And it is just getting started.
Whether it is the silent melancholy of a Kore-eda film, the thunderous D beat of a Taiko drum in a Kabuki play, or the pixelated jump of a plumber in red overalls, Japan has proven that entertainment is not just a distraction. It is a mirror. And currently, the world can’t stop looking into that mirror, eager to see a reflection of a world that is both impossibly distant and strangely familiar. And it is just getting started
The unique power of Japan lies in its ability to absorb outside influence (American jazz, German philosophy, Chinese Kanji) and filter it through an insular, hyper-local lens until it becomes something alien and wonderful. And currently, the world can’t stop looking into
We are seeing anime produced by French studios with Korean funding. We are seeing Netflix develop Alice in Borderland as a live-action drama filmed in Japan but written for a global logline. We are seeing Japanese game designers implement "Western" open-world mechanics, while Western games obsess over "Japanese" design philosophies (delicate puzzles, emotional restraint). We are seeing Netflix develop Alice in Borderland