, increasingly integrating games with anime and music to create immersive "cross-platform" experiences. Music (J-Pop) : A shift toward "Emotional Maximalism" is led by artists like

In 2023, the iconic male idol agency Johnny & Associates collapsed after admitting its founder, Johnny Kitagawa, sexually abused hundreds of boys for decades. This was a MeToo moment unique to Japan. The agency rebranded to "Smile-Up," but the power vacuum is being filled by Korean-style K-Pop agencies and new players like LDH (Exile Tribe), which encourages tattoos and a "tough guy" aesthetic—a direct rebellion against the "clean idol" model.