Questions for anime/manga admirers

Hello all,

I'm carrying out an EPQ on the popularity of anime and manga: How did manga/anime go from a specifically counter-cultural art form to a mainstream style in both Japan and internationally?

I'm writing about the fandom element at the moment and I'm interested to what 'otaku' means to different people.

- If you are a fan, do you consider yourself as an otaku?

- What's so appealing to you about anime and manga, as opposed to western equivalents?

- What opinions do you have for the controversial side of anime e.g. hentai, the phenomenon of hikikomori occurring in Japanese adolescents relating to otaku (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23182523) and its impact on the next generation

- Has watching anime/reading manga impacted your life in any way?

I'm open to whatever views are shared, even non-related to the questions above. I may quote some answers so if you would like to remain anonymous that's totally fine, just say so (You can PM me if you don't mind revealing your identity but anonymity is absolutely okay)

Thank you for your time and input

- I do not consider myself an otaku. Real otaku are hella creepy
- I guess the appeal of anime is that it just has much better storylines and creativity than western TV. Western stuff is very much aimed towards the trash of society and end up being trash shows as a result, with little intelligence, humour etc. While this is also true of some anime, I find that overall anime just destroys western media. By aiming at very specialised subsections of japanese society, they can be a bit more creative and unique. As a side note, I've also been very amazed by the soundtracks of a lot of anime, whereas from western media I have only really been impressed by a soundtrack three times (shutter island, inception, heat). To me a soundtrack can be as important to quality as the writing.

- on the subject of hentai, I think it's hilarious. Go onto youtube and type in "sextra credit". It is censored at the filthy parts. If people interpret it as violent, that just says something about them. If someone finds it sexy, fine. There are many different ways people can interpret it, but it is not anything too bad.

- Watching anime has impacted my life. I no longer watch western TV which gives me less to talk about to ignorant people. I find I have become a lot more cynical and irritated by people in everyday life, although this is probably just the amplification by a single anime on me (oregairu). I also enjoy life a little bit more now that I watch anime.




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Interesting, I would like to read it.

Happy to share my thoughts.



My interpretation of the term 'otaku' is someone who not only watches anime and reads manga, but is someone who embraces the subculture that revolves around both. For instance, cosplaying at a convention or to buy merchandise such as figurines, amassing a large collection in the process. Essentially, their entire identity is defined by their interest in anime and manga. By extension, their social group will often include other otaku.

In my case, despite growing up with both anime and manga, having seen and read an obscene amount, it has always remained a closet obsession of mine. I'm very much a repressed fan, in that regard. Neither my husband or my circle of friends watch anime or read manga, and some of them aren't even aware that I do (or partially). When I was younger, I kept it a secret frankly because my social group at the time considered it geeky and I was insecure, but now that I'm much older and no longer live in my native Japan, I don't really mind discussing anime or manga to people who appreciate and understand it. However, my current group of friends don't watch or really understand what it is about, so whilst they're aware that I like it, it's not something we ever discuss. My husband has attempted to watch anime, but it's not something he has been able to get into fully, certainly not to the extent that I have. I do have one close friend, who incidentally is Japanese, that loves manga, and we often discuss it when we meet.



Because I was born and raised in Japan, my exposure to anime and manga came extremely early. It's the primary reason why I became a fan. The accessibility of both. That and the subculture surrounding both is, as you'd expect, very pronounced in Japan. If I were born in the UK (or elsewhere in the west), I doubt I would have gotten into anime or manga, potentially at all. I guess there would be a chance that I would, considering how much I enjoy watching and reading both, but equally, I may have latched onto another interest instead.

I am a very big fan of Disney and its films, more so when I was younger. Admittedly, to a lesser extent than anime, but this was only because my exposure to the former was far less.

Having now lived in the UK for over a decade, I see anime and manga as an almost unique way to keep in touch with my home country. Expectedly, I speak English a lot more now, so it's nice to hear Japanese and to latch onto something I enjoyed a lot during my formative years in Japan.



My take on hentai as a genre of anime is that there's a fine line in terms of subject matter, and occasionally it's crossed because it's animation or illustrations, and not something that's been enacted out in real life by actors/models. Whether this justifies the subject matter that's sometimes portrayed is debatable and not something I can comment on as I've seen very few. I suppose, like all sexual fetishes and preferences, hentai has a market, both in Japan and out.

As for hikikomori who also happen to be otaku, both are separate but often connected. I guess, particularly in Japan, anime and manga is often, but not always, seen as a form of escapism, not just for those who are obsessed (otaku), but for everyone. However, there's definitely a correlation between those who obsessively latch onto anime and manga in a big way and those who struggle to cope with the expectations of society (hikikomori). My own thoughts on this are that hikikomori have issues that I don't personally believe are solely down to anime, manga or even gaming, but are part of something much bigger. There are many factors that contribute to their problem.



Like any interest I have, it's been very enjoyable to watch anime and to read manga over the years. It hasn't shaped my day to day life, at all. I would go so far as to say it has improved my life, in much the same way as someone who likes a sport or some other interest.



Hopefully, you've found my answers useful.

If you are a fan, do you consider yourself as an otaku?
No I do not as I do not have the commitment. Did you know some of them have feeling for characters. eg. be with them for the rest of their life over humans.

What's so appealing to you about anime and manga, as opposed to western equivalents?
Anime appeals to all ages. Its probably like The Simpsons or Family Guy to you. You can get graphic to childish anime.
What opinions do you have for the controversial side of anime e.g. hentai, the phenomenon of hikikomori occurring in Japanese adolescents relating to otaku (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23182523) and its impact on the next generation
For me its kind of sad how people can shut out the outside world. Hikikomori isn't as so much anime related but the culture they grew up in with so much pressure; look up Aokigahara Forest.
Has watching anime/reading manga impacted your life in any way?
It kind of has affected me that I spend about 8 hours a week watching it, not so much if you compare most people watching TV. I don't let anime interfere with my social life.

Hello and thank you for your interest and response
It is really insightful reading this as you have experienced anime and manga both in Japan and in the west (perfect for my question )

Its so true that exposure to different art mediums is through where you are born and raised. Growing up in Japan, do you feel that anime and manga is somewhat of a national treasure? Were western TV shows and comics of interest to Japanese society at all?

I can see that you are a massive admirer of the art-form. In research that I've collated so far, fans feel the need to exert their admiration and feelings for particular shows and manga through visiting conventions, cosplaying, running fan accounts etc. Its interesting that you fulfil this 'urge' by simply talking to your close friend (and of course though the online community of TSR). This just puts into perspective how varied people are in their reactions.

As you have experienced Japanese culture and western culture, in regards to anime/manga for quite a while, do you think that it has become somewhat of a social phenomenon?

Non-Japanese fans have become infatuated with any Japanese-related materials; may it be animes, using Japanese words mixed in with their native language ("kawaii" being a famous one-liner) as a result of this. Does it feel slightly weird that these sort of fans immersed into Japanese culture so much that they want to be a part of it and can not see anything but it? Sorry if that didn't make any sense. Learning about a different culture, its language and traditions is definitely a great enriching thing to do, but is there a line to separate interest and extreme obsession?

Sorry if I've overloaded you with more questions I'm finding my topic very interesting - thank you again for responding! I really appreciate it

Not a problem, glad to help.



Yes, I would definitely say that both are regarded as 'national treasures' of sorts. What comes to mind is the former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's remark on Spirited Away winning an Oscar by saying that he was glad that the world appreciates Japan's cultural works, or something to that effect.

Yes, to both. Western media has always been popular in Japan, certainly music and Hollywood films. I know that 'live action' television series are received positively such as Lost or Ugly Betty. My brothers, for example, really like Game of Thrones.

Similarly, graphic novels and/or western comics are generally looked upon favourably, as far as I can gather. Obviously, they're not remotely comparable to manga in terms of readership and scope, but that's to be expected. They're still popular, relatively speaking, and I believe that's down to the same reason that people here in the west like anime and manga, it's something different. Personally, I haven't read any graphic novels or comic books produced in the west. I'm not adverse to them, I just haven't had the opportunity.

Incidentally, it's worth noting that The Simpsons never took off in Japan, largely because the humour was lost in translation.



Definitely, everyone is different.



Absolutely, anime and manga has undoubtably had a profound effect and influence on Japanese popular culture. It's very much an integral part of it and this can be seen across other media too.



Admittedly, before I came to the UK and even when I was initially studying here, I believed that the interest in anime and manga outside Japan was extremely minimal to practically non-existent, which in hindsight, now that I'm older, was naive and short sighted. Given its overwhelming popularity in Japan, it's inevitable that it'll garner interest outside the country, even if remains a niche market.

As for western fans embracing Japanese culture beyond simply watching anime and reading manga, I find this personally fascinating and almost flattering as a native Japanese person. It's always nice to see people taking an interest in the country you're from, even if it's solely derivative from anime and manga.

In this regard, I guess it's to be expected, to a extent. Anime and manga is intended for Japanese audiences and accordingly regularly touches upon our cultural customs and modes of behaviour, even if it's often exaggerated. As such, western fans will indadvertedly acquire an understanding of Japanese culture, even if it's slightly distorted because it's based off only anime and manga. Furthermore, many western fans prefer, if TSR is any indicator, to watch anime with the original voice cast, relying on subtitles to understand it. They will opt for this over a dub. This will, in turn, provide exposure to our language. All of this will naturally spur an interest in the country itself. They love anime and manga, both of which regularly feature Japan as a setting, its customs and language.



Not a problem, feel free to ask as many as you like. Hope the paper goes well.