Manga-loving German goalkeeper finds peace, and himself, in Japan
Svend Brodersen was fascinated with Japan as a child — now the German goalkeeper plays in the country and is fondly known as an "otaku," someone obsessed with Japanese pop culture.
The Hamburg-born 27-year-old also has a Japanese wife, speaks the language and is thinking of studying at a Japanese university when he retires.
"I think everybody has an otaku inside," Brodersen said, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the title of his favourite Japanese manga, "One Punch Man."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
29 minutes ago
- Japan Today
Labubu toy sculpture sold for $150,000 at China auction
Labubus have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one A Beijing auction house has sold a four-foot-tall sculpture of a viral plush toy character for more than $150,000, as global demand for the Chinese-designed Labubu dolls reaches fever pitch. The rabbit-like figures sporting mischievous grins began as a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and are made by Beijing-based toy brand Pop Mart. They have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one, with analysts pointing to the phenomenon as evidence of China's growing soft power. On Tuesday, a teal sculpture depicting a Labubu character with a furry body and head fetched an eye-watering 1.08 million yuan ($150,260) at an auction held in Beijing, according to the auction house's app. The sculpture is "the only piece of its kind in the world", according to Yongle International Auction. It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia including a brown statue that sold for 820,000 yuan. Pop Mart has over 400 stores globally, including 30 U.S. branches. The worldwide frenzy has seen people go to desperate lengths to acquire their own Labubu. Last month a London branch of Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of the toys, fearing violence from would-be buyers who failed to get their hands on the limited-edition Labubus. In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, according to Singaporean online media outlet AsiaOne. Burglars broke into a store in California last week and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, American news outlet ABC reported. In China, the toys have been promised as freebies for new bank customers -- an incentive quickly shut down by local regulators, according to Chinese media reports. The toys have spawned a booming resale market as well as an online community of fans sharing tips on how to customise their dolls. Knockoffs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users. © 2025 AFP
Nikkei Asia
38 minutes ago
- Nikkei Asia
Pokemon Go's Scopely on the hunt in Japan for gaming M&As
KAZUYUKI OKUDAIRA TOKYO -- Fresh off its acquisition of Pokemon Go's Niantic, U.S. gaming giant Scopely is looking to grow its relations with Japanese peers with lucrative intellectual property (IP) franchises. In an interview with Nikkei, Scopely co-CEOs Walter Driver and Javier Ferreira described their plans to increase investment in Pokemon Go and other games and to expand the company's presence in Japan, possibly through additional mergers and acquisitions.
The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Renowned pianist Martha Argerich says dialogue vital for world peace
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Famed Argentina-born pianist Martha Argerich says engaging in dialogue to share cultural differences plays a major role in building peace, as she experienced firsthand during her first performance with a Japanese Noh actor. Cultural exchange "is very important, and it's the source of peace in the world...I think that dialogue is the most important factor in this type of thing," Argerich said at a recent press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. Bunzo Otsuki, a government-designated living national treasure, performed Noh to Argerich's rendition of Bach's Partita No.2 at a Noh theater in 2022 and their performance is featured in a new documentary film titled "Encounter." "I was very surprised. I was able to act to the sound of Argerich's playing with ease," Otsuki said at the press conference held to announce the completion of the documentary. Argerich said it "was a wonderful dialogue" to share their cultures and forms of expression through their performance of Bach's music and Noh on stage, as well as through backstage lectures from Otsuki about Noh masks. "I was always very fascinated by Noh theater. This time, I felt really honored and grateful to share the stage with Maestro Otsuki," Argerich said, adding that Bach's music goes with anything because it contains the essence of human spirit and ways of expression. Since she won first prize at the prestigious International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in 1965, which established her reputation, Argerich has been one of the world's most prominent pianists, receiving the Legion of Honor, France's most prestigious award at the rank of commander in 2023, according to the Argerich Arts Foundation. Argerich recently visited Japan to play for a music festival named after her, Music Festival Argerich's Meeting Point in Beppu, which marked its 25th anniversary this year. She serves as general director of the festival in Oita Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
