The most visible pillars of the industry are anime and manga. Unlike Western comics, which were historically viewed as "for kids," manga in Japan covers every conceivable genre—from high-stakes corporate drama to gourmet cooking.
Furthermore, there is a cultural bottleneck. Japanese entertainment is still largely made by Japanese people for Japanese people. The humor relies on Boke and Tsukkomi (a "dumb and smart" comedy duo routine). The storytelling relies on Uchi-soto (in-group vs. out-group dynamics). When these shows go global (think Terrace House on Netflix), Western audiences often miss the subtlety of why a silent stare is more aggressive than a punch. The most visible pillars of the industry are anime and manga