Pure TokyoScope Podcast 106: 7-11 Japan & the Conbini Wars!
Patrick Macias and Matt Alt bring you pop culture from Japan!
In this episode of the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Podcast, author Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) tells Patrick Macias (Mondo Tokyo: Dispatches from a Secret Japan) take a look at the recent 7-11 Japan takeover bid and ponder the future of street drinking in Tokyo as Shibuya prepares a no-fun ban!
Show Notes!
Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot 1x26 The Last of Emperor Guillotine
Manga Man (Manga Entertainment Mascot, circa 1990s)
Giant Robo VHS Tape Featuring Chop Suey Font and Manga Man Branding (Manga Entertainment)
Matt Alt wearing a Buckaroo Banzai T-shirt (Mid-1980s)
What's behind Japan's rice shortage?
Conbini wars! The fight for the soul of 7-11 rages in Japan. Matt Alt's PURE INVENTION investigates!
Tokyo's Shibuya cracks down on public drinking as tourist crowds swell
Mysterious mountain village is home to Christ’s grave and an ancient pyramid
Police Academy 4 Citizens On Patrol Rap 1987
What is the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Podcast? Well… Author and fellow Substack writer Matt Alt and I have been recording together for over 100 episodes.
Our show is a mix of Japanese pop culture news and features and some of our best episodes to date have been:
Sigh. Giant Robo The Day the Earth Stood Still was originally released by U.S.Renditions, the Books Nippan/Bandai Visual (secret tie-up. Shhhh) company, then bought up by Mediablasters, who did a rather impressive ‘Eye of Volger’ case box set for the DVDs.
In 1992 I saw the trailer for Giant Robo at Project A-Kon in Dallas, and between that and Tekkaman Blade the ennui I was feeling about anime at the time vanished in a white hot blaze of awesome.
I was so hep’ed up about Giant Robo I was buying the Laser Discs from Japan, and I didn’t even HAVE A LD PLAYER! (My best friend did. He was grooving on Mazinger Z LD boxes😁 among other important things like Yamato)