The industry is at its best when it ignores global trends and doubles down on local weirdness. Nobody asked for a game about a deliveryman in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ( Death Stranding ), but because Hideo Kojima made it uniquely Japanese, the world bought it.
The Japanese music industry is the second largest in the world, largely driven by a domestic market that still values physical media like CDs. A defining feature of this landscape is the "Idol" culture.
While anime is famous, Japanese live-action cinema and television are seeing a global resurgence. : Recent triumphs include Godzilla Minus One
If you consume entertainment online, chances are you’ve felt the gravitational pull of Japan recently. Maybe you watched Shōgun win an Emmy. Perhaps your Spotify Wrapped featured a J-Pop artist like Yoasobi or Ado. Or maybe you’ve just spent 20 minutes watching a Japanese variety show clip on YouTube—despite not speaking a word of Japanese.
