Mark Schilling is a reporter, critic, and author who specializes in Japanese films and popular culture. Since 1989, Mark has been a regular film critic for The Japan Times and has covered the Japanese film industry for Screen International (1990–2005) and Variety (2005–present). Mark has written or contributed to several books, including The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture (1997), Contemporary Japanese Film (1999), and No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema (2007). He has also served as a program advisor for film festivals such as the Udine Far East Film Festival and as a script advisor on Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai (2004). Major media outlets, including BBC, CNN, NPR, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have recognized Mark's expertise.