I, Otaku - Fandom Unmasked
by Ed Chavez
The word "otaku" has never had a positive connotation. In Japan, otaku are looked at as obsessive people. They are thought to be people who have a difficult time assimilating to society's norms. They might not all be reclusive introverts but stereotypes often cast them as loners with awkward personalities and poor social skills. Instead of going with the flow, otaku are said to focus most of their energy, time, and money on their hobbies. As such, they are also seen as mass consumers; spending unconditionally if the purchase is relevant to their personal special interest.
Even with recent trends in mass media where writers and artists celebrate the otaku, the public as a whole has not accepted otaku as one of their own. Whether these otaku or train otaku, fishing otaku, or otaku studying modern visual culture, society in general consider these people to be outcasts, misfits, and at times even losers. In reality, anyone could be an otaku. Anyone who is willing to dedicate themselves to a cause or belief in theory could be called one. However, to be called an "otaku" means going beyond what is culturally acceptable. And no one, outside of a "true otaku," would ever want that.
Enatsu Sota knows what it is like being an otaku. For as long as he can remember, this young man has felt the highs and lows of wearing such a moniker. To Sota, there is nothing more satisfying than indulging himself in the hyper-entertainment stylings of the Wonder Digital Dokidoki Doggie Papico anime. Just thinking of the hijinks of his favorite dog-eared heroine makes him squeal like a little girl. Yet there was a time when even wearing a Papico T-shirt would draw abuse and cause him great sadness. Therefore, he, like many otaku, tried to hide his moé (his passions) from the rest of the world. Anime was something that he could only enjoy alone. His Papico shorts were only to be worn for special live-action Papico events. When he didn't spend his afternoons with his girlfriend or at baseball practice, he would sneak off to Akihabara to procure the latest Papico gashapon, doujinshi, or hug pillow! Because being an otaku for an "average" teen meant living a double life!!
That was until he stumbled upon the unofficial center of Akihabara's otaku heart - the Otakudo Headquarters! A store for Akihabara's manliest maniacs, the Otakudo Headquarters may not stand out in a district where neon and maids are used to attract costumers from around the globe. What the Otakudo does instead is cater to the most obsessive of Akiba's fanboys.
Looking for a rare dating simulation game? The Otakudo has them on sale!
Searching for a motherboard and customized joystick a 2-D fighter in a 3-D fighting world? No worries, go to the Otakudo. Not only will they sell you the parts, they'll tell you how to cancel out of an airborne special attack and turn it into a super-combo.
Think 1/16th scale models are not realistic enough? Well Otakudo Headquarters occasionally sell ½ scale (sometimes even 1/1 scale) items for prices only true otaku can afford!
However, that my fellow otaku is the caveat! Only "true otaku" can shop there. And being a "true otaku" means accepting the scrutiny equally along with its rewards. According to the Otakudo's owner, Mano Takuro, being a real otaku means never hiding one's otaku side while embracing the wonders of a 2-D world of anime, manga, and old skool sprite filled video games. Mano a lifelong otaku, believes that while otaku may never find real love in the 3-D world, the 2-D "personalities" of the animated world will always be there for them. And to accommodate those willing to forsake the harsh realities of the 3-D world, Mano's Otakudo Headquarters will provide everything an otaku would ever want; essentially becoming a sanctuary for all otaku and their individual moé.
Reluctantly Sota took the Otakudo challenge. Yes, he could have lived without the Otakudo. Akihabara is filled with stores that could have nurtured his habits without demanding so much commitment. However, Sota could not have truly lived the otaku life without it. And without that freedom and honesty how could have ever really felt "moe"!?
You, like Sota, have a decision to make. Will you join Sota as he stumbles through Akihabara and its many unique services? Will you accompany him to the maid cafes and used doujinshi shops? Will you join him in line for the latest anime movie screening or the debut of the hottest video game machine? Will you walk the path to true otakudom and say... "I, Otaku"?
Right now, being an otaku has never been cooler. With stories like Welcome to the NHK, Comic Party, and Genshiken suddenly there could be some element of coolness found in being an otaku. These stories glamorize otaku elements of otakudom by focusing on the culture. Rarely do we see the cast leave their comfort zone of anime and manga.
Sadly, being an otaku is still not that cool and that is what sets Jiro Suzuki's I, Otaku apart from the rest. Each chapter, appropriately called a "struggle," is a colorful look at the many elements of Japanese fandom. What makes each experience a struggle is the embarrassment and financial sacrifice that Sota goes through to be a fan. Balancing out the joy and the tears are little details of otaku culture dropped in for otaku to laugh at themselves and see how strange their hobbies might seem to the average person. Moreover, the characters in I, Otaku do leave the world of fandom. They have lives outside of Akiba. And it is how they accept their place in otakudom that makes these characters and this title so entertaining.
So in the end, reading I, Otaku is like reading the diary of a budding fanboy. Sota's life may seem awkward and extreme at times, but in the end, like most otaku, myself included, all the suffering was in the name of fun. And there is nothing to be ashamed about, because I believe there is a little bit of every otaku in I, Otaku.
Copyright Notice:
I, Otaku: Struggle In Akihabara © 2003 Jiro Suzuki / SQUARE ENIX