Analyzing the Japan Around Us: Spare Time in Japan

Being in Japan, and experiencing their ways of entertainments, for me, has been surprising. Being on the train on my weekly train ride, or on the overnight bus to Tokyo, there's always about 50% of the people within eyesight reading a manga, playing their Nintendo DS, or even listening to their constantly changing popular songs on an I Pod. Another popular item are their rhythm games, Taiko no Tatsujin, Pop'n Music, Dance Dance Revolution, or even Ouendan. Ouendan is even on the Nintendo DS. Ouendan has been released in America under the name of Elite Beat Agents. Manga has been very popular here for quite a while, the more popular they are here the more likely they will be released in America. One of the biggest mangas being Dragonball, which started in 1984. This manga is still being sold here in brand new editions. Then listening to new music in America, it's played for about 2 months and your sick of hearing it. Here in Japan, their popular music changes roughly on a bi-weekly basis, but there are also artists who have been in the music business for some time also. For example: Utada Hikaru, Ayumi Hamasaki, Greeeen. Greeeen hasn't actually been around for long, but they did a song kiseki that stayed on the Japanese charts for quite a few weeks. Utada Hikaru is famous even in America because of the Kingdom Hearts games as she has done the opening themes to both of the Playstation games.