History UsefulNotes / TheNewTens

In terms of music, UsefulNotes/SouthKorea has replaced almost every other nation as the cultural capital of Asia, as Japan's relatively-closed borders and peculiar approach to exporting their culture has allowed South Korea to shine. Korea's success with its popular [[KoreanDrama dramas]] and [[KoreanMovies cinema]] is debatable, but KoreanPopMusic blows those industries out of the water in terms of international success. Compared to Japan, [[WidgetSeries which has retained]] [[ValuesDissonance traditional roots]], South Korea is more than willing to absorb American culture to its advantage and has done so with extreme success, both in the broader Asian region and, to a lesser extent, in the West. In the the hit single ''Like Money'', US artist Akon paired up with Korean group Wonder Girls; Music/{{PSY}}'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0 Gangnam Style]] has broken the world record for being the most viewed song on YouTube, reaching #1 on the music charts in the UK and Australia, and #2 in the USA. K-Pop has made inroads on Australian radio, and dominates the nation-wide channel [[SBSPopAsia SBS [=PopAsia=]]]. When the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) decided to have its first ever TV Song Festival in 2012, featuring eleven performers across the Asia-Pacific,[[note]] Singapore, Australia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Afghanistan, and of course South Korea [[/note]] it chose Korea as the host nation. Of course, Japan has its own considerable success with AKB48, which has gone from a humble girl-group to a powerful media giant in Japan, or the similarly memetic [=PonPonPon=] music video on Youtube. The K-Pop vs J-Pop dichotomy has become FlameBait and a source of FanDumb and MisplacedNationalism on both sides, but K-Pop's global success is undeniable, and it remains clear that it has promising days ahead.

While Asia is having something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaging the Tohoku region in March 2011]], and the JapaneseInvasion seeming to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to what some see as an over-saturation of generic adaptations of Harem, {{Moe}}, or Romantic Comedy titles; while many Mecha series were relegated to OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with [[SteinsGate adaptations of]] [[FateZero established franchises]] and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the [[NostalgiaFilter relatively-filtered novelties]] of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]] making the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy and sold off to Saban, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

While Asia is having something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaging the Tohoku region in March 2011]], and the JapaneseInvasion seeming to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to the over-saturation of generic adaptations of Harem, {{Moe}}, or Romantic Comedy titles; while many Mecha series were relegated to OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy and sold off to Saban, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

* ''Music/ReeceMastin''

While Asia is having something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaging the Tohoku region in March 2011]], and the JapaneseInvasion seeming to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; while many Mecha series were relegated to OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy and sold off to Saban, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

While Asia is having something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaging the Tōhoku region in March 2011]], and the JapaneseInvasion seeming to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; while many Mecha series were relegated to OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy and sold off to Saban, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

While Asia is having something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

[[foldercontrol]]

* ''GirlsAloud''

Even in its infancy, this decade has witnessed a ''lot'' of blasts from the past. Hasbro launched TheHub, a TV channel featuring updates of many iconic franchises from TheEighties, such as ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', which gained a '''major''' PeripheralDemographic fandom that ''no one'' saw coming, and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''. Starting in 2010, Cartoon Network started airing more TV-PG shows such as ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' and ''RegularShow'', both of which were enjoyed not only by older kids, but people who were kids in TheNineties, now in their college years and a bit beyond, and people who were kids in TheEighties, now full-grown adults. The channel also began airing a 2011 reboot of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} ThunderCats]]''. RetroStudios has revived the beloved ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series from TheNineties for a [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns new installment]]. The KunioKun series, too, looks to be on the verge of revival. ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' has opened TheNineties up as the new nostalgic decade, a testament to how time has passed. Paul Reubens revived the ''PeeWeesPlayhouse'' stage show and announced that he wants to do another Pee Wee movie, while TheMuppets made a [[Film/TheMuppets big-screen comeback bid]] after verging on DeaderThanDisco at the TurnOfTheMillennium. ''Film/StarTrek'' and ''Main/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', two iconic franchises of The Sixties, have also been revived on the big screen after a long period of being left in the dust. Even ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' has been released! ''CueTheFlyingPigs''! Anime has also joined in on this regard with among other titles, the revival of the ''Manga/DragonBall'' franchise in the ReCut series ''Anime/DragonBallKai'' along with the renaissance of the ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' franchise with the reprinting of the manga along with a new series in production to begin in Summer 2013.

ScienceFiction, though thriving in the Film world with ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'', ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' and the like, [[SciFiGhetto is struggling on television]], with only FallingSkies and Series/DoctorWho winning people over. Television Sci-Fi is becoming less and less popular, as in the span of a couple of months, SyFy cancelled many ScienceFiction shows such as ''Series/StargateUniverse'' and Creator/{{ABC}} gave up on a ''[[{{V-2009}} V]]'' revival. Some blame this on [[FollowTheLeader trying to grab]] new ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'''s fans.

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well, which might also explain the anime-style artwork of some recent games and popularity of the VisualNovel[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

In terms of music on the other hand, UsefulNotes/SouthKorea has replaced almost every other nation as the main cultural capital of Asia, as Japan's relatively-closed borders and peculiar approach to exporting their culture has allowed South Korea to shine. Korea's success with its popular [[KoreanDrama dramas]] and [[KoreanMovies cinema]] is debatable, but KoreanPopMusic blows those industries out of the water in terms of international success. Compared to Japan, [[WidgetSeries which has retained]] [[ValuesDissonance traditional roots]], South Korea is more than willing to absorb American culture to its advantage and has done so with extreme success, both in the broader Asian region and, to a lesser extent, in the West. In the the hit single ''Like Money'', US artist Akon paired up with Korean group Wonder Girls; Music/{{PSY}}'s [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0 Gangnam Style]] has broken the world record for being the most viewed song on YouTube, reaching #1 on the music charts in the UK and Australia, and #2 in the USA. K-Pop has made inroads on Australian radio, and dominates the nation-wide channel [[SBSPopAsia SBS [=PopAsia=]]]. When the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) decided to have its first ever TV Song Festival in 2012, featuring eleven performers across the Asia-Pacific,[[note]] Singapore, Australia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Afghanistan, and of course South Korea [[/note]] it chose Korea as the host nation. Of course, Japan has its own considerable success with AKB48, which has gone from a humble girl-group to a powerful media giant in Japan, or the similarly memetic [=PonPonPon=] music video on Youtube. The K-Pop vs J-Pop dichotomy has become FlameBait and a source of FanDumb and MisplacedNationalism on both sides, but K-Pop's global success is undeniable, and it remains clear that it has promising days ahead.

Commercial Space travel thrives in fiction, as in the movies ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' and ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'', but official scientific exploration of space has almost completely vanished; not surprising, given that manned exploration has never ventured past Earth's orbit following the [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Apollo program]], the Columbia shuttle disintegrated after two decades of service, and the shuttle program itself was recently retired without a replacement program, leaving only the venerable Soyuz capsules, active [[MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong since the late 60s]], to manage an increasingly [[StopHavingFunGuys budget-shrinking]] International Space Station. The impression held in TheSeventies, that by the turn of the century mankind would be roaming the sands of Mars, now seems [[IWantMyJetpack a bit further away]].

* NetworkDecay: Still persists during this era, although some networks have started to return to their roots. Other networks have either have shut down or re-branded entirely so at least their new themes fit.

In the United States, healthcare reform was also pushed through intense controversy, but Americans' first concern remains the lackluster economy. This led to a rebuff of the Democrats, the arrival of the Tea Party movement in 2009, the birth of the left-wing Occupy movement in 2011[[note]]Occupy protests began near Wall Street and spread to cities across the nation. Protests have died down and their methods remain heavily disputed, but the movement had considerable impact on political discourse[[/note]], seemingly-endless deadlocks on every issue under the sun, and even deeply unpopular copyright bills which some fear could bring the feared 1984 {{Dystopia}} to life. The net result is ''even [[UpToEleven more]]'' hatred and distrust aimed at politicians. In 2012, Obama was still re-elected in an electoral landslide. [[note]] Obama's victory owed much to the enthusiasm of minorities and women, while he only gained 39% of the white vote. Some commentators have argued the country is far more racially polarized than commonly believed. Others question the viability of the GOP (many prominent Republicans such as Anne Coulter and Herman Cain openly argue that the GOP is a dying party).[[/note]]

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

--->''[[Music/CarlyRaeJepsen So call me maybe?]]''

The decade has also showcased a growing divide between "casual" and "hardcore" gamers, with many citing the advent of motion-control gaming as part of the debate: The Wii, the Kinect, and the Move have given gamers new ways to play, but only a handful of titles have taken full advantage of motion-control, and most of them are "casual" games like ''JustDance'', ''DanceCentral,'' and the ever-popular ''Wii Sports'' series, causing many diehard gamers to deride motion-control as a gimmick. At the same time, cellular phones and handheld computers have seen tremendous growth, with many of its games, like the famous ''AngryBirds'', proving to be a prime attraction for the casual gamer. As phone-based games become increasingly popular among casual gamers, they've drifted away from traditional retail video games, leaving fans and analysts to wonder if there can ever be a middle ground.

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved, to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

Even in its infancy, this decade has witnessed a ''lot'' of blasts from the past. Hasbro launched TheHub, a TV channel featuring updates of many iconic franchises from TheEighties, such as ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', which gained a '''major''' PeripheralDemographic fandom that ''no one'' saw coming, and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''. Starting in 2010, Cartoon Network started airing more TV-PG shows such as ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' and ''RegularShow'', both of which were enjoyed not only by older kids, but people who were kids in TheNineties, now in their college years and a bit beyond, and people who were kids in TheEighties, now full-grown adults. The channel also began airing a 2011 reboot of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} ThunderCats]]''. RetroStudios has revived the beloved ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series from TheNineties for a [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns new installment]]. The KunioKun series, too, looks to be on the verge of revival. ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' has opened TheNineties up as the new nostalgic decade, a testament to how time has passed. Paul Reubens revived the ''PeeWeesPlayhouse'' stage show and announced that he wants to do another Pee Wee movie, while TheMuppets made a [[Film/TheMuppets big-screen comeback bid]] after verging on DeaderThanDisco at the TurnOfTheMillennium. ''Film/StarTrek'' and ''Main/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', two iconic franchises of The Sixties, have also been revived on the big screen after a long period of being left in the dust. Even ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' has been released! ''CueTheFlyingPigs''! Anime has also joined in on this regard. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' franchise had a brief revival in the ReCut series ''Anime/DragonBallKai'', but it was canceled before the final story arc after high ratings failed to translate into [[MerchandiseDriven increased merchandise sales]], though after high demand, the Buu Saga will be shown outside of Japan. The Franchise/SailorMoon franchise meanwhile, has seen a renaissance with the reprinting of the manga along with a new series in production to begin in Summer 2013.

Even in its infancy, this decade has witnessed a ''lot'' of blasts from the past. Hasbro launched TheHub, a TV channel featuring updates of many iconic franchises from TheEighties, such as ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', which gained a '''major''' PeripheralDemographic fandom that ''no one'' saw coming, and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''. Starting in 2010, Cartoon Network started airing more TV-PG shows such as ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' and ''RegularShow'', both of which were enjoyed not only by older kids, but people who were kids in TheNineties, now in their college years and a bit beyond, and people who were kids in TheEighties, now full-grown adults. The channel also began airing a 2011 reboot of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} ThunderCats]]''. RetroStudios has revived the beloved ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series from TheNineties for a [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns new installment]]. The KunioKun series, too, looks to be on the verge of revival. ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' has opened TheNineties up as the new nostalgic decade, a testament to how time has passed. Paul Reubens revived the ''PeeWeesPlayhouse'' stage show and announced that he wants to do another Pee Wee movie, while TheMuppets made a [[Film/TheMuppets big-screen comeback bid]] after verging on DeaderThanDisco at the TurnOfTheMillennium. ''Film/StarTrek'' and ''Main/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', two iconic franchises of The Sixties, have also been revived on the big screen after a long period of being left in the dust. Even ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' has been released! ''CueTheFlyingPigs''!

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander more and more to the hardcore]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" saturating the market at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt on the Western anime industry, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' franchise had a brief revival in the ReCut series ''Anime/DragonBallKai'', but it was canceled before the final story arc after high ratings failed to translate into [[MerchandiseDriven increased merchandise sales]], though after high demand, the Buu Saga will be shown outside of Japan. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved, to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander to the]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt in the West, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' franchise had a brief revival in the ReCut series ''Anime/DragonBallKai'', but it was canceled before the final story arc after high ratings failed to translate into [[MerchandiseDriven increased merchandise sales]]. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry [[note]][[http://www.1up.com/features/anime-vs-video-games Some commentators]] have suggested that an influx of young employees moving from the anime industry may have something to do with it as well[[/note]]. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West. And the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved, to be sorely-needed morale boosters.

* ''VideoGame/ProjectP100 (Working Title)

* {{Tsundere}}: The concept is still strong, but it has gained a bit of a backlash in this decade, mostly due to the combination of oversaturation, poor writing and {{Flanderization}} of the Tsun-Tsun traits for comedy's sake.

While Asia has had something of a golden age, [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} the Land of the Rising Sun]] has had less to cheer about as the effects of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decade_%28Japan%29 Lost Decade]] continue to rear its ugly head[[note]][[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/opinion/sunday/the-true-story-of-japans-economic-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Though not]] [[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/ everyone agrees]] [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/myth-japan-is-broke_b_1855125.html with this sentiment]], citing how ''despite'' the "Lost Decade," Japan has managed to stay stable nigh indefinitely when it should logically have floundered[[/note]] and the JapaneseInvasion seems to be reeling back from Western shores, as much the more cultural exports have been received with indifference or outright disgust. Newer anime series, with [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica a]] [[{{Durarara}} few]] [[Anime/TigerAndBunny notable]] [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt exceptions]], received lukewarm receptions thanks to generic adaptations of Harem or Romantic Comedy titles; and many Mecha series went into OVA status, and the television format is heavily laden with adaptations of established franchises and little to no original properties, though when they do crop up, [[{{Bakemonogatari}} they]] [[HanasakuIroha proved]] [[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay to]] [[EdenOfTheEast be]] [[Anime/AngelBeats fairly]] [[Anime/TokyoMagnitude8 competent]] [[MobileSuitGundamAGE at]] [[SakamichiNoApollon least]]. Some blame this on the increasing availability of anime on the internet, which exposes audiences to [[SturgeonsLaw more mediocre works]] in contrast to the relatively-filtered novelties of TheNineties, along with [[BiasSteamroller the apparent lack of reliable, professional critics' references]], [[AnimationAgeGhetto a result of inadequate and prejudiced public attention]]... which made the 10% of SturgeonsLaw in this medium almost indistinguishable to general audiences. Others blame the industry's decision to [[PanderingToTheBase pander to the]] {{Otaku}} market with the boom of "{{Moe}} series" at the expense of casual and foreign fans. Whatever the reason, its effect has been felt in the West, as Creator/BandaiEntertainment left the business, [[FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] entered into bankruptcy, and {{Funimation}} and SentaiFilmworks suing each other, threatening the existence of one or both companies. The ''Manga/DragonBall'' franchise had a brief revival in the ReCut series ''Anime/DragonBallKai'', but it was canceled before the final story arc after high ratings failed to translate into [[MerchandiseDriven increased merchandise sales]]. Manga, following its Western counterparts, is undergoing a transition of sorts into digital, online and ''doujinshi''-style self-publishing to cope with the changes in technology[[note]][[http://io9.com/5874951/why-manga-publishing-is-dying-and-how-it-could-get-better This continues a trend from the]] TurnOfTheMillennium with works like ''AxisPowersHetalia'', though more traditional and established manga giants like ''Shonen Jump'' continue earning profits despite print media publishing in general being on the decline[[/note]]. In video games, the most recent offerings by SquareEnix, such as ''{{Mindjack}}'' and ''VideoGame/LordOfArcana'', failed to impress a Western gaming community that has written them off as DeaderThanDisco, and ''FinalFantasy'' suffered its greatest failure to date with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV its fourteenth installment]]. While Idea Factory and NipponIchiSoftware have tried to pick up the slack, they weren't well-received, with the growing differences between Japanese and Western tastes in gaming often cited as an explanation. That said, there are some silver linings: Recovery and reconstruction efforts, following the earthquake and tsunami, led to an upsurge in local sales, including manga. VisualKei and Japanese metal bands, among them XJapan, Music/BuckTick, {{Loudness}}, and LunaSea, have reunited and/or are actively touring. {{Fighting Game}}s have seen a resurgence in popularity with titles like ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', with Japanese video games in general seeing a return to the limelight, aided by a healthy and fairly competitive local gaming industry. Anime retains warm receptions and popularity in Asia, while the revival of {{Toonami}} gives a glimmer of hope for anime in the West, and the Female FIFA 2011 victory, as well as the commendable gold medals earned in the 2012 Olympics proved, to be sorely-needed morale boosters.