Make Believe Bonus: 10 Things To Watch From Japanese Pop Culture In 2024 (NewsPicks)

Some Guesses At What The New Year Will Bring

Happy New Year to all readers of Make Believe Melodies! Here’s hoping for a good and upbeat 2024 for all…and for a year where Japanese music and greater pop culture enjoys greater attention on the global stage. Which I think will definitely happen over the next 12 months. NewsPicks asked me to write an article about 10 things to look out for in regards to the intersection of Japanese pop culture and the rest of the world as part of their year-end packages, which you can read in Japanese here (eternal shout out to Jun Morikawa for handling the translation of these pieces, otherwise it would read like a pre-schooler trying to write about soft power).

Below, I’ve included the original English draft of the feature for premium subscribers to enjoy (hey, the Japanese one is behind a paywall so…why not this one too). Reminder that subscribers to Make Believe Bonus get an extra post every week, ranging from dispatches from Tokyo, personal memories and ~ hot takes ~.

Meanwhile, regular posts resume next week! I just got back from America so…adjusting to time zones.

Japanese pop culture thrived globally in 2023. The past 12 months saw numerous trends that have been developing over the last half decade intersect, resulting in exciting new possibilities. 

Anime remained a global force, while research points to the global manga market only continuing to grow after a big year. Japanese intellectual property bolstered some of the biggest movie hits of the year, while video games from Japanese companies topped sales charts. Japanese musicians both major and underground attracted attention worldwide, with American music data company Luminate devoting a whole page of its 2023 midyear report to the potential of J-pop in the global music market. Even tiny Japan-made kei trucks drew interest from American automotive fans.

So after a big year…what comes next? While lots of exciting developments played out in pop culture for Japanese entertainment, 2023 ultimately felt more like a staging period for even bigger things in 2024. People have long loved Japanese entertainment, and the last year reminded that they will embrace it, even if they have to seek it out. Next year, Japanese companies and creators will be more active in reaching the world.

Ahead of 2024, here are 10 things to watch for in the coming year in relation to how Japanese pop culture spreads internationally.