Japanese Animation (Anime)
Japanese anime such as Astro Boy created by legendary Osamu Tezuka began to impress foreigners by their high quality of story and animation techniques in 1970's. Robot or super hero story attracted great interests in Japan and foreign countries and Gundam series became mega hit anime in 1980's. Not only anime series on TV or movies, Gundam created a huge market for figures and models. In 1990's, Pokemon produced by the video game giant Nintendo consolidated rising power of Japanese anime around the world.
Japanese anime attracts many audience around the world and often the trigger for them to have an interests in Japanese culture and certainly help them to broaden understanding of Japan. It certainly help to obtain good image of Japan and feel a proximity to Japan. Japanese anime is certainly doing a better job to promote Japan than Japanese politicians. 
Gundam is probably the most popular Japanese anime featuring cool war machine robots. Gundam anime series started in April 1979. Gundam has been featured not only in anime, but also in comics, novels, video games and plastic models. Gundam plastic models known as "Gunpla" makes nearly 90% of plastic models share in Japan. The total sales of Gundam related business is estimated more than 50 billion Yen. To celebrating 30th anniversary, the Gundam robot in real size (18 meter high!) is set up in Odaiba, Tokyo and will be there until the end of summer 2009. It is so Cool!
