Watch all the Best Porn Parodies
The Japanese entertainment industry is a master swordsmith: capable of producing blades of unbelievable sharpness and beauty, but stubbornly refusing to use a power hammer because "the old way feels better."
Until the explosive 2023 sexual abuse scandal surrounding Johnny Kitagawa (founder of Johnny & Associates), the industry operated on feudal loyalty. Ex-idols who quit were banned from TV. Contracts are often predatory, and "tabloid" journalism is frequently a tool of the agencies to bury negative press.
The culture of uchi-soto (inside vs. outside) is palpable. Japanese entertainment is made for Japanese people first. When the West loves it, Japan is often surprised, not prepared. Contrast this with South Korea, which engineers K-Pop for global charts; Japan engineers J-Pop for karaoke boxes in Shibuya. Is it worth your time? Absolutely.
You will need a VPN. You will need a Japanese credit card for some services. You will see genius comedians alongside archaic gender stereotypes.