My Loot
Just got back from the local bookstore and got the following items:
1) Newtype Oct Issue
2) Densha Otoko Novel
3) The Otaku Encyclopedia
Was reading the Otaku Encyclopedia on the bus and while drinking, and was quite surprised by some of the interviews included in the book, mainly by Yamamoto Yutaka and Okada Toshio. Their views on otaku-ism shocked me. Criticisms of otakus, the dying culture of otaku, and what might happen to the culture in the future, in Japan that is.
It's quite a good read as it boggles me mind, and makes me think if what they said is correct. Somehow, a point mentioned by Okada Toshio on how otakus are now much more of a consumer than a creator wake me up. He mentions that in the past, otakus not only consume, their create as well. But the current generation otakus, or moe-otakus, are not
If you want to know more about Okada and his thoughts, you may visit the following pages:
An interview with the creator of Otaku Encyclopedia, Patrick W. Galbraith - Otaku2 Interview: Okada Toshio.
Book review for "Otaku wa Sude ni shinde iru" on AltJapan.
Have you got your copy?
Edit: Other than the mind-boggling matter, I think I will just relax and enjoy the otaku materials in it. I guess, I would be smiling while reading it. =)
Got mine yesterday... Ojou confiscasted it tho... ^^;
I got the book about a Month ago , It was a good read but it sometimes makes me sad of how some people criticize Otakus are Obsesive , Ugly and Weak . Especially , theres a lot of changes on Akihabara that really makes me sad because I can never visit the old and happy Akihabara than what it is now .
Watch The TV show way better than the movie if you ask me and the manga .
why do I have the feeling Haruhi works are becoming K-ONish ^w^;; Mikuru is so cute XD
hmmmm otaku encyclopedia XD interesting
Ooooo Densha Otoko! I have that version of the novel. And I need my Otaku Encyclopaedia soon... when I get to uni I'll order one...
Consumer versus Creator culture is very true, in many places.
Many creator cultures, once they "succeed", they succeed well enough to draw too many people that are consumers only, and the culture shifts.
I think I'm gonna pick up the Encyclopedia Otaku thing... I've seen it around and it looks interesting.
About the consumer vs. creator...I don't think it's necessarily true.
I think the problem is that the number of otaku - of anime fans, of obsessive fans, etc. - have made the entire otaku industry far larger than it used to be. It's become more mainstream. The problem is that the number of creators haven't grown to reflect that - I'd guess that the number is more or less the same, resulting in a much lower *percentage* of creators. The small amount of material that this small percentage creates is much more widely circulated, thus satisfying the majority of otaku anyway.
So no, I don't think we have that much of a problem on our hands.