Every October, the leaves start falling, pumpkin spice hits the menus, and the internet gears up for the exact same annual screaming match: what is harmless fun, and what is straight-up cultural appropriation?
In this special guest-free Halloween episode, co-hosts Koji Steven Sakai and Michelle MaliZaki bypass the tired internet finger-wagging to unpack the real cultural divide at the heart of this debate. Why do locals in Japan often love seeing tourists in kimono, while Asian Americans cringe when they see a polyester “geisha” robe at an American frat party?
Koji and Michelle conduct an autopsy on the classic aisles of Spirit Halloween—from funeral collars and kabuki stagehands to inflatable sumo suits—before stepping up as judge and jury in the Japanese America Court of Appeals to rule on anime cosplay, the Boston MFA “Kimono Wednesdays,” and 2000s pop stars. Plus: a simple, three-point litmus test to keep your Halloween costume fun, respectful, and off call-out threads.
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CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
