Japanorama
title: "Japanorama" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["japanese-popular-culture", "bbc-television-documentaries", "uktv-original-programming", "2000s-british-documentary-television-series", "2002-british-television-series-debuts", "2007-british-television-series-endings", "british-english-language-television-shows"] topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanorama" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox television"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| image | JapanoramaLogo.jpg |
| caption | Title card of Japanorama |
| creator | Hotsauce TV |
| writer | Jack Barth |
| director | Peter Boyd Maclean |
| starring | Jonathan Ross |
| country | United Kingdom |
| language | English |
| num_series | 3 |
| num_episodes | 18 |
| runtime | 30 minutes |
| network | BBC Choice |
| BBC Three | |
| UKTV | |
| first_aired | |
| last_aired | |
| :: |
| image = JapanoramaLogo.jpg | caption = Title card of Japanorama | creator = Hotsauce TV | writer = Jack Barth | director = Peter Boyd Maclean | starring = Jonathan Ross | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = 3 | num_episodes = 18 | runtime = 30 minutes | network = BBC Choice BBC Three UKTV | first_aired = | last_aired = Japanorama is a series of documentaries presented by Jonathan Ross, exploring various facets of popular culture and trends of modern-day Japan.
Each episode has a theme, around which Ross presents cultural phenomenon, films, music, and art that exemplify facets of Japan. The series is colourful in both its creative use of subject matter, and its use of bright colours that helped accent the action on screen rather than distract from it. Subjects are separated by eye catches that often featured the artwork of Junko Mizuno. Ross hosts each episode in bright, eye-catching suits.
Fans have praised the series for the care that both Ross and the BBC have placed in its production. Time was given to delve into each subject, and he was able to interview various figureheads of culture and industry, including Mamoru Oshii, Hayao Miyazaki, Takeshi Kitano, Takashi Miike, Takashi Murakami, and Sonny Chiba.
The theme song of the show was Kiyoshi no zundoko bushi by Kiyoshi Hikawa.
Series and episode list
Japanorama consisted of three series, each with six episodes. The first series was shown on BBC Choice in 2002, while series 2 and 3 were shown on BBC Three in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
Series 1
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| Title | Episode | First aired |
|---|---|---|
| Science Fiction | 1 | 9 June 2002 |
| Segments include: | ||
| Youth | 2 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Sex | 3 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Crime | 4 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Swords | 5 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Horror | 6 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| :: |
Series 2
::data[format=table]
| Title | Episode | First aired |
|---|---|---|
| Kakkoii (Cool) | 1 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Otaku (Nerd Culture) | 2 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Zoku (Tribes) | 3 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Owarai (Comedy) | 4 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Bushido (Samurai Spirit) | 5 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Kawaii (Cute) | 6 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| :: |
Series 3
::data[format=table]
| Title | Episode | First aired |
|---|---|---|
| Gaijin (Outsiders) | 1 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Ai and Koi (Love and Romance) | 2 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| J-Art (Japanese Pop Art) | 3 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Densetsu (Legends) | 4 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Kaidan (Scary Stories) | 5 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| Gyaru (Bad girls) | 6 | |
| Segments include: | ||
| :: |
Notes
References
References
- (24 July 2006). "Press Office - BBC THREE Autumn 2006: Entertainment". BBC.
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