With the spread of manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese cartoons) around the world, many have adopted the Japanese term 'otaku' to identify fans of such media. The connection to manga and anime may seem straightforward, but, when taken for granted, often serves to obscure the debates within and around media fandom in Japan since the term 'otaku' appeared in the niche publication Manga Burikko in 1983.
Debating Otaku in Contemporary Japandisrupts the naturalization and trivialization of 'otaku' by examining the historical contingency of the term as a way to identify and contain problematic youth, consumers and fan cultures in Japan. Its chapters, many translated from Japanese and available in English for the first time – and with a foreword by Otsuka Eiji, former editor ofManga Burikko– explore key moments in the evolving discourse of 'otaku' in Japan. Rather than presenting a smooth, triumphant narrative of the transition of a subculture to the mainstream, the edited volume repositions 'otaku' in specific historical, social and economic contexts, providing new insights into the significance of the 'otaku' phenomenon in Japan and the world.
By going back to original Japanese documents, translating key contributions by Japanese scholars and offering sustained analysis of these documents and scholars,Debating Otaku in Contemporary Japanprovides alternative histories of and approaches to 'otaku'. For all students and scholars of contemporary Japan and the history of Japanese fan and consumer cultures, this volume will be a foundation for understanding how 'otaku', at different places and times and to different people, is meaningful.
Author(s): Patrick W. Galbraith; Thiam Huat Kam; Björn-Ole Kamm; Christopher Gerteis
Edition: Paperback
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Year: 2016
Language: English
Pages: 240
Cover page
......Page 1
Halftitle page
......Page 2
Copyright page
......Page 3
Copyright page
......Page 5
Dedication
......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
List of Figures and Tables......Page 10
Notes on Contributors......Page 11
Translator’s introduction......Page 14
Foreword......Page 16
Notes......Page 27
References......Page 29
Acknowledgements......Page 31
Introduction ‘Otaku’ Research: Past, Present and Future......Page 34
On ‘otaku’ research......Page 35
Otaku/ Otaku /OTAKU......Page 37
Taxonomy of fans......Page 41
Social constructionist approach......Page 43
A revised labelling approach......Page 46
Notes......Page 47
References......Page 49
Section One The 1980s......Page 52
Desire for fictional characters......Page 54
The case of Manga Burikko......Page 57
‘Otaku’ as failed men......Page 59
Conclusion......Page 63
Notes......Page 64
References......Page 66
Introduction......Page 68
Nakamori Akio and ‘ “Otaku” Research’......Page 69
Otaku’ recognized as a discriminatory term......Page 72
The editorial strategy of Ōtsuka Eiji surrounding ‘otaku’......Page 74
Self-tormenting ‘otaku’ and enlightened activity by the editorial board......Page 78
Notes......Page 80
References......Page 82
Introduction: Assembling otaku......Page 84
Point of entry: Qualitative content analysis......Page 87
Otaku and the mass media......Page 88
Tabloids and the Miyazaki reserve troops......Page 92
Managing otaku......Page 93
Establishing otaku......Page 96
Conclusion: Recursive modes of ordering......Page 97
Notes......Page 98
References......Page 101
Section Two The 1990s......Page 104
Introduction......Page 106
General representations of otaku in media......Page 107
What are otaku?......Page 109
Otaku no Video (1991)......Page 110
The otaku object in Otaku no Video......Page 112
The otaku subject in Otaku no Video......Page 114
Mockumentary as otaku gaze......Page 115
Traversing fantasy in Otaku no Video......Page 117
Notes......Page 118
References......Page 119
Translator’s introduction......Page 122
Part 1: Subculture and otaku culture......Page 123
Freedom of otaku culture......Page 128
Part 2: Otaku are the legitimate heirs of Japanese culture......Page 130
Notes......Page 132
Section Three The 2000s......Page 136
Introduction......Page 138
Birth of the category of ‘otaku’......Page 139
‘Otaku’ as a personality problem......Page 140
Theories of ‘otaku’-style consumer society......Page 153
Theories on otaku as fashion......Page 155
In lieu of a conclusion......Page 158
Notes......Page 159
References......Page 160
Introduction......Page 162
How fans created Train Man and engendered media trends......Page 163
The gender politics of mainstream otaku culture......Page 169
Conclusion......Page 174
Notes......Page 175
References......Page 176
Akihabara as cutting-edge electric town......Page 180
Competing images of Akihabara......Page 182
The origin and transformations of ‘otaku’......Page 185
Study of otaku stereotypes......Page 186
Notes......Page 192
References......Page 193
Translator’s introduction......Page 196
How otaku became otaku......Page 197
The existence of ‘M’......Page 198
Introduction to Otakuology......Page 199
Image changing for the better......Page 201
Expansion of otaku......Page 202
Otaku forebears and the first generation......Page 203
The first generation, or the TV generation......Page 204
The cultivated third generation......Page 205
Definition by academia......Page 207
Japan is not limited to Tokyo......Page 208
Notes......Page 209
References......Page 210
Introduction: the common sense on ‘otaku’......Page 212
The study of ‘otaku’ as a label and its theoretical implications......Page 213
Disgusting excitement at two-dimensional characters (that are not naked)......Page 215
Unproductive and auto-productive desires......Page 220
Conclusion: Concerns over productive capacities in contemporary capitalism......Page 223
Notes......Page 225
References......Page 226
Index......Page 230
