Otaku CultureThe Worlds of

Anime & Manga

By: Emily Viglio

Manga: Anime’s Precursor

HistoryDeveloped over hundreds

of years…①Pictures drawn on temple walls②Pictures on wooden blocks③woodblock prints + captions books④Sequential art & captions

become storiesBy the early 20th century:① manga the main form of

literature

AnimeShort for AnimationArose amid Japan’s

postwar economic struggles

Cheaper to produce.Roots in manga.Asian folklore and

symbolism popular.

Anime Is:•Cinematic•Sophisticated•Shakespearean

Cultural Differences

Differences•Character development & story.•Death or evil transformations.•No viewer age limit.•American animation = Dry and Predictable•Male + Super Strength/Weapons = Victory.

•Cel vs. Flat, Blocky, CG style.

•Unconventional •Wide in tone & content.

•The good can fail miserably

•Villains bad for understandable reasons.

Differences(Cont.)

Misconceptions&

Misunderstandings

• 1963-Tetsuwan Atom first widely-popular series.

• 1964-NBC syndicates 104 episodes.

• Astro Boy highest rated syndicated show.

• Other shows in America:• Gigantor• Marine Boy• Kimba: the White Lion• Speed Racer.

• Edited to American standards• Broadcasters complain about

violence

• American lull in anime• series & features still released

in Japan• 1972-Kagaku Ninja Tai

Gatchaman.• +$80 million-a-year business

in US.• Akira and Ghost in the Shell in

US theaters• Disney issues Studio Ghibli

films• Spirited Away• Princess Mononoke• Nausicaä

Otaku, お宅 1. pron. you (polite). 2. n. your house; your home.

• Strange or possibly sarcastic

• Calling your friends “Ma’am” or “Sir.”

• Otaku (オタク ), a fan that specializes in a particular topic, theme, or hobby.• anime otaku• manga otaku• mecha otaku

• International geeks• Anime• Manga• Japanese culture.

Otaku Mecca: Akiba

•Akihabara district of Tokyo•Home to mass amounts of:

•Audiophiles•computer geeks•Otaku•Radio operators

•The Tourism Industry Association of Japan: • Weekly free tours

• Akihabara New Discovery Tour:•Walking tour•English-speaking guide•Extremely popular among overseas visitors

• Outlets handling merchandise of:• Anime characters • Manga fan fiction.

• Maid cafes:• Waitresses are in maid

costumes • Address customers as

“master.”• Maid/waitress sing for

money.• Strong-willed staff treat

customers with disdain• Customers and staff pretend

to be brothers and sisters.• Cosplay allowed

終りOwari/End