The Japanese entertainment industry has a long history dating back to the 17th century, with traditional forms of entertainment such as Kabuki theater, Noh drama, and ukiyo-e woodblock prints. In the post-World War II era, Japan experienced rapid economic growth, leading to the development of a modern entertainment industry. The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of popular music, with the emergence of iconic artists like The Spiders, The Tempters, and Eiichi Ohtaki.
We are already seeing the "Netflix effect": Japanese directors are making grimier, longer-form content (like Alice in Borderland ). Gaming is bleeding into music (virtual singer Hatsune Miku sells out arenas). And AI is threatening the manga industry, where artists work 16-hour days for poverty wages. The Japanese entertainment industry has a long history