#japanese soft power
Batan! Hiso hiso... Tatatata... GAAA-N!* These sound effects might sound familiar if you have gone through Japanese manga comics before. Monchhichi, Pikachu, and Tamagotchi have become part of an international collective memory. With the travelling exhibition 'JAPAN: Kingdom of Characters', the Japan Foundation examines characters like these as a radical aspect of a Japanese subculture related to anime and manga. As seen in the showcase of a toy store on 26th of July Street, one meter tall Hello Kitties accompanying…