Walk into any bookstore around the world and you will find a new, large section for one of Japan's best-known representatives -- manga. Likewise, in DVD stores, drama, comedy and action have been pushed aside for Japanese anime. All around the world, people of all ages are pouring over translations of manga and pressing the rewind button on anime movies.
In a matter of years, the overseas image of Japan has become dependent on its pop culture exports. Manga and anime are now Japan's new ambassadors.
How did caricatures, fantasy stories and splashy drawings get into the position of such international importance? The spread of Japanese pop culture relies on the power of Japanese marketing, of course. Yet, also at work is a creative force with universal appeal. Publishers and distributors promote the works as commodity exports, but beyond marketing, they have connected profoundly with a huge worldwide audience.