Many stars from China, Japan and Korea are the most popular and instantly recognizable int he world. This book brings together some of the world's leading cinema scholars to offer their insights into the work of regional and transnational screen legends, contemporary superstars and mysterious cult personas. From the Contents: 3. National Idols? The Problem of 'Transnationalizing' Film Stardom in Japan's Idol Economy (Christopher Howard)/ 8. Asano Tadanobu and Transnational Stardom: The Paradoxical Polysemy of Cool (Anne Ciecko)/ 11. Kyo Machiko: East Meets West (Martin Carter).