it's interesting how often (and i'm damn late to the show!) i read from japanese artists that they did things specifically this way to deal with depressions and other mental problems. this reflects in how amazingly well most japanese things are able to evoke emotion in me, contrary to almost all western stuff which doesn't manage to do this anymore.

maybe the difference is the idea that things have a spirit? it's close to my own ideas and feelings, but not common in the west.