lensblog

Reading back over part 1 of this ‘article’, I realised that I’ve wandered a little off track with the original topic, which I will try to rectify…

The subculture that has sprung up around the manga and anime industries is massive and not just limited to the East where it began. If anything, it’s probably one of the things that has brought the East to the Western youth culture in a big way.

Consider the title of this post; the word otaku, a word loosely meaning ‘fan’ in Japanese (though there seems to be some nuances in the use of the word that mean you can’t just call someone an otaku and get away with it) has been accepted as a loanword in the English language. Even then it has it’s negative connotations as stated by Wikipedia:

The term is a loanword from the Japanese language. In English, it is used to refer specifically to any kind of “geek”, though it can sometimes refer to a fan of anime and/or manga. It also is used to refer to people who appear to be obsessed with Japan and its culture. The term serves as a label not unlike Trekkie or fanboy. However, use of the label can be a source of contention among some anime fans, particularly those who are aware of the negative connotations the term has in Japan. Unpleasant stereotypes about otaku prevail in worldwide fan communities, and some anime fans express concern about the effect these more extreme fans can have on the reputation of their hobby (not unlike sentiments in the comic book and science fiction fandoms).

It should be noted that the English term geek is not a precise translation of the Japanese otaku. Otaku has a significantly greater negative connotation than geek does in the West, especially as the term geek has become less derogatory. The term otaku in Japanese occasionally suggests a creepy, obsessive loner who rarely leaves the house. However this is not always the case, and in general use it shares more of a similarity with the English term “enthusiast”. In English, geek can possibly suggest a person who may be socially awkward but who is also intelligent and may be fairly “normal” aside from their interest in certain typically ‘geekish’ pursuits (video games, comic books, computers, etc.). Otaku is closer in connotation to the English nerd, but the closest English-language analogue to otaku is probably the British English term anorak. Both of these English-language terms have more emphatically negative connotations of poor social skills and obsessive interest in a topic that seems strange or boring to others.

So, in other words, the title of this post and the one prior to it, could be “Becoming a nerd”? Hmm… If the shoe fits, I guess…

So… bearing all that in mind, am I still becoming otaku in the pure sense of the word? Perhaps not (at least I hope that is not how people view me), but the tendency is there… Hell, if I consider the sheer amount of time taken recently watching fansubs from friends (rarely leaves the house?) and the ‘obsession’ I have for all things Ghost in the Shell related (I blame that on my fascination for cybernetics and cyberspace), you could write me off as an otaku.

That said, I think I’m nowhere near as bad as some folks I know. And as for obsessions… well, I have to laugh at some of the cosplay threads on some forums I’ve frequented recently. There are some truly awesome cosplay artists… and there are some very very sad ones too.

I will say this though… as a marketing mechanism, the anime and manga culture is frighteningly efficient. Without even looking at the media sales of the DVD’s and books, you have games, figurines, clothing, pin badges, clothing patches, lunch boxes, keyrings, huggable pillows, plush dolls, wall scrolls and more… Sites like JBox (JList is the more adult oriented store), and more locally, AnimeWorx and Akiba help satisfy the many needs of fans. One needs only look through the selection of items there to see how extensive the range of merchandise is. And I can guarantee you this… that most, if not all the people buying from those stores are teenagers and older.

Anime and Manga is not ‘something only kids should be interested in’. It is not just ‘cartoons, comics and toys’. It is something far greater. More mature. Bloodier and darker. Uplifting and joyous. Funny. Sad. It is everything you’d expect from the greatest fantasy books through to the darkest horrors and thrillers. The happiest love stories or the most heart-wrenching of tragedies…

It is a visual culture. And I think it’s here to stay.