The new trend is reverse import. Because global fans buy merchandise (figures, acrylic stands, keychains), Japanese studios now release toys in the West first because the secondary market there is stronger. Furthermore, Western streaming services (Netflix, Amazon) are now commissioning original anime (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners), injecting foreign money and creative freedom into a previously insular industry.
To be a star in Japan, you must survive variety TV. Unlike the US where actors stick to acting, Japanese stars appear on chaotic game shows, eating spicy foods, climbing walls, or reacting to comedy sketches. This is culturally rooted in bushido humility; a celebrity who cannot laugh at themselves is considered arrogant and untrustworthy.
The pressure on entertainers is immense. The suicide rate among Japanese performers is statistically higher than the national average. The industry offers minimal psychological support, and the stigma against mental health treatment means many suffer in silence. The deaths of Hana Kimura (a professional wrestler/reality TV star) due to cyberbullying and the sudden hiatus of countless idols due to "adjustment disorder" have sparked a slow-moving reform movement.