At the heart of the commercial entertainment industry lies a structure unique to Japan: the Jimusho (talent agency). Unlike Hollywood’s agent-manager model where power is split, the Jimusho is a feudal fortress. It discovers, trains, polices, and often marries off (or bans from marrying) its talent.
The Japanese music scene is the second largest in the world, dominated by a unique "Idol" culture. Groups like AKB48 or Johnny & Associates’ boy bands are built on the concept of "idols you can meet." At the heart of the commercial entertainment industry