Alongside pop culture, traditional forms remain respected and commercially viable:

The Japanese entertainment industry is ruthless in a silent way. In Hollywood, you can get a DUI, go to rehab, and return with a talk show. In Japan, a weed scandal is a career-ending apocalypse.

Idols are forbidden from dating. Contracts explicitly state "no romantic relationships." In 2013, AKB48 member Minegishi Minami shaved her head and uploaded a video of herself weeping after being caught spending the night at a boy’s apartment. The act of shaving her head (a Samurai-era punishment) was a ritualized apology to the fans. Western media called it barbaric; Japanese fans called it professionalism.