anthropological studies of Jap. TV-shows?

[Birgit Kellner]

A friend recently asked me whether I knew of research about Japanese
TV-shows from an anthropological perspective, possibly comparative in
outlook. Not just descriptions of the outrageous, the hilarious and the
unbelievable (with this "look! how weird!"-undertone), but something
more profound: Sociological audience studies, reception studies, links
with other, non-TV forms of entertainment, development of forms and
patterns (with discussion of influences from the US, perhaps),
positioning of TV-shows within the Japanese context of popular culture,
their location in the all-pervasive universe of "kawaiiiiiii"-ness, the
psychology of games, and so on. 

I couldn't think of any materials, but as I am also very interested in
this subject, I thought I'd pick the brains of the revered pundits of
KineJapan. 

Any hints appreciated, 


-- 
birgit kellner
department for indian philosophy
hiroshima university