The Progenitors of the Otaku
The word otaku is a formal term meaning "you" or "your family" which acquired its alternate meaning of "obsessed fanboy" after a magazine article critical of the rising underground culture of anime and doujinshi (fan-created comics) first used the term in 1983. While the most common forms of otaku are fans who are devoted to anime and manga, there's no limit to the varieties of popular culture that can be encompassed with this word, and I've known karaoke otaku who sing for hours on end, a perfume otaku with more than 100 bottles in her collection, and an R/C otaku in our neighborhood who's been flying his airplanes in a nearby field every Sunday for a decade now. Still, although we otaku have a lot of fun with our anime figures and our life-sized anime hug pillows, the true progenitors of fanatical hobby culture would have to be the railroad fans, generally called densha mania in Japanese, a term for anyone with a deep interest in railroad culture and who enjoy taking pictures of or riding on different trains. Japan's history with railfans is long, with the first magazines for the genre appearing in the 1920s, although the hobby really took off in the 1960s and 70s as people acquired more time for leisure. One of the most famous rail aficionados is children's author Kenji Miyazawa, who brought his imagination and love of trains together in his famous story Night of Galactic Railroad, a tale about a train that flies through space.
The last word on otaku, the awesome anime Genshiken, about a college anime and visual culture club. I cannot recommend it enough.
posted by Peter in Japan at 8:17 PM
11 Comments:
Hi!!!
i usually read your blog but don't post anything, but in this case I may be of some help.
First of all i warn you my english is not very good T_T
The image says:
Otaku profile
- it's not he let his hair grow, it's just it was this way when he noticed.
- horn-rimmed glasses or silver frame glasses. The trend is going amongst trends.
- Backpack. Essential to be loaded with good and have hands free.
- Short sleeved shirt over long sleeved shirt. Buttoned up till neck and put into the trousers.
- jacket
- Mobile phone holder: hooked to the belt and it's used to hold the mobile phone.
- I really don't now how its sais, in spanish ir pantalon chino, chino trousers, but don't know if you call it that way too ^^. Comfortable and functional.
- Sport footwear: suitable for shopping.
i hope it helps
10:54 PM
Cool, thanks for the translation! Yes, that sounds about right ^_^
11:00 PM
You're wellcome ^_^
If there's something more, you can count on me xD
11:05 PM
yeah, genshiken is great stuff, both manga and anime. the final manga came out here, with the characters mostly graduating, and it leaves you wishing it could go on.
11:40 PM
Timo, yes, I'm almost done with season 2. Fingers crossed for some good news between Ogiue and Sasahara. The anime is so good, but it's not really an anime, it's just a documentary. Totally accurate.
Maddy, I cliecked through your website. Looks like you're having fun in Japan. I hope you weren't in Madrid during 3/11?
11:58 PM
I'm not in Japan rigth now, it was last summer. But I'm goingo from june to August ^_^
I was here on 3/11
12:14 AM
Sorry xD Now I caught it xD
I was here in Madrid, but that day I was at home because there we no class at the university. So i wasn't "there"
12:34 AM
The bottom of the picture actually says "Train Man" (denshaotoko - 電車男), not "Train Geek" (denshaotaku - 電車お宅). I wonder if that was a simple slip up when the people made the picture?
3:16 AM
Hi PeterD it's ok because the person on the picture is the main actor of the film Densha Otoko, who is a otaku ^
3:24 AM
Yes, I know the character, although I liked the dorama version better. Nice casting, especially putting Misaki Ito as a symbol for otaku to strive towards, that was perfect. That reminds me, I have to watch the live action of Maison Ikkoku still, she's the only human who could pull off Kyoko Otonashi anywhere...
9:43 AM
Kudos to anyone who knew who Kenji Miyazawa was before this post. :3
I visited Hanamaki and the Miyazawa museum and etc memorials last month and it was magnificent. I definitely recommend to anyone who is up that way or traveling. :3
1:24 PM
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