Culturally, anime reflects Shinto and Buddhist themes: the respect for spirits ( kami ) in Spirited Away , the cyclical nature of conflict in Attack on Titan , and the obsession with high school as a "lost paradise" (reflecting the pressure of Japan’s exam hell). Streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Netflix have broken down the "otaku wall," making Demon Slayer (a film based on a Shinto-Buddhist demon hunting narrative) the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.
For a decade, Japan lagged in streaming. The culture of rensoku (watching live, weekly TV) was sacred. However, Netflix and Disney+ have disrupted the system. Culturally, anime reflects Shinto and Buddhist themes: the