scrmbl
@scrmbl.com
The intersection of Japanese pop-culture.
www.scrmbl.com
www.scrmbl.com
Mamoru Hosoda's Scarlet is destined to be a blemish on the acclaimed director's body of work. Poor writing, misguided subject matter, and baffling visuals culminate in a total miss.
Read on for our full review.
Read on for our full review.
Mamoru Hosoda's Scarlet is a disaster | scrmbl
Just before the halfway point, Scarlet, the 16th century princess i...
www.scrmbl.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Mamoru Hosoda's Scarlet is destined to be a blemish on the acclaimed director's body of work. Poor writing, misguided subject matter, and baffling visuals culminate in a total miss.
Read on for our full review.
Read on for our full review.
We're back after the holiday weekend in Japan with our weekly round of up excellent new music recommendations! This week featuring:
Fuki Kitamura
Gekkan Pam
kinoue64
ReGLOSS
Yuri
xiexie
Fuki Kitamura
Gekkan Pam
kinoue64
ReGLOSS
Yuri
xiexie
scrmbl selection 25 November, 2025 - Fuki Kitamura, kinoue64, ReGLOSS, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:36 PM
We're back after the holiday weekend in Japan with our weekly round of up excellent new music recommendations! This week featuring:
Fuki Kitamura
Gekkan Pam
kinoue64
ReGLOSS
Yuri
xiexie
Fuki Kitamura
Gekkan Pam
kinoue64
ReGLOSS
Yuri
xiexie
Kick off you week with our selection of fresh new tracks direct from Japan. This week is stacked with new music from:
cephalo
DE DE MOUSE & namitape
YeYan, Ivy & Saggypant Shimba
Massage Attack
NerdNeko ft. Hatsune Miku
Top Secret Man
cephalo
DE DE MOUSE & namitape
YeYan, Ivy & Saggypant Shimba
Massage Attack
NerdNeko ft. Hatsune Miku
Top Secret Man
scrmbl selection 17 November, 2025 - cephalo, Massage Attack, Top Secret Man, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Kick off you week with our selection of fresh new tracks direct from Japan. This week is stacked with new music from:
cephalo
DE DE MOUSE & namitape
YeYan, Ivy & Saggypant Shimba
Massage Attack
NerdNeko ft. Hatsune Miku
Top Secret Man
cephalo
DE DE MOUSE & namitape
YeYan, Ivy & Saggypant Shimba
Massage Attack
NerdNeko ft. Hatsune Miku
Top Secret Man
Grounded performances and striking visuals give “A Pale View of Hills” weight, though it can’t fully capture the source material’s layered ambiguity.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their review of Kei Ishikawa's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 1982 novel.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their review of Kei Ishikawa's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 1982 novel.
“A Pale View of Hills”: Past trauma, modern guilt | scrmbl
In 1982, a Japanese woman chose to sell the home she moved to Engla...
www.scrmbl.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Grounded performances and striking visuals give “A Pale View of Hills” weight, though it can’t fully capture the source material’s layered ambiguity.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their review of Kei Ishikawa's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 1982 novel.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their review of Kei Ishikawa's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 1982 novel.
Blonde is a sharp critique of Japan’s strict school rules, conformity, and social change kicked off by a student hair-color protest.
@aliciahaddick.com shares their thoughts on Yuichiro Sakashita's Tokyo International Film Fest Audience Award winning film.
@aliciahaddick.com shares their thoughts on Yuichiro Sakashita's Tokyo International Film Fest Audience Award winning film.
“Blonde” offers sharp commentary on justice for the next generation | scrmbl
People think Japan is simply a country strict about rules and behav...
www.scrmbl.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Blonde is a sharp critique of Japan’s strict school rules, conformity, and social change kicked off by a student hair-color protest.
@aliciahaddick.com shares their thoughts on Yuichiro Sakashita's Tokyo International Film Fest Audience Award winning film.
@aliciahaddick.com shares their thoughts on Yuichiro Sakashita's Tokyo International Film Fest Audience Award winning film.
Super Psychic Policeman Chojo ended abruptly despite strong sales and fan support, leaving readers puzzled as its unexpected anime adaptation approaches.
Behind Super Psychic Policeman Chojo's cancelation lies a trail of mixed messages | scrmbl
All signs pointed towards a very bright future for Super Psychic Po...
www.scrmbl.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Super Psychic Policeman Chojo ended abruptly despite strong sales and fan support, leaving readers puzzled as its unexpected anime adaptation approaches.
Flipper’s Guitar helped define the sound of Shibuya-kei, blending global pop, British indie, and bossa nova into a collage that reshaped ’90s Japanese music.
scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel (of make believe melodies) gives a crash course introduction to the iconic Japanese duo.
scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel (of make believe melodies) gives a crash course introduction to the iconic Japanese duo.
Colour Me Pop - Introduction to Shibuya-Kei pioneers Flipper's Guitar | scrmbl
Some bands last for decades but don’t shape much of the sonic ecosy...
www.scrmbl.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Flipper’s Guitar helped define the sound of Shibuya-kei, blending global pop, British indie, and bossa nova into a collage that reshaped ’90s Japanese music.
scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel (of make believe melodies) gives a crash course introduction to the iconic Japanese duo.
scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel (of make believe melodies) gives a crash course introduction to the iconic Japanese duo.
We're back once again with our weekly new music selections & playlist update!
Kick off your week with excellent new tracks from:
CUBΣLIC
KUROJI
Nao Kodama and THE BED ROOM TAPE
ODETRASH
PAX0
V6
Kick off your week with excellent new tracks from:
CUBΣLIC
KUROJI
Nao Kodama and THE BED ROOM TAPE
ODETRASH
PAX0
V6
scrmbl selection 10 November, 2025 - CUBELIC, ODETRASH, V6, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:14 PM
We're back once again with our weekly new music selections & playlist update!
Kick off your week with excellent new tracks from:
CUBΣLIC
KUROJI
Nao Kodama and THE BED ROOM TAPE
ODETRASH
PAX0
V6
Kick off your week with excellent new tracks from:
CUBΣLIC
KUROJI
Nao Kodama and THE BED ROOM TAPE
ODETRASH
PAX0
V6
We're back again with our monthly bandcamp spotlight! Check out new releases on the platform from:
Gimgigam
milkeystain
momonesuko
RGL
callasoiled
House Of Tapes
Grandma's Garden
Gimgigam
milkeystain
momonesuko
RGL
callasoiled
House Of Tapes
Grandma's Garden
Bandcamp Spotlight October 2025 - Gimgigam, momonesuko, RGL, House of Tapes, and more | scrmbl
Every month, scrmbl highlights some of the most noteworthy releases...
www.scrmbl.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:26 PM
We're back again with our monthly bandcamp spotlight! Check out new releases on the platform from:
Gimgigam
milkeystain
momonesuko
RGL
callasoiled
House Of Tapes
Grandma's Garden
Gimgigam
milkeystain
momonesuko
RGL
callasoiled
House Of Tapes
Grandma's Garden
Original manga magazines are growing in value and collectibility, as evidenced by a sale of a magazine containing Kentaro Miura's original Berserk prototype for ¥2,000,000 at a recent auction.
Magazine containing Kentaro Miura’s original “BERSERK” prototype sells for ¥2,000,000 at auction | scrmbl
Every two months Japanese collectibles super-retailer Mandarake hol...
www.scrmbl.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Original manga magazines are growing in value and collectibility, as evidenced by a sale of a magazine containing Kentaro Miura's original Berserk prototype for ¥2,000,000 at a recent auction.
What begins as a strange conversation between a dying man and a talking flower becomes a reflection on love, regret, and everything that makes life worth living.
Read on for our review of Kazuya Konomoto & Baku Kinoshita's “The Last Blossom”.
Read on for our review of Kazuya Konomoto & Baku Kinoshita's “The Last Blossom”.
“The Last Blossom” explodes in a cacophony of emotion | scrmbl
Minoru Akutsu (played by Kaoru Kobayashi in the past and Junki Tozu...
www.scrmbl.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:12 PM
What begins as a strange conversation between a dying man and a talking flower becomes a reflection on love, regret, and everything that makes life worth living.
Read on for our review of Kazuya Konomoto & Baku Kinoshita's “The Last Blossom”.
Read on for our review of Kazuya Konomoto & Baku Kinoshita's “The Last Blossom”.
Can’t Cry With Your Face redefines the body-swap story as an intimate, emotional exploration of identity, empathy, and what makes us who we are.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their impression following its screening at Tokyo International Film Festival.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their impression following its screening at Tokyo International Film Festival.
Can’t Cry With Your Face questions the reality of living a second life | scrmbl
The impossibility of body swap lends it a comedic quality. Oh no, s...
www.scrmbl.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Can’t Cry With Your Face redefines the body-swap story as an intimate, emotional exploration of identity, empathy, and what makes us who we are.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their impression following its screening at Tokyo International Film Festival.
@aliciahaddick.com gives their impression following its screening at Tokyo International Film Festival.
We're back again with a selection of new Japanese music to start your week off with! Check out fresh new tracks from:
Denei to Shonen CQ
Dos Monos
e5
Lucky Kilimanjaro
Situasion
Snow Man
Denei to Shonen CQ
Dos Monos
e5
Lucky Kilimanjaro
Situasion
Snow Man
scrmbl selection 3 November, 2025 - e5, Lucky Kilimanjaro, Snow Man, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:13 PM
We're back again with a selection of new Japanese music to start your week off with! Check out fresh new tracks from:
Denei to Shonen CQ
Dos Monos
e5
Lucky Kilimanjaro
Situasion
Snow Man
Denei to Shonen CQ
Dos Monos
e5
Lucky Kilimanjaro
Situasion
Snow Man
Our recurring selection of stand-out Japanese albums curated by Patrick St. Michel from his weekly MAKE BELIEVE MAILER newsletter is back, this time featuring new releases from hardnuts, 4s4ki & DE DE MOUSE, hitsujibungaku, and more!
Japanese album highlights for October 2025 – Presented by Make Believe Melodies | scrmbl
scrmbl contributor Patrick St. Michel runs an email newsletter call...
www.scrmbl.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Our recurring selection of stand-out Japanese albums curated by Patrick St. Michel from his weekly MAKE BELIEVE MAILER newsletter is back, this time featuring new releases from hardnuts, 4s4ki & DE DE MOUSE, hitsujibungaku, and more!
Labyrinth captures the tension between our digital and real selves, with Shoji Kawamori blending sleek visuals and a simple, if effective, story.
@aliciahaddick.com provides their review following its Tokyo International Film Festival screening.
@aliciahaddick.com provides their review following its Tokyo International Film Festival screening.
“Labyrinth” is Shoji Kawamori for a Gen Z audience | scrmbl
“These kids are always on their damn phones” could be the easy, dis...
www.scrmbl.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Labyrinth captures the tension between our digital and real selves, with Shoji Kawamori blending sleek visuals and a simple, if effective, story.
@aliciahaddick.com provides their review following its Tokyo International Film Festival screening.
@aliciahaddick.com provides their review following its Tokyo International Film Festival screening.
New York's @japansociety.org is hosting acclaimed director Shinichiro Watanabe for a series of talks and film screenings in late November, including a dive into his relationship with Jazz & Hip-Hop music hosted by LeSean Thomas.
Japan Society to welcome acclaimed anime director Shinichiro Watanabe for Foreign Exchange 2025 film & discussion series | scrmbl
New York's Japan Society has announced today a series of special ta...
www.scrmbl.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
New York's @japansociety.org is hosting acclaimed director Shinichiro Watanabe for a series of talks and film screenings in late November, including a dive into his relationship with Jazz & Hip-Hop music hosted by LeSean Thomas.
Crayon Shin-chan series spinoff Style of Hiroshi Nohara's LUNCH has been embraced by netizens for its immense meme-ability, but behind the jokes is a charming show that celebrates how uplifting a good meal can be.
Style of Hiroshi Nohara's LUNCH: An unlikely viral hit that celebrates the joy of eating | scrmbl
Hiroshi Nohara haunts my web browser. For the past four weeks, I se...
www.scrmbl.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Crayon Shin-chan series spinoff Style of Hiroshi Nohara's LUNCH has been embraced by netizens for its immense meme-ability, but behind the jokes is a charming show that celebrates how uplifting a good meal can be.
Released today via Steam, MotionRec has been one of our most anticipated indie games of 2025.
Developed by the team at HANDSUM and published by PLAYISM, this fun, creative, and unique puzzle platformer is a title we’re excited to dig into!
Developed by the team at HANDSUM and published by PLAYISM, this fun, creative, and unique puzzle platformer is a title we’re excited to dig into!
MotionRec released on Steam from PLAYISM & HANDSUM | scrmbl
MotionRec is a game that we've had our eyes on for a long time now....
www.scrmbl.com
October 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Released today via Steam, MotionRec has been one of our most anticipated indie games of 2025.
Developed by the team at HANDSUM and published by PLAYISM, this fun, creative, and unique puzzle platformer is a title we’re excited to dig into!
Developed by the team at HANDSUM and published by PLAYISM, this fun, creative, and unique puzzle platformer is a title we’re excited to dig into!
🚨New music alert!🚨
We're back once again with our weekly playlist update, this time around featuring tracks from:
HARETOKIDOKI
Kuromi
LIL SOFT TENNIS ft. tofubeats
ponderosa may bloom
SaToA
yeti let you notice
We're back once again with our weekly playlist update, this time around featuring tracks from:
HARETOKIDOKI
Kuromi
LIL SOFT TENNIS ft. tofubeats
ponderosa may bloom
SaToA
yeti let you notice
scrmbl selection 27 October, 2025 - HARETOKIDOKI, KUROMI, LIL SOFT TENNIS, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
🚨New music alert!🚨
We're back once again with our weekly playlist update, this time around featuring tracks from:
HARETOKIDOKI
Kuromi
LIL SOFT TENNIS ft. tofubeats
ponderosa may bloom
SaToA
yeti let you notice
We're back once again with our weekly playlist update, this time around featuring tracks from:
HARETOKIDOKI
Kuromi
LIL SOFT TENNIS ft. tofubeats
ponderosa may bloom
SaToA
yeti let you notice
The upcoming Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 adapts the Chainsaw Man creator’s early works into a series of vibrant shorts that reveal both his growth and creative blueprints.
@aliciahaddick.com provides a review from their limited theatrical run in Japan
@aliciahaddick.com provides a review from their limited theatrical run in Japan
Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 showcases the blueprints of a legendary creator | scrmbl
Tatsuki Fujimoto has ascended to one of the most recognizable names...
www.scrmbl.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The upcoming Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 adapts the Chainsaw Man creator’s early works into a series of vibrant shorts that reveal both his growth and creative blueprints.
@aliciahaddick.com provides a review from their limited theatrical run in Japan
@aliciahaddick.com provides a review from their limited theatrical run in Japan
Just in time for her new album “Kabu”, punipunidenki sat down with @mbmelodies.bsky.social on our behalf to discuss the new release, collaborating with other artists, and why physical releases still matter.
Optimystique: Interview with punipunidenki on Kabu, collaboration, and giving music a physical form | scrmbl
Japanese musician punipunidenki has long felt like an “internet art...
www.scrmbl.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Just in time for her new album “Kabu”, punipunidenki sat down with @mbmelodies.bsky.social on our behalf to discuss the new release, collaborating with other artists, and why physical releases still matter.
Tokyo Game Show proves itself to be an important yearly event for the gaming industry at large in ways that set itself apart from its global contemporaries, and demonstrates the function of these large scale events in a post-E3 world.
www.scrmbl.com/post/importa...
www.scrmbl.com/post/importa...
In a changing game convention landscape globally, Tokyo Game Show finds a home | scrmbl
As this year’s Tokyo Game Show begins to fade from view, and the se...
www.scrmbl.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Tokyo Game Show proves itself to be an important yearly event for the gaming industry at large in ways that set itself apart from its global contemporaries, and demonstrates the function of these large scale events in a post-E3 world.
www.scrmbl.com/post/importa...
www.scrmbl.com/post/importa...
We're back with this week's new Japanese music picks and accompanying playlist update! Check out new tracks from:
Ako
CVLTE
Gliiico
hardnuts
MyM
P1nkboy ft. Worldwide Skippa & Yachi
Ako
CVLTE
Gliiico
hardnuts
MyM
P1nkboy ft. Worldwide Skippa & Yachi
scrmbl selection 20 October, 2025 - Ako, CVLTE, hardnuts, and more | scrmbl
Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...
www.scrmbl.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:03 PM
We're back with this week's new Japanese music picks and accompanying playlist update! Check out new tracks from:
Ako
CVLTE
Gliiico
hardnuts
MyM
P1nkboy ft. Worldwide Skippa & Yachi
Ako
CVLTE
Gliiico
hardnuts
MyM
P1nkboy ft. Worldwide Skippa & Yachi
TOWER RECORDS Shibuya is set to undergo a major renovation starting in November to re-imagine the iconic location as a place where fans can experience and engage with their favorite music and pop-culture in new ways.
TOWER RECORDS Shibuya to undergo major renovation to become a “music and oshikatsu mecca” | scrmbl
Tower Records Shibuya announced today via X that the location will ...
www.scrmbl.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM
TOWER RECORDS Shibuya is set to undergo a major renovation starting in November to re-imagine the iconic location as a place where fans can experience and engage with their favorite music and pop-culture in new ways.
Egoist is a film that delivers a rare, intimate queer romance in Japan, exploring love, grief, and class through raw emotion and striking performances.
@aliciahaddick.com revisits for this month's classic Japanese film showcase.
@aliciahaddick.com revisits for this month's classic Japanese film showcase.
Egoist questions love and ego in powerful ways | scrmbl
Love is hard, no matter your orientation. Especially if you have a ...
www.scrmbl.com
October 20, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Egoist is a film that delivers a rare, intimate queer romance in Japan, exploring love, grief, and class through raw emotion and striking performances.
@aliciahaddick.com revisits for this month's classic Japanese film showcase.
@aliciahaddick.com revisits for this month's classic Japanese film showcase.