Globalization's Impact: Japanese Pop Culture Essay

This essay examines the significant impact of Japanese pop culture on a global scale, emphasizing the role of globalization in its widespread dissemination. The author highlights key elements like anime, manga, and sushi, which have gained international prominence. The essay delves into how Japanese entertainment products have significantly contributed to this cultural spread, particularly after World War II, and how audiences worldwide have embraced these cultural exports. It explores the influence of Japanese culture in various domains, including animation, fashion, and music, and discusses the concept of Japan's soft power through its cultural products. The essay references the second wave of Japanese culture, facilitated by media digitization, and the role of new media platforms in expanding its reach. Furthermore, it points out the rise of anime as a dominant force, the impact on the film industry, and the increasing competition in the entertainment sector, highlighting the high quality and appeal of Japanese cultural products, and their inclusivity in the global landscape.

Running head: ENGLISH
Japanese Pop Culture
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note

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Globalization is the reason behind the spread of a culture across various cultures.
Japanese culture has been gaining prominence internationally especially due to the
representations in popular culture. Some of the famous characters and elements which have
added in the process of spread of culture of Japan include Hello Kitty, Sushi, Manga, Anime
(MacWilliams, 2014). This of game prominence across various countries and cultures, especially
in the latter half of the fast century. The spread of culture have even followed thereafter, to make
it recognizable with various attributes. Audiences across the world have responded as well as
shown acceptance towards these, quite enthusiastically. The industry claim that the entertainment
product of the Japanese culture have contributed to the spread of the culture heavily, to the world
audience. The Thesis statement of the article is to probe into the spread of popular culture
because of globalization and its influences across the world.
Japanese video games and anime are part of people’s preferences and it has increased
considerably in the past few years. Food items have become part of people’s food habits, even in
America. Japanese pop culture, as have been opined by several people is ubiquitous and
influential. Japan, not only creates and influence people's material lives but the cultural lives of
people too. As pointed out by Chua (2012) the, spread have been rigorous especially after World
War II. However the pop culture as settled by the Japanese, uncontested considered restructured
challenged as well is revived by several other popular medium and cultures across the world. The
popular culture in Japan, is a way of self-expression. Through it, people expressive experiences
in life and sometimes also being the other in a society.
The influences of Japanese culture address felt in the domains of animation, movies,
social media, fashion, television, comics and even music. Japan also dominates the culture of the
world with its immense potential to come up with new technological advancements and

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capitalize the world. Furthermore, it can be asserted by Pellitteri, (2019) that visual culture is
heavily dominated by the Japanese production of Anime, which is rendered as a first wave for
the export of Japanese pop culture. This is recorded to have happened in the latter half of the
twenty first century. As time progressed the interest of research and academic emphasis has also
been strengthened. Academic interest in Japanese culture increased not only in overseas but also
in the country as well. The second wave of Japanese culture been spread across the world is
considered to be the digitization of media (Chua, 2012). This ensure the graphic communication
system and connectivity across the globe because of which the popular culture could easily be
reached out and be accessible by the audience.
There has also been development of new media which is the reason behind Japanese
culture being able to utilize several platforms for the spread of popular culture. It has been
engaging for the audience as well as been heavily criticized and even transformed for their own
acceptance. It has been argued by Pellitteri (2019) that it has enabled and provided opportunities
to the pop culture mediums to become more hybrid and complex in nature. It was developed and
even became fascinating in several different ways. The relationship between shared by the rest of
the world with Japan often gets voice through this popular culture mediums. The even have new
readings and scopes for interpretations to understand the nature of interconnectedness of popular
culture in Japan with the rest of the world.
There have now been several derivative products of the already existing popular culture
elements. Anime is still considered to be the dominant soft power in the Japanese culture which
has been the reason behind immense popularization of the pop culture. In Japanese media it is
heavily popular and the reason behind the continuous development of entertainment in Japan. It
is interesting to note that anime has been a part of the culture in Japan for a very long time now

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but has come into prominence across the world very recently (Tsutsui, 2010). However the
popularization of Anime culture has also been a factor in the decline of the film industry, which
is heavily loaded is when is accepted in the world especially during the 1960s. Globalization has
been the reason behind more development in the entertainment sector as well as acceptance of
cinema in the medium of live-action in Japan. The competition in the Japanese entertainment
industry as well as pop culture across the world, now more rapid and severe, especially alongside
production from America.
Moreover, the primary reason behind the popularization of Japanese pop culture are great
features and quality. The products of the Japanese entertainment industry have story lines which
are extremely exciting and have been perfected for visual appeal. Japanese pop culture have
come in contact with several other cultures across the world and this participation has gained
immense popularity. They have even been influential for the becoming of western culture
products. It has rightly been pointed out by Chua (2012) Japanese cultural products are also
known for its inclusivity and that have been at the Nexus in the global culture. The Japanese
anime culture has even been more influential than the American culture of animation and
comics. There are varied ranges of topic on which the anime, cartoons and entertainment shows
are created, which is the dominant type of popular culture.
It can thus be concluded by saying that Japanese pop culture is very significant and have
intermixed and accepted across various culture, due to its richness and projection of global
aspects and contemporary landscapes. Globalization has allowed the flow and amalgamation of
cultures across borders. It has evolved to become a part of the Global culture with its propagation
through various mediums. It has often considered to be the counterpart for American Pop culture.

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References
Chua, B. H. (2012). Structure, audience and soft power in East Asian pop culture (Vol. 1). Hong
Kong University Press.
MacWilliams, M. W. (2014). Japanese visual culture: Explorations in the world of manga and
anime. Routledge.
Pellitteri, M. (2019). JAPAN'S SOFT POWER AND" GRAND FICTIONS" IN GLOBAL
VENUES: Japanese Pop Culture Franchises and Fictionality-based Tactics. Kritika
Kultura.
Tsutsui, W. M. (2010). Japanese popular culture and globalization. Association for Asian
Studies.
Bibliography
ALLEN, M. A. T., & SAKAMOTO, R. M. (2007). Introduction: Inside-out Japan? Popular
culture and globalization in the context of Japan. In Popular culture, globalization and
Japan (pp. 15-26). Routledge.
Allen, M., & Sakamoto, R. (Eds.). (2007). Popular culture, globalization and Japan. Routledge.
Imaoka, L. B. (2010). Consuming and Maintaining Difference: American Fans Resisting the
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