I am writing this investigative report on the otaku
culture because I want more people to understand that they have been greatly misunderstood.
This was caused by the speculations and rumors from the media that the otaku
culture was degraded by the media and thus the public was influenced to
mistrust and disengage with this popular culture. I am also investigating this
issue because it relates to me.
Otakus are everywhere however they are nearly impossible to be noticed. So what are Otakus? Otaku are people who are obsessively interested
in anime and manga (Japanese comic) fandom. This name “Otaku” was created by a
man named Ansaku Shibahura which
was published in Manga Burikko a popular
book in Japan. The word otaku refers
to someone who stays home (taku = Home) all the time and doesn’t have a social
life. The worse case is Otaku can be
used as a negative term, it reminds
people of the stereotypical view of
Otakus made by the Japanese media
reporting on Tsutomu Miyaki who was nickname The otaku killer In Japan
Otakus are known as people who
have nothing better to do they pass time
by watching anime and reading
manga
In other country’s (outside of Japan),
for example in the united states the otaku culture has flourished. Otakus in
America do the exact same things that Japanese otaku do e.g. Attend conventions,
create fanzies, Cosplay, attend screenings, interact with each other over the
net and create fan sites act. The major
difference between the Japanese and American otaku is the term ‘Otaku’. In America
‘Otaku’ isn’t a negative and
insulting word unlike the Japanese public , Otaku in the U.S.A simply means anime fans and the anime fans in America find it exiting calling themselves Otakus.
The Art of Anime,Manga and Cosplay
The early anime artists were heavily
influenced by Disney characters such as The Seven Dwarves which appears in snow
white and also Miki Mouse was a huge influence. The most obvious and the different between Japanese
animation and American is the art work. Bright hairs large eyes, gorgeous
female characters, exaggerated emotional expressions and gestures.
Manga
Manga are Japanese comic books. They
have a similar art style to Anime but in black and white. The content of Manga
and Anime are the same they have over exaggerated emotions. When a character cries,
tears pours down like tap water, and angry characters will have rosy cheeks and
steam coming out of their heads. The Manga art style is pretty recognizable to
any readers. One of the unique things about manga books are there usually read
from the right side to the left opposite American books. American publishers
have attempted to change the way they are read however many artists and the Otakus
have opposed this. Publishers and the
Otaku culture have made certain that Manga created in any place should have the
original Japanese style. Manga is important because it influences artists today,
Artists like Ed McGumness and Frank miller show influence.
Cosplay
Nobuyuki Takahashi a member of Studio
Hard striped the term Cosplaying as a connotation of the English language words “costume party” he gain the inspiration after attending a masquerade
costuming 1984 los Angels SF
world con, and his enthusiastic reports of it in Japanese SF magazines sparked the Cosplay movement.
This gave the Japanese readers the idea
to start dressing up as their favorite characters from anime/manga. The Japanese
fans quickly adopted and began to dress up as anime character s at comic book
and sci-fi events around Japan. Then in the mid 90’s when anime/manga and all
the other things related started to appear in America, Cosplay was reintroduced
but this time in a bigger magnitude. Which led to a lot of American cosplayer
being totally unaware of their history believe it was invented in Japan.
The approaches and attitudes towards
costume play are very different in the Japanese Otaku Culture and American.
American cosplaying is still primarily along the Worldcon Model in which people create their own costumes
and compete at a local fandom conventions. Original consents and segns are
welcomed and creativity is encouraged.
In Japan cosplaying is more about being
a pre-existing character so the aim is to look as much alike and act similar to
the character as posiable. To this end there not much emphasis on making on making
one own. There are also not the same kinds of competitions as in America. The
aim is more to just have fun with your friends and have pastures taken and have
pictures taken. Cosplay is more of a woman’s hobby in Japan, Where in America it’s
for all ages.
Auckland Armageddon Expo (Youtube Links)
Tsutomu Miyazaki
One would wonder with all of the
creativity and cheerfulness of Otakus, how could all of these negativity exist?
A man called Tsutomu Miyazaki known as The
Otaku Killer was a man who was blamed for all this by the Japanese media.
For starters, this man was diagnosed with Dissociate identity disorder, today
known as multiple personality disorder which is a server trauma that begins
during early childhood. Usually a person who has this disorder would suffer from
repetitive sexual or emotional abuse, it gives a lack of connections in a person’s
thoughts, feelings, actions or a sense of identity. He was also diagnosed with extreme Schizophrenia
which affects a way a person thinks and how they view the world. They may hear
or see things that don’t exist, speak in strange ways or confusing ways believe
that others are trying to harm them and feel like their consistently being
watched.
Tsutomu Miyazaki was sentenced to death
at the age of 43. He was convicted of murdering four young girls at the age of
4-7. The Japanese investigators found a collection of Manga and some gore genre
Anime decided to close the case stating that he was a man who was influenced by
anime/manga to commit these crimes. This is the sole reason that brought hatred
towards Otakus all over the world. The japanise media stated that Otakus are people who don’t spend time watching real
people and can be characterized as humans who
can’t stand other humans
It’s hard to believe that a person who had
a lot of mental problems sense he was a child. How a man with such conditions
could be accused of bringing such
hatred towards Otakus which even still exist today. In order to save the Japan’s reputation the
government rushed and took unnecessary action’s to execute him; however the
government does not know that it is degrading the moral on human rights
Otaku Victim
In
the early 2014 a young teen Erik who cosplayed as one of her favorite
Grell Sttdift a well known anime character. She cosplayed as Grell to show
excitement and simply because she wanted to, which is an incredible way to
express you. “It all started when I was
talking to one of my friends at the end of the day. I felt someone tugging my
at my wig , so of-Corse I turned around and politely told them to stop, because
I didn’t want anything bad to happening
to it. Apparently that was the biggest
mistake that I could have made .The girl completely snapped. She ripped my wig
of my head (thank god I didn’t pin it), grabbed my real hair and pulled me
to the ground. She then started hitting
me repeatedly.[ Erik ]
In the end because of the medias influence,
it has made people afraid of anime and manga. Mainly because of its horror and hentai (pornography) genres. People
tend to forget that even Disney cartoon have pornography. It’s just that when people judge anime they
only carry one goal which is to destroy it. In most cases Otakus are a group of
people who got saved by anime and manga. Before anime and manga they would
suffer in problems such as the way they accept
themselves or accept society. Its unique
when Otakus meet at Anime Conventions because
they become more open and accept each other , The Otakus one see’s at
conventions could possibly have gone thought
bullying in schools and its fascinating to see them doing what they love Cosplaying the way they want and everybody accepts them.
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