Otakupedia: idol otakus

Have you ever taken pleasure from gardening? Do you enjoy the thought of nurturing a young sapling and seeing it evolve and eventually bloom into a beautiful flower? Have you then idolized said flower, bought all the CDs it releases, gone to all its live performances and extolled the virtues of wearing glasses to it through writing letters? If so then you must be a local idol otaku. This very convoluted metaphor came about from asking my friend (harikiriroman, whose blog can be found in the links) to explain the appeal of local Japanese idols. As I understand it, the idol otakus run a series of complex emotions as the course of the career of their object of devotion changes. Here is a five step guide to being an idol otaku.

1. Choose your idol – This step seems to be the easiest one. There are hundreds of wannabe starlets who appear in small event spaces around Akihabara, or perform on the streets of Tokyo. You just keep going to them until you find one you like. It is vitally important to find someone who hasn’t yet garnered a big following, and has yet to establish themselves. After all, you are aiming for the position of ‘number 1 fan’.

2. Establish connection with the idol – Not nearly as difficult as you would think. If they have yet to achieve any popularity, they will be desperate to gather a dedicated fanbase. As such they can often be seen handing out flyers for their own event. Usually after performances they will be more than willing to chat and pose for photographs in order to instill a sense of loyalty and intimacy with their fans.

3. Promote them tirelessly – This is why they are so keen to attract a core base. The idol otakus are fanatical promoters of their pop princesses, often dragging along other idol otakus to compare, contrast, and hopefully win them over to the cause. It’s not enough for you to love them, everyone else must realize their genius, but the true pride comes from being the one to ‘discover’ them.

4. Dance like a madman – For those who have never seen a true idol otaku dance, think Bez from the Happy Mondays. Only more energetic. For those who don’t know who that is, imagine someone having an epileptic fit.

5. See your girl soar to stardom, or fade into obscurity (and be miserable either way) – Sadly no matter how the career of your choice of idol goes, you are unlikely to be any happier. If she becomes famous, then you become just another fan, wrestling with other devotees for some attention. If she fails and gives up her career as a local idol then she will no longer pose for your pictures and feign interest in you. Either way the only thing you can do is pick yourself up, brush yourself down, and start looking for the next little sapling to devote yourself to.

Recommended reasearch: Akihabara Donkihote on the weekend

Otakupedia: Disney Otaku

He is smiling so much because he makes more money than half the countries in the world combined

Is there a more frightening sight in this world than seeing an army of Japanese school children charging round Tokyo Disneyland wearing Mickey Mouse ears? Yes, but only if for school children you read middle-aged women. Whilst Disney is undeniably American culture, Japan has taken the mascots of the House of Mouse much further into their bosom. For Whilst you might fully expect to see an elementary school kid decked out in Disney memorabilia, it would be somewhat more surprising to see a full grown adult sporting the same style. Enter the Disney Otaku.

The affection for the Disney brand felt in Japan is entirely different from other countries. In Japan Disneyland is as much a hot date spot as it is a family trip. Taking your special someone to the Magical Kingdom represents a commitment in a sense, and conveys the depth of feeling you have for the other person. And although people may claim that they love characters such as Stitch, or Jack Skellington, that doesn??t necessarily mean they have watched the movie in which the character appears. It??s fairly difficult to pinpoint exactly why the Disney brand is so beloved in Japan, and certainly the attachment seems to be to the brand rather than any specific element. Its cute seems to suffice as an explanation for either gender and the young and the old alike. True Japanese Disney Otaku express their love not through knowledge, but through merchandise. The more you buy, the more you love. Still it may be disconcerting the first time you notice that the prim and proper housewife standing next to you has just pulled out a Minnie Mouse pencil case. Bedrooms of Disney Otaku tend to look pretty similar; as if a small hurricane of pink merchandise has flown through, leaving its mark behind.


True romance can only be expressed through matching plastic wristbands

So it is certainly stretching the definition of Otaku. After all, Otakus are usually defined by the depth and breadth of their knowledge on a particular subject. However ask these people certain questions and the extent of their devotion becomes clearer. Thanks to the yearly pass to Disneyland it is possible try and spend more time in the land of make believe than in real life. I girl I knew claimed to have been about three hundred times in one year. Top that anime geeks.

Recommended research: Disneyland, Disney Sea, and almost any shop in Japan

Otakupedia: Doujinshi (fan fiction comics)

This element of Otaku certainly provided one of my wtf moments in Japan, or even a “dear god I wish that I could go back in time and erase what I had seen from my memory”. I went to comiket, which is the largest cosplay and doujinshi event in Japan. Doujinshi is basically a form of fan fiction in which aspiring manga artists make comics based on existing characters from anime, manga and video games. So when I went I was pleased to see interesting comics based on my favorite anime and games such as Naruto, One Piece and Final Fantasy. Then I picked one up to flick through it. And I almost passed out. You see many, but not all, of these comics are erotic. In fact very explicitly so. Whilst there may be some elements of subtlety in the writing that I was unable to pick up on, what I did see was pretty direct and pretty traumatizing. Not only are many of the comics erotic but they are also gay. Don’t get me wrong I’m pretty offended by both gay and straight explicit manga drawing, but there is something about seeing two of your favorite characters doing terrible things to each other that is particularly soul crushing. One particular example I saw was a Naruto doujinshi. In this story Naruto (at the time that the story was set) was about thirteen years old, and his teacher Kakashi was an adult. And they were having a relationship. It’s so bad on so many levels.
So how about the Otaku themselves who make these… these… umm… materials? Well for one thing they are very talented. Say what you like about the content, the actual artistic ability is incredible. It makes me somewhat despondent that such talented artists are still not deemed good enough to be professional manga artist, but it is understandable given the already overcrowded market. Secondly they are very passionate fans of the series that they draw on for inspiration. It is out of their affection for the characters that they want to further explore the relationships that exist in a different context. Which I guess accounts for the intimate detail in which these relationships are explored. Incidentally this particular element of Otaku is not a male dominated society. Indeed it seems to be at least a fifty-fifty split, or if anything there are slightly more female artists that male ones. Also the more successful ones have a very dedicated fan base. When I was at the event I saw very long lines to wait for a particular artist’s work. And as I said before, not all of the dojinshi are erotic, but for those without a good knowledge of Japanese it can be tricky to know which ones you should be wary about until it is too late. So it is with some trepidation that I salute this group of Otaku. They are very passionate about their work and the works that inspired them, and the professional quality of the comics they produce is excellent. They are also a very talented and creative group and so can match their fervor with ability. But still, it is a somewhat queasy salute that I can muster. Unless you really want to see what would happen between Sanji and Zorro from One Piece if they gave in to their hidden desires and let loose, then this is one area of Otaku that you should probably steer clear of. Respect them and their incredible talent. From a distance.

Recommended research: Comiket (Tokyo Big Site, three days in August and three days in December)

Otakupedia: Rhythm Action Game Otaku (DDR)

These Otaku are obviously the most enjoyable to observe in their natural environment. For most Otaku the problem is that whilst they have a very specific skill, they have little opportunity to display it. Although they may have an encyclopedic knowledge of the various robots in Gundam or characters that have purple glasses, there are few opportunities to display this accumulation of experience. Rhythm action game Otaku are all about the show. Yes here we have the exhibitionists of the Otaku world, only eclipsed perhaps by cosplayers. You are either bad at rhythm action games, or you are incredible. There seems to be little beyond these two options. Seeing one perform in public is an awe inspiring vision. Often surrounded by crowds of shocked and dazzled spectators, they achieve feats that seem near impossible, with the speed of movement that burns the eyeballs of onlookers. But the truth of the matter is that they don’t have superhuman reactions or incredible foresight; they just remember everything. In fact it is probably more impressive when you realize that they have no more physical ability than you or I, but have committed to memory a sequence of movements and timing that would trouble even the most successful of card counters or intelligently designed robots. I have witnessed people playing Dance Dance revolution on the hardest difficultly section whilst facing backwards and without glancing at the screen once. I could barely tear my eyes away from the sight of a short, slightly plump man jiggling and gesturing to the crowd like Mick Jagger on speed. For that moment in time he was the most impressive being on earth as the onlookers gazed at him with a mixture of admiration and disgust. Go ahead and check out the arcade floor of Don Quixote on the weekend. You won’t regret it. Another good spot is outside the Taito arcade. They have a Taiko no Tatsujin machine there that has bore witness to some historical performances with cheering thronging crowds. Then the music finishes and the crowd will disperse. But none will have forgotten what they witnessed that day. They have seen beyond the limits of human ability. And I salute them.

Check out this video. Crazy.
DDR video

Recommended research: Don Quixote or the Taito arcade

Otakupedia: Ramen Otaku

You could argue that this is too great a generalization of the word Otaku. You could argue that anyone who is passionate about one particular type of food is an Otaku. You could say that no one could possibly love ramen that much. You would be wrong. Ramen is undoubtedly its own subculture and the zealots that reside within it should not be underestimated in the passion or dedication to the never ending search for perfection. I have a few friends that claim they are Ramen Otaku, but in truth it really takes elements from each of them to complete the profile of a ramen Otaku. If you are the kind of person that has a special GPS system on their phone that tells you where the closest ramen shops are on your phone, and then links you to a review of the ramen shops in the area, then you are on your way. If you eat ramen everyday, well in truth you are on your way to a heart attack, but also you are on your way to Otakudom. If you are willing to travel an extra 30minutes because there is a better ramen shop further away, you are on your way. The truly enjoyable thing about ramen Otaku is to see them fight. It’s fun to go with them to their favorite places and see them stare at you whilst you eat, looking to see if you can understand the magnitude of importance of what you are about to consume. And it is amusing to have to wait outside in the freezing cold because apparently ramen shops that you have to queue for are significantly better. But the real joy comes from putting two self professed ramen Otaku in the same room and asking the where you should eat dinner. Then sit back and watch the sparks fly. The level of energy, conviction and passion is something that is lacking from our political system. What is present in both debates, however, is the underlying feeling that they want to kick the shit out of their opponents, and would kill them given half the chance. Each suggestion made by one is battered down by an incredulous exclamation from the other; each heartfelt recommendation is met with scorn and disdain. The sense of futility is almost tangible, neither one will ever convince the other to concede, because neither is really wrong. Ramen is personal and spiritual and therefore no two people can have the same experience. Once you have had your fill of watching the spectacle, settle with the inevitable compromise of McDonald’s.

Recommended research: I wouldn’t dare to suggest a place lest I receive death threats