Cowboy Bebop, created by Shinichiro Watanabe in 1998, is a popular anime series that blends science fiction, film noir, and jazz music to create a unique and memorable atmosphere.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, created by Nagaru Tanigawa in 2003, is a popular light novel series and anime that explores themes of existentialism, time travel, and alternate realities.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan's northeast coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.