhD thesis research was ‘archived’ 😨
The NHK show about my research on Japanese mascots and heroes is now online in English until 12/4
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
In Deep with Characters - Outside in Lost in Academia | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
American linguistic anthropologist Debra Occhi dives into the fascinating world of mascots and characters. From adorable to heroic, she explores how their naming is shaped by sound.
www3.nhk.or.jp
November 27, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The NHK show about my research on Japanese mascots and heroes is now online in English until 12/4
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
You’ve just died.
The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
👹
The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
👹
November 27, 2025 at 2:07 AM
You’ve just died.
The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
👹
The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
👹
I was studying Japanese and someone gave me some homemade vhs tapes of early An-Pan Man
November 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I was studying Japanese and someone gave me some homemade vhs tapes of early An-Pan Man
Keep the Penguin 🐧
The Suica penguin has been the face of JR East's popular IC transit card since its inception in 2001. Now, the company says it will replace the iconic character with an as-yet-unannounced mascot. That's left fans both perplexed and irate.
buff.ly/otKANut
buff.ly/otKANut
Suica Penguin Retirement Announcement Sparks Fan Outcry in Japan - Unseen Japan
The character, created by a children's book author, has been the face of the popular transit card since its inception in 2001.
unseen-japan.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Keep the Penguin 🐧
Some local culture person heard me on the radio and brought a free ticket to see the locals singing Enka, which I haven’t researched for thirty years. No surprise that nothing’s changed ♬
November 9, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Some local culture person heard me on the radio and brought a free ticket to see the locals singing Enka, which I haven’t researched for thirty years. No surprise that nothing’s changed ♬
The local radio station reporter saw me on NHK so our interview will be on the MRT Sunday Daigaku show this weekend (and on radiko for a week if you listen to your radio online)
www.miu.ac.jp/news/archive...
www.miu.ac.jp/news/archive...
MRTラジオ「サンデーラジオ大学」に本学国際教養学部教授のデボラ・オチ教授が出演します
宮崎国際大学の公式サイトです。英語でリベラル・アーツを学ぶ国際教養学部、採用までの一貫教育を行う教育学部の2学部からなる大学です。見たことのない景色を見て、見たことのない自分出会う。それがMICの学び。
www.miu.ac.jp
October 23, 2025 at 12:40 PM
The local radio station reporter saw me on NHK so our interview will be on the MRT Sunday Daigaku show this weekend (and on radiko for a week if you listen to your radio online)
www.miu.ac.jp/news/archive...
www.miu.ac.jp/news/archive...
What’s your sign?
September 29, 2025 at 10:03 PM
What’s your sign?
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
There are tons of graphic novels, academic papers, film and TV scripts, & prose novels/nonfiction on the LibGen list Anthropic used.
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
August 27, 2025 at 6:47 PM
There are tons of graphic novels, academic papers, film and TV scripts, & prose novels/nonfiction on the LibGen list Anthropic used.
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
As settlement approaches, make it easy for the class action lawyers to contact you! Here’s how
Part 1: is your work in Libgen?
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
I’m on NHK next week with the heroes and local mascots www.nhk.jp/p/ts/PG7NRXY...
最深日本研究 〜外国人博士の目〜
食やアニメ、伝統芸能だけではない。いまや日本のあらゆる分野に外国人の研究者の目が注がれている！ なぜそんなことまで？という驚くべき研究を取り上げ、日本人も気づかなかった日本の姿を取り上げるこの番組。研究者の日本での調査研究などにも密着して、日本の何が彼ら彼女らを惹きつけるのかを解き明かす！
www.nhk.jp
August 20, 2025 at 3:43 AM
I’m on NHK next week with the heroes and local mascots www.nhk.jp/p/ts/PG7NRXY...
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
A new bill introduced in the U.S. House on August 1 threatens to block overseas Americans from voting in federal elections.
H.R. 4851 - New Threat to Overseas Voting Rights Introduced in Congress
A new bill, HR 4851, introduced in the U.S. House on August 1 threatens to block overseas Americans from voting in federal elections.
www.democratsabroad.org
August 9, 2025 at 12:21 PM
A new bill introduced in the U.S. House on August 1 threatens to block overseas Americans from voting in federal elections.
Stoked about the publication of my co-authored book chapter on Aggretsuko and the characters’ relationships with tech 🤘
The Future of Humans and Emotional Machines: Narratives from Japanese Culture in the 21st Century
This book explores human‑machine interaction in Japan, providing a new focus on how and in what form people build affective bonds to new technologies.
To gain insights into the feelings, identities, f...
www.routledge.com
August 6, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Stoked about the publication of my co-authored book chapter on Aggretsuko and the characters’ relationships with tech 🤘
Reposted by Debra Occhi is
I turned off all AI features in DuckDuckGo, and apparently you can now do that in Google search as well. You can hide the AI-generated images, too! (They all look terrible to me, kinda like autotuned voices, but worse.)
www.devx.com/daily-news/h...
www.devx.com/daily-news/h...
How to Disable AI Features in Popular Search Engines - DevX
Users concerned about AI influencing their web search results now have options to disable AI features in Google and DuckDuckGo.
www.devx.com
August 1, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I turned off all AI features in DuckDuckGo, and apparently you can now do that in Google search as well. You can hide the AI-generated images, too! (They all look terrible to me, kinda like autotuned voices, but worse.)
www.devx.com/daily-news/h...
www.devx.com/daily-news/h...