The robotic pet, such as Sony's Aibo, has become a popular form of entertainment and companionship for people who cannot keep real pets.

Japan has a trend called "kawaii," which means cute, and it's reflected in everything from fashion to food.

Ghost in the Shell, created by Masamune Shirow in 1989, is a popular anime and manga series that explores themes of cybernetics, artificial intelligence, and the nature of humanity.