This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. A hallmark of modern Japanese culture - in anime, video games, even all kinds of signs you see in everyday life - is its iconic characters. One American analyzing these characters from a unique perspective is translator Matt Alt. He believes Japan's "character culture" is rooted in legendary Japanese creatures called yokai. Alt became so fascinated by yokai that he published a book about them in English. Born in Washington D.C., Alt studied Japanese language from a young age and visited Japan as a teenager. He met his wife, Hiroko, when she was studying in the U.S., and they started a translation company together. The two take great inspiration from Lafcadio Hearn, a Westerner who introduced Japanese folk tales to the world with his English translations, and Hearn's wife Setsuko, who taught him about Japanese culture.
