[cwt]

I think the fascination comes from an early introduction to Japanese culture, even if we're not aware. Japan probably has the largest cultural footprint in America for Eastern countries. A lot of cartoons I watched growing up were Japanese anime. Then there was Pokemon. And Nintendo. And Playstation. And the Mario Brothers. The list goes on for geek entertainment. I think the question could be juxtaposed with "Why do other countries have a fascination with Western culture?" - Hollywood, our entertainment industry. Or why is Soccer/football the most popular sport in the world? - people have access to it all over the world starting at an early age.