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No discussion of Japanese entertainment is complete without the "Idol" (アイドル, aidoru ). Unlike Western pop stars who emphasize distance and mystique, idols sell .

Historically, Japanese entertainment is not a product of the post-war economic miracle. It has deep roots in pre-modern performance arts: (musical drama), Kabuki (dance-drama with elaborate makeup), and Bunraku (puppet theater). These art forms emphasized stylization, discipline, and the concept of kata (form/mold)—a pre-determined pattern of movement and behavior that performers master.