The Apothecary Diaries breaks away from the wasted female character syndrome of the anime world to show the true POV of its women.

Fans of the Japanese pop culture are finding connection and love through a common interest. Bookstore owners say the trend has had staying power, and more people are taking Japanese language classes.

In fact, there's an entire genre of anime known as "iyashikei," meaning "healing," referring to anime meant to have a ...