The Japanese publishing industry has experienced a slump in retail sales, but one genre is picking up – manga history books. Bestselling book Biri Gyaru featured the 'Shonen Shojo Nihon no Rekishi' series as a way for kids to learn about history, sparking interest from both children and adults.

Japan's conservative views on sexuality are well known. But things are starting to change, as LGBT issues gain more attention in the media and younger generations become more liberal. Manga series Ototo no Otto is now presenting everyday LGBT issues to a mainstream audience.

Mascots have long been used to front brands in Japan, but Gudetama – a lazy anthropomorphic egg – is a far cry from the cutesy characters typically seen. It now appears on around 1,700 items, boasting its own Twitter feed and pop-up cafés, but how has it won the hearts of people nationwide?

From romance novels to 16 and Pregnant, teens have long seen entertainment as a way to learn about sex, turning media channels like MTV into unwitting teachers. Now health organisations are recognising the role of fun. But can comics and TV dramas really be education tools?