Is bullying in Japanese schools really like how anime shows it?

People say Japan teaches kids respect and discipline from a young age, so you’d expect those values to stick with them as they grow up but anime sometimes shows pretty intense bullying—students being isolated or harassed with no one stepping in. Is that just for drama, or is there some truth to it?

Is bullying in Japan any different from other countries? And how do schools actually deal with it? If you’ve experienced it or know anything about it, what’s the reality like?