This paper examines “platform capitalism” as a new regime of accumulation that succeeds “industrial capitalism (Fordism）” and “post-industrial capitalism (post-Fordism）”, analyzing its defining characteristics, operational modes, and emerging tendencies. The initial sections focus on the transformation of labor within platform capitalism, highlighting tendencies such as the multiplication of labor, the intensification of algorithmic management, the simultaneous urbanization of platforms and platformization of cities, and the ongoing transition from neoliberalism to neo-feudalism.

    The subsequent sections explore tendencies within platform capitalism that accelerate circulation, drive financialization, and amplify speculation. To encapsulate these shifts, the concept of “Teslaism” is introduced as a marker of a new historical phase. This term, coined by artist Bahar Noorizadeh in her 2022 video work, Teslaism: Economics at the End of the End of the Future, which features a character inspired by Elon Musk, suggests a new production system that follows “post-Fordism (Toyotism）.”

    In Teslaism, grasped as a tendency within platform capitalism, we observe a shift from the “profit-seeking entrepreneurial subject” to the “credit-seeking portfolio manager,” accompanied by trends toward the platformization of personalities and calls for “self-assetization.” The vision of “the end of the end of the future” presented here entails rebranding “the look of the future” to facilitate the limitless movement of capital, enhancing the “creditworthiness of the future” as an object of speculation, and interpellating individuals to become “speculators of the self” or “portfolio managers of the self.” In counter to this, media studies in the era of Teslaism must strive to reimagine a new beginning of the future, moving beyond this “end of the end of the future” imaginary.

    The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of how people use the platforms and how this differs from the experience of using mass communication. First, I review research on the uses and gratifications of mass communication to show that the users’ positions are different from those of the platforms. Then, I argue that the motives and needs of platform users are shaped in ways that are compatible with society. Unlike mass communication, the more the users use the platform, the more the platform is required to satisfy the needs, and the more the platform is required to respond to the users. Since the needs of the users can be reflected, the platforms contain something with “sociality”.

    This paper examines platform capitalism through the lens of gender by using platformization, a theoretical concept increasingly used in media studies, and emergent cultural production facilitated by it. The paper begins by tracing a genealogy of the concept and identifying its major features including its recent emphasis on cultural practices of labor, creativity, and citizenship. Drawing on existing research about and empirical cases of women’s platform labor, the present study examines how cultural practices are progressively organized around platforms and new forms of gendered affective labor are taking form. The author argues that platformization creates both opportunities and risks for women’s empowerment, whereby the gendered power relations can be reproduced and the female body, intimacy, and emotion, even a feminist passion, can be commodified. It is a critical moment to interrogate and intervene this social formation strongly associated with contemporary capitalism.

    Digital platforms managed by “big tech” companies, commonly known as GAFAM, have played an important role in shaping the media environment since 2005, often referred to as the era of “Web 2.0.” These platforms capitalize on the dual characteristics of multi-group interaction and network effects, primarily leveraging advertising-based business models, a condition known as “platform capitalism.” Recently, the rapid proliferation of “AI” has introduced new complexities into the media ecosystem. Despite its integration into these platforms, the theoretical positioning of AI within the media studies remains ambiguous, raising questions about its impact on platform dynamics.

    This study focuses on the SEO practices surrounding Google, and quantitatively and qualitatively analyzes the discourse of webmasters to explore the evolving relationship between AI and the platform ecosystem. The findings reveal that AI, due to its inherent characteristics, cannot fully replace platforms. Initially, AI emerged as a technology that functions primarily within the platform’s internal operations. However, the influence of external AI technologies, such as generative AI, on webmasters’ content creation practices has altered its role within the platform ecosystem. By 2024, Google introduced “AI Overview,” a feature that re-integrates generative AI into the core functions of its search platform, indicating a significant transformation in the relationship between platforms and AI.

    This study suggests that while AI initially supported platform functionalities, its growing presence outside the platform has necessitated a reconfiguration of its role. The introduction of AI Overview exemplifies how platforms are attempting to re-internalize these external technologies, leading to a more complex interplay between platforms and AI. As a result, the relationship between platforms and AI has become increasingly intricate, highlighting the need for a refined theoretical understanding of their interaction within the context of media studies.

    In this paper, we analyze the lyrics of rap music expressing the theme of war as data to examine the evolution of war-related expressions in Japanese rap music and the unique style of approach to this theme. From 2000 to 2006, many songs were made based on themes such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the War on Terror; they depicted a clear contrast between the battlefield and the safety of Japan, where the rappers were watching. The reality of war felt distant, which was reflected in rappers’ everyday observations. From 2007 to 2016, after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, concerns about future wars became more common in rap music, and World War II was recalled as a memory of a controlled social situation. From 2017 onwards, war was no longer seen as a distant event but as something that is interconnected with everyday life.

    A key stylistic feature of these expressions is the technique of “Representing,” in which rappers express their localities and link their everyday lives to war, bringing the two closer together. “Sampling” is also an important technique in which songs about past wars are reinterpreted from a contemporary perspective, providing deeper insight into current events and a new perspective on the future. Internet platforms allow for real-time expression, and artists can avoid traditional content restrictions by corporations, creating a broader perspective on war. Future research will involve investigating other aspects of rap music, such as rhyme, flow, and beat, and conducting interviews to understand artists’ creative processes.

    This study quantitatively and systematically analyzes the headline selection of Japan’s major newspapers-Asahi, Mainichi, and Yomiuri-to investigate each paper’s intent to influence public perception of the “perceived majority” concerning constitutional revision. By analyzing 622 headlines from 196 news articles published from 1987 to 2021, this study quantitatively categorizes and identifies key issues in these headlines, revealing that constitutional revision and Article 9 amendments remain central topics. Comparing each newspaper’s headline trends with public opinion poll results on constitutional and Article 9 revisions, this study finds that the Asahi and Mainichi, generally favoring the preservation of the constitution, tend to headline either pro- or anti-revision stances according to the majority in poll results, even when these stances contradict the publication’s own editorial views. However, both papers also counterbalance majority support for constitutional revision by pairing opposing views on Article 9 revision or the Abe administration’s constitutional amendment proposal from the Liberal Democratic Party within the same headlines. Conversely, the Yomiuri, supportive of constitutional revision, frequently highlights pro-revision opinions in its headlines while featuring opposition to Article 9 changes far less frequently, even when such opposition holds majority support in polls. By juxtaposing the “majority” support for constitutional revision and its “reasons” in headline spreads, the Yomiuri construct a narrative portraying a public inclination toward amendment. Such selective headline framing suggests that each newspaper seeks to shape public perception by constructing the “perceived majority” in alignment with its editorial stance.

    This study aims to clarify the relationship between the audience and the content, with a particular emphasis on Chinese fans of Japanese anime. In this study, we utilized online ethnography methods to examine the behaviors and interests of Japanese anime fans in China during the “blank decade,” spanning from approximately 2000 to 2010. This period was characterized by the absence of Japanese anime from official television broadcasts in China. By consuming fansubbed animation, these anime fans found new ways of interacting with each other, saw the emergence of new implications in file-sharing, and established a common commitment to contributing to anime culture. These activities demonstrate that fansubbers have developed a dedicated audience for “fansub anime” rather than “Japanese anime.” This implies the potential for new platforms that foster end-user collaboration instead of corporate control.

    “Anime pilgrimage” is considered a tourist activity that involves visiting the locations of anime works. Takayoshi Yamamura pointed out that “Anime Pilgrimage” is characterised by tourists creating their own places to visit without being influenced by those being visited. Yamamura used Alvin Toffler’s concept of Prosumer to explain this. However, this characterisation has not been fully carried over in subsequent discussions.　Therefore, this study points out the Prosumer’s significance that “Anime Pilgrimage” carries and argues that these activities should be understood as fan activities. Based on research findings, tourism is sustained by the interaction between those who toured and those who are being toured. The “Anime Pilgrimage”, as Yamamura points out, does not fit within the framework of the production-consumption relationship assumed by tourism and cannot be measured by existing economic indicators. This trend is more akin to enthusiastic fan activities, and one can point out the similarities with Otaku, whose social recognition spread around the same time as the use of the name “Anime Pilgrimage”.　Therefore, “Anime Pilgrimage” should be understood within the historical flow of the manifestation of fans who consume anime works from their unique perspective. If we consider “Anime Pilgrimages” as fan activities, we can set different evaluation criteria from those for economic effects attracting visitors. This will allow us to appropriately evaluate activities that have not been evaluated before and clarify the various ways in which activities inspired by anime can be conducted. Therefore, “Anime Pilgrimages” should be viewed as part of fan activities.

    This study analyzes female-oriented online pornographic novels and the women who read them in China, where strict regulations severely restrict sexual content, particularly content targeting female audiences. Using digital ethnography, this study explores how Chinese women read, write, and communicate within these spaces, offering a new perspective on gender and media studies while underlining the potential of digital spaces to foster cultural practices among marginalized women within restrictive environments.

    The analysis shows that, despite stringent regulations, Chinese women−both professionals and amateurs−are using online novels to express their imaginings of sexuality and love. They utilize various domestic and international platforms, as well as closed communities, to read and share pornographic works, sustaining diverse media practices even in underground spaces.

    This study clarifies the significance of female-oriented pornography for women. The findings highlight three critical aspects. First, female-oriented online pornographic novels provide spaces for self-expression and identity formation, allowing women to challenge traditional gender norms and male-oriented pornography. Second, while resisting external double standards regarding sexuality, female readers simultaneously internalize these societal norms. Finally, communities that form around female-oriented online pornographic content strengthen bonds among women and foster support networks.

    This study compares trust in old media (television and newspapers) with trust in new media (social media, online news sites, and video streaming platforms) and explores how each is related to belief in conspiracy theories. Using survey responses from 1,210 participants recruited through a crowdsourcing platform, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. The independent variables included media trust (both new and old media), political ideology, gender, age, and educational level, with belief in conspiracy theories as the dependent variable. The analysis revealed that people who have a high level of trust in traditional media tend to have a lower degree of belief in conspiracy theories. However, when trust in traditional media such as television and newspapers, is controlled for individuals with higher trust in new media platforms, including social networking and video streaming sites, tend to have stronger beliefs in conspiracy theories. This study thereby engages in a critical discussion of the influence of mass media and social media on conspiracy beliefs.