group of consumers, sometimes regarded as a subculture, known as the otaku. For now, just bear in mind that the otaku are a group of consumers, often male, who purchase items associated with popular cartoons, videogames, and comics. They purchase these items and care for them with a reverence comparable to Western fandoms. The otaku, however, are more than fans. They engage in normal fandom behaviors, such as consuming popular media, creating works associated with the media they are a fan of, and
This book, Japanamerica focuses on how the Japanese popular culture influencing the American culture. The author, Roland Kelts take a neutral prospective in order to create this book, which is done by interviewing many significant individual who took part in establishing the popular culture in both Japan and America. Kelts investigates why the phenomenon of Japanophilia, or the “outsider’s infatuation with Japan’s cultural character” (pg.5), is occurring especially in the United States. Even though
is blurred together by otaku, such as anime, and social class. However, Takashi Murakami straddles the line. Murakami spills a mix of Nihanga and Otaku into the canvases, plastic toys, handbags, shoes, etc; endorsing his own theory/style named “Superflat”. Using strategical subject matter such as popular Japanese comic figures combined with ukiyo-e(traditional Japanese block prints), and addressing these contrasting qualities to outside cultures; Murakami intensifies what Pop Art accomplished, art
Today Geek Culture is a widely acknowledged sub-culture across the world. Technology and media are ever changing and the Geek Culture reflects the changes with the acceptance of “nerds”, “otaku”, and the “dweeb”. Though mostly meant as derogatory terms they are now seen as acceptable jokes that are popular in this moment of history. Nerds are the socially awkward and intelligent population the term is also interchangeable with its outdated counterpart dweeb. Otaku was used to insult adults who enjoyed
has become one entity. Consequently, different cultures have been integrated to what we today known as popular culture. The Internet has converted everything instantly viral like movies, series, book sagas, comics, anime and video games. There is no place on social media where you cannot feel identified with someone with an affinity of your resemblance. Today, being a geek is not an oddity, to the contrary, being a geek has become part of pop culture up to the point where it has turned into a part
Over the years, Japanese animation have gain more attention from the public than before. Japanese animation, also widely known as anime, dominates most of the animation that exists in today’s media. Much of its popularity originates from Studio Ghibli’s movies and classics, such as Astro Boy, One Piece, and Pokémon. These anime movies and series allowed anime to gain attention from the world as it revealed a different level of animation. However, anime was not at first well received by the Japanese
may heard about one or few of these names despite where we come from, they are some of the famous Japanese animations, which have worldwide influences and have become more than a regional pop culture, but a transnational culture phenomenon. Like many transnational pop cultures, the reasons of why they can be popular in other countries while others cannot are complicated, it may relate with the social environment, cultural background, and many other factors. This article will briefly introduce the history
post-war economy through the sale of household electronics (DrSenbei). The next generation had unlimited luxuries because of their fathers’ large salaries. Their time was occupied with any new gadget that came out, and they sparked the beginning of the otaku (diehard fan) revolution that has now taken over Akihabara. With the creation of computers and the internet, the building blocks for a new Akihabara were set in place. Computer shops sprang up all throughout the district and the population began to
Thoughts of Japanese culture typically includes reference of the traditional words such as Kabuki, sumo, samurai, or ninja according to Amelia Newcomb, author of “Japan cracking U.S. pop culture hegemony”. This is not true anymore, in fact, without realizing it, Japanese culture has seeped in under the door an invaded the American culture. Roland Kelts, author of the book Japanamerica, wrote about such ideals: The terms anime, manga, and otaku have become common parlance in the American media
questions while the panelists answer in character. Fans eagerly wait in line to ask questions and challenge the panelists to a variety of dares. The most popular room at ABC is the arcade. It features Japanese arcade games, flashing lights, and people roaming around making new friends. Members battle each other in friendly dance competitions to Japanese pop music. Sarah, a cosplayer at ABC, described