Matt Schley
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mattschley.com
Matt Schley
@mattschley.com
Tokyo writer photographer producer translator guy.

https://mattschley.com
Reposted by Matt Schley
my favourite films of 2025 (in no order):
A Stone's Throw (AlSalah)
Two Seasons, Two Strangers (Miyake)
Dry Leaf (Koberidze)
Guardians of the Harvest (Hiro)
Death Does Not Exists (D. Laperrière)
With Hasan in Gaza (Aljafari)
Asura (Kore'eda)
Hostile Landscapes (Zhang)
Jinsei (Suzuki)
Escape (Adachi)
my favourite animated films of 2025 (in no order):

Death Does Not Exists (Dufour-Laperrière)
Jinsei (Suzuki)
100 Meters (Iwaisawa)
Dandelion’s Odyssey (Seto)
Zashikiro (Harada)
Chainsaw Man Reze Arc (Yoshihara)
The Last Blossom (Kinoshita)
Cocoon (Ina)
Predator: Killer of Killers (Trachtenberg)
December 29, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Matt Schley
Favourite Japanese films of 2025, unranked

A Unique Country in Asia (アジアのユニークな国)
1st Kiss (ファースト・キッス)
Escape (逃走)
How Dare You? (ふつうの子ども)
Jinsei (無名の人生)
Renoir (ルノワール)
Teki Cometh (敵)
Tokyo Taxi (TOKYO タクシー)
Transcending Dimensions (次元を越える)
Two Seasons, Two Strangers (旅と日々)
December 31, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Matt Schley
Once, drawings for anime ended up in garbage bins, now they are the focus of exhibitions in Japan’s biggest museums and galleries.
From trash to treasure: How anime became a museum staple
Anime- and manga-related art exhibitions are now one of the pillars propping up the industry.
ebx.sh
December 29, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Reposted by Matt Schley
While overseeing her family’s vast private library, a high school student is forced into action when a book thief unleashes a curse on her town in “Whoever Steals This Book.” 👉 ebx.sh/wzhOQO
December 27, 2025 at 2:26 AM
My look back at the year in anime.
December 26, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Wrapping up the work year by running from script meeting to script meeting. One Bangumi After Another.
December 25, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Batman roasting on an open fire
Robin nipping at your nose…
Silver bells
Batman smells
It’s Christmas time in the city…
December 24, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Gotta be careful what I listen to in public. Just started crying in a full-ass cafeteria.
Ashitaka and San (from 'Princess Mononoke')
YouTube video by Joe Hisaishi - Topic
music.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Hope I can find some time to ESWC today.
ESWCing again this week.
Engaging Seriously With Cinema (ESWC).
December 21, 2025 at 2:28 AM
I've got a couple quotes in this nice piece about isekai by dai-sempai Charles Solomon.
Seeking Better Lives in Alternate Worlds: The Rise of Isekai Anime | Animation Magazine
Our resident anime expert explores why the genre of isekai has grabbed the attention of so many fantasy fans around the world.
www.animationmagazine.net
December 20, 2025 at 7:05 AM
My report on the first ANIAFF, at which I had a nice time.
‘Endless Cookie’ wins top prize at first Nagoya animation film festival
Further winners at the festival in Japan included Chinese animation 'A Story Of Fire'.
www.screendaily.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Silver bells
Batman smells
It’s Christmas time in the city…
December 19, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Nouvelle Vague > Blue Moon
December 15, 2025 at 1:06 PM
ESWCing again this week.
Engaging Seriously With Cinema (ESWC).
December 11, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Couple stories in today's pape. First is about the new indie theater opening up in Jimbocho next week.
A movie buff in Jimbocho bets on independent cinema in a big way
In the book-filled Tokyo neighborhood, a new mini-theater hopes to introduce you to films you never knew you’d love.
www.japantimes.co.jp
December 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Was wondering if there are any (working) 70mm projectors in Japan. Looks like the national film archive has/had one.
製作50周年記念『2001年宇宙の旅』70mm版特別上映 – 国立映画アーカイブ
www.nfaj.go.jp
December 10, 2025 at 7:57 AM
I just remembered a fellow from my English teaching days named Bob* who called himself Super Bob and spoke to adult language learners as if they were children.

*Actual name withheld to protect the guilty.
December 9, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Benches on a Tokyo sidewalk? Maybe Jimbocho IS actually the coolest neighborhood…
December 8, 2025 at 3:40 AM
I don’t have Spotify (I am paying another evil corp to stream music so don’t worry), but if I had a yearly wrap it would just be the Star Trek TMP soundtrack over and over and over.
December 5, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Oh no, I've gone down a rabbit hole of how many colors were used in cel anime movies.

Totoro: 308.
Akira: 327.
Princess Mononoke: 580.
December 5, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train is streaming on Criterion.

“I just saw that a year or two, last time I was in New York,” I thought to myself.

Looked it up. It was 2019. 💀
December 4, 2025 at 7:59 AM
The first Aichi Nagoya International Animation Film Festival (ANIAFF) kicks off next week. My preview for the JT.
A new animation festival lands in Nagoya with big plans
The Aichi Nagoya International Animation Film Festival will feature screenings, chat shows and storytelling.
www.japantimes.co.jp
December 4, 2025 at 12:59 AM
大好きなポッドキャスト「シネマ・ラタトゥイユ」に登壇させていただきました。
#58 新アニメ映画祭+監督週間 in Tokio2回目+12月後半公開作品
open.spotify.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Final day for this! Come on by after work if you've got time. Open from now until 10 or so.
I’m exhibiting some street snaps and portraits this week (11/26-12/1) at Gallery Rustico in Koenji as part of a group exhibition. Open every evening from 6 to 11.
December 1, 2025 at 8:27 AM
MEN! MEN! MEN!!!!
Japanese Commercial - Nissin Ramen
YouTube video by lethargicpoo
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:33 AM