Skip to Main Content
The Student News Site of The American School in Japan

HANABI

The Student News Site of The American School in Japan

HANABI

The Student News Site of The American School in Japan

HANABI

Herbert Behrens / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Guernica: An Anti-War Icon

Article by Sophia Nielsen, Writer January 17, 2024

In the pantheon of anti-war artwork, one of the most notable works is Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica. Since its creation in the 1930s, Guernica has endured as a powerful symbol of protest against...

Taylor-made: The Success of Taylor Swift’s Re-Recorded Albums

Taylor-made: The Success of Taylor Swift’s Re-Recorded Albums

Article by Hana Smith, Writer December 7, 2023

After nearly two decades, Taylor Swift has cemented herself as a household name in the music industry. Her ongoing, massively successful “Eras Tour” is her sixth international concert tour since 2009....

The Psychology of "Losing Yourself" in Fiction

The Psychology of “Losing Yourself” in Fiction

Article by Romi Shelton, Writer November 29, 2023

We all have favorite fictional stories. It’s not only the plot that attracts us to stories, but the characters that make or break a good tale. Movies, TV series, books, and games are all forms of media...

The Evolution of Sherlock Holmes

The Evolution of Sherlock Holmes

Article by Mira Chandra, Writer November 14, 2023

Dressed smartly in a tweed suit, deerstalker hat, and smoking a pipe, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is the brilliant fictional detective who has become a household name. His sharp wit and keen...

“The End” of the Beatles

“The End” of the Beatles

Article by Elizabeth Rexrode, Writer November 12, 2023

Fifty-three years after their breakup, the last Beatles song, “Now and Then,” was released on November 3rd, 2023. Originally a never-to-be-finished rough draft written by John Lennon, the song has...

David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust

A Brief Look into 50 Years of Style in Rock

Article by Elizabeth Rexrode, Writer November 7, 2023

“They’re shoe-shoes, silly,” answered David Bowie in a 1973 interview when he was asked whether his pink high heels were “men’s shoes, women’s shoes, or bisexual shoes.”  When one thinks...

Varsity Cross Country Victorious at Far East Championship

Varsity Cross Country Victorious at Far East Championship

Article by Ruby Gardner, Writer October 26, 2023

At Misawa Air Base on Tuesday, the ASIJ varsity cross country team claimed victory in the Division I Far East Championship. Individually, the boys’ team earned first place and the girls’ team second...

Courtesy of Netflix

Never Have I Ever: A Journey to South Asian Representation

Article by Arnab Karmokar, Writer September 12, 2023

As I scoured the vast sea of TV shows to indulge in during the summer break, one title, in particular, caught my attention: Never Have I Ever (2020-2023). At first glance, I assumed it to be a television...

The Chaos of Costuming and the Student in Control

The Chaos of Costuming and the Student in Control

Article by Ren Topping, Editor-in-chief April 29, 2023

For Elle Woods, fashion is a way of life. Her iconic pink outfits, sparkling dress pieces, and colorful 2000s chic are cornerstones of both her personality and the 2001 film Legally Blonde in which she...

ASIJ’s Pit Band: The Students Behind the Sound

ASIJ’s Pit Band: The Students Behind the Sound

Article by Sam Quade, Writer April 20, 2023

A booming voice asks you to silence your phones and enjoy the show. Lights dim, murmurs cease, and the air is still. Before any entrances on stage, before the spotlight beams down, before the grand reveal...

An Oscar Joke Reveals a Hollywood Weight-Loss Drug Craze

An Oscar Joke Reveals a Hollywood Weight-Loss Drug Craze

Article by Arnab Karmokar, Writer April 4, 2023

During his opening monologue at the recent 95th annual Academy Awards, host Jimmy Kimmel sparked amusement from viewers with a joke about the rumored widespread use of the diabetes drug Ozempic among Hollywood...

Black History in Media

Black History in Media

Article by Sam Quade, Writer March 10, 2023

Although Black History Month has ended, a look back on recent events can be enlightening. The Black Lives Matter movement, ignited by the unjust murder of George Floyd in 2020 and similar instances of...

Load More Stories