CULTURE DIGEST 03: Sports, Superheroes and Throwbacks!
Monthly recommendations from the team behind the TV Foundation and Edinburgh TV Festival.
Internet Musings:
Want a chat with one of the world’s top sports reporters during the Olympics? NBC have announced they’ve created an AI Al Williams, who will greet users personally and narrate daily customised highlights to them!
What to Watch?
Benedict Cumberbatch plays distraught puppeteer who, when his son goes missing, finds solace in his connection with Eric - the monster that lives under his son’s bed. Streaming on Netflix. Another father in trouble is Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) in Dark Matter.
Supacell, released this week, follows a group of South Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers. If you’re feeling the superhero fatigue, however, then The Boys might be for you. A group of vigilantes are set on taking down corrupt superheroes.
Keeping Up with the Global Anime Boom.
by Diana Montalvo, Edinburgh TV Festival’s Social Media and Content Executive
We’re in a global anime boom, with metrics putting Japanese anime global popularity right behind US content. If you haven’t been keeping an eye out on the numbers, I’d like to prompt a research rabbit hole. So, what are they?
Sony-owned Crunchyroll, an anime-focused streaming service whose userbase excludes Japan and China, surpassed $1 billion in global consumer spending at the end of 2023.
In this Polygon survey, 42% of American Gen-Z participants said that they watch anime weekly.
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece topped Netflix charts upon release with 1.3B minutes viewed and with a more diverse audience than many competing titles. Not only is it renewed for a second season, but Netflix is now remaking the animated title too.
And, as shown in the graph below, anime has an outsized impact on English-speaking social media when compared to shows with similar audiences.
The unquantifiable experiences? Megan Thee Stallion presenting Anime of the Year at The Anime Awards (in a JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure-inspired dress). The latest Lord of the Rings instalment being an anime fantasy film. McDonald’s introducing its anime alter-ego.
While the UK is slightly behind when it comes to anime popularity growth, these global conversations are unavoidable. Full disclosure: I’m the Festival’s resident American and Crunchyroll subscriber. Maybe I’m biased — but maybe we should talk about anime more.
In the mood for a throwback…
A stealth drop of some alternative TV classics have turned up on ITVX as part of their AMC Stories strand. Check out all seasons of Comedy Bang Bang, Portlandia, Lodge 49 and Documentary Now.
Get immersed in Edinburgh’s alternative cultural history, and rent Danny Boyle’s feature debut, Shallow Grave, on Apple TV+, Amazon or BFI Player. Want a serious binge? All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead are on Disney+.
Or, to celebrate Pride Month, why not check out an iconic piece of LGBTQ+ television. A portrait of youth as much as it is a love letter to video, Framed Youth was created by The Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project in 1983. In the words of filmmaker Jeff Cole they wanted to “include ourselves as makers and subjects”. Features a young Reverend Richard Coles!
Had enough of the sun? Why not take a trip to the cinema! There’s some awesome film seasons coming up - Women Aren’t Funny will continue at The Garden Cinema into July, and there’s a Marguerite Duras retrospective at the ICA. Or… watch the best film about television ever made!? Network (1976) is returning to cinemas in what would have been Lumet’s 100th year!
Finally, it wouldn’t be a culture digest without our Top of The Pods:
Listen to Grayson Perry talk all things Class, Culture and Taste on The Blindboy Podcast.
Walk the dog with Emily Dean and a host of celeb friends:
Or, if you’re still down about Scotland’s Euro’s performance… transport yourself to a fictional world in Rhys James’ Dial F for Football:
That’s all from us for this month… why not share your monthly highlights in the comments!