Japan Is Cool But Has No Clue About Selling Itself

Netflix just re-released one of the most popular animated television programs of all time – "Neon Genesis Evangelion." The show, which combines dark, complex themes of alienation and loneliness with action-packed battles between robots and monsters, captivated the worldwide audiences when it came out in 1995. It introduced an entire generation to Japanese animation, whose high quality, adult themes and unique sensibilities helped redefine Japan’s culture in the eyes of the world, supplanting traditional visions of Mt. Fuji, geisha and tea ceremonies. But a quarter-century later, Japan is having difficulty transforming its newfound cultural cachet into economic riches.

Yet Japanese pop culture is thriving, with enormous fan conventions all over the world. Thanks to platforms like Crunchyroll (owned by AT&T) and Netflix -- which has licensed many TV programs from Japan, as well as ordering its own originals from Japanese studios -- overseas sales have been increasing rapidly, with cartoons making up the bulk.