i'm marie yanaka. manga and animation are japanese art forms most people regard as popular culture, not serious creation. today we look at two cases that are a bit different with manga and anime crossing over into fine arts and big business, finding wider audiences and new ways of expression. we start with the legendary anime suit gundam, set during a futuristic war fought by young people in mobile suits. the show has become a social phenomenon for its realistic rendering of human emotions, especially the spiritual struggles of the teenage warriors. gundam last year celebrated its 40th anniversary, and the company that holds the rights to it went all out to cash in by signing up an unusual range of collaborators, the firm reached a wider audience both in japan and abroad. >> tourists stock up on gundam goods at a shop at a district in tokyo. >> maybe about 15 to 20? >> translator: i love gundam. >> the anniversary of the iconic series last year gave rise to a sprawling industry of new merchandise, incl

i'm marie yanaka. going to the zoo can be a fun way to learn about animals.ilities actually do so much more than just provide us with entertainment. today, we have some stories about animals, as well as the people helping them to survive and thrive. >>> now, zoos are always popular, especially with kids. but with japan's low birthrate and declining population, many zoos here are struggling. so some are coming up with unique strategies to attract vivisitors. our first report goes to one such zoo in southern japan. >> the sight and sound of hippos crunching on watermelons has racked up more than 20 million video viviews worldwide. >> it's surprising. we really didn't imagine it would be this popular. >> kimitaka is in charge of making the videos for nagasaki bio park. with plenty of feathered and furry material to choose from, he turns out around eight videos a month. and he keeps a close eye on the stats they generate. the more popular the videos, the more income they generate from streaming. the zoo uses the funds to improve facilities like this new feeding t