ANIME vs. HOLLYWOOD in JAPANAMERICA, with Roland Kelts

Roland Kelts, author of “Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S.,” talks about modern Anime, its influences on Hollywood, and vice-versa. An in-depth examination of how Japanese and American entertainment businesses are influencing each other in an infinite loop. Just as Japanese artists like Osamu Tezuka, Hayao Miyazaki and Katsuhiro Otomo were fascinated by classic and sci-fi American movies, George Lucas, The Wachowskis, Guillermo del Toro and other directors were influenced by Japanese anime classics like Gatchaman, Speed Racer, Spirited Away, Akira and Ghost in the Shell. In his presentation, Kelts will explore why Hollywood is fascinated with Japanese pop culture and is trying to remake popular Japanese anime titles to appeal to a whole new generation of viewers. Death Note, Naruto, Cowboy Bebop—and the attempts to make feature films out of stalwarts like Dragon Ball Z and Grave of the Fireflies will be addressed with passion. Anime vs. Hollywood: Who wins? A close look at the challenges and potential missteps along the way.
Additionally, San Francisco Japantown’s own NEW PEOPLE has coordinated a great exhibit on traditional Japanese culture called “Wabi Sabi” for this year’s Japan Expo. Check it out!