: The most recognizable exports. Manga serves as the primary source material for the $20+ billion global anime market. Video Games : Home to giants like Nintendo, Sony, and Capcom

Forget the Billboard charts. The economic and cultural center of Japanese music is the . An idol is not a "singer." They are a vessel of unattainable purity. Groups like AKB48 perfected the "idols you can meet" concept. Their business model is genius and terrifying: sell a CD that comes with a "voting ticket" for a popularity contest. Fans buy hundreds of CDs to vote for their favorite member. The winner gets the center spot in the next music video.

Which of these would you prefer?

: The audience for such content is typically adults who are interested in explicit material. Distribution methods can vary widely, from direct purchase or subscription services to more illicit forms of sharing.