How I Think Japanese Entertainment Somehow Influences Chinese, South Korea, And Taiwanese Entertainment's Innovative Cycle

Whether I would like to admit it or not - I do have my vibes for Japanese stuff fading. I'm eating more Korean food than Japanese food. I'm watching more K-Drama than J-Drama. I haven't watched new J-Drama series even for shallow and pitiful reasons. Yet, I don't want to deny that the shows I'm moving forward to are all thanks to Japanese entertainment. Consider it as a fact that after Modern Japan was born - it brought a lot of inventions that revolutionized Asia with several inventions. In the 90s we've had the VHS before the VCD and eventually, the DVD technology came. Before that, there was the Japanese comics known as Manga. The concept of Manga was later adapted by Chinese, Taiwanese, and South Koreans to make what we'd call Manhwa. Basically, both Manga and Manhwa are somewhat similar. Manhwa is clearly Japanese-inspired as the art style is indeed very Anime-ish.


I remembered the time I started watching Taiwanese TV drama and my first was Meteor Garden. I remembered how a feature revealed that it was based on the Japanese Manga and Anime series known as Hana Yori Dango. Though that wasn't really the end of it when you consider that some Korean shows are based on Japanese Manga and Anime. The City Hunter franchise ended up getting a Korean live adaptation with Lee Min Ho. The companies from China, Taiwan, and South Korea all paid up the respective Japanese for the rights to use the story. However, unlike the Power Rangers franchise (where Toei collaborates with an American partner) which uses licensed Japanese fight footage - they film everything themselves. I think that alone would be a reason why I dislike Power Rangers while I can watch C-Drama, K-Drama, and T-Drama based on Japanese entertainment.


Though I could remember my big mistake when I thought that the T-Drama known as Westside Story was based on an Anime. I tried to Google for the Anime and found no such source. It turned out that it was based on a Taiwanese Manhwa that clearly uses Anime-style characters. Yup, that's why the cast members of the series look pretty much like they're Anime characters. Some series used the Anime hairstyle for Taiwanese drama even if the said series wasn't based on Manga or Anime. I think some of them were based on Manhwa which is obviously based on the Manga! While the source material was Taiwanese - Japanese influence can't be denied!


So, it's not really surprising when there's Japanese Anime that's not based on Manga but Manhwa. You can consider looking at Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain which had a Manhwa followed by an Anime and a TV series. There's also some Anime that's based on Korean drama (such as the Winter Sonata Anime series) or that Jin Yong's Manhwa series also got Anime versions. Hmmm maybe you've even tried watching an Anime series based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms historical TV series. Then, you may consider Japanese Anime does also get inspiration from Chinese fantasy series but in a loose way - just like the Dragon Ball series is loosely based on Journey to the West.

In the end, it's a cycle of ideas. I just think of how everyone does borrow something from someone, right? It hasn't been too much about which started first but how things get implemented. The invention of the first gadget never stopped - somebody took the idea and evolved it. It's all thanks to Japan that I get to enjoy a lot of new stuff outside it today!