J-Pop Entrepreneurs

[photo: Jamie Rivadeneira's Japan L.A., just off Melrose Avenue (and here) during a visit in March]

"What I think is most appealing about Japanese culture is its amazing mixture of cuteness, coolness and playfulness," says Seiji Horibuchi, president and CEO of VIZ Pictures. "Playfulness can allow us to have generous curiosity, to cross borders between cultures, beliefs, genders, ages and so on. I think that's the true beauty of Japanese culture."
--from MSNBC / ENTREPRENEUR (click here)

While being interviewed for this article, I suggested the reporter speak to VIZ founder and chairman, Seiji Horibuchi, whom I'd just visited a few weeks earlier in San Francisco. Seiji's insights into "playfulness" and "border crossing" in Japanese culture are, I think, quite accurate. And as the article notes, he is launching the J-Pop Center in SF's Japantown in less than a year.

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