G!VIOCE VOL.01 EN

01

2008 JUNE

http://brand.gamania.com/gvoice

? ! u k a t O e b Why

Gamania View

Why are we talking about Otaku?

Why do we spend time studying those otaku who have a room full of young girl figurines, who are hanging on the internet non-stop, who can never keep up with the current society and are only focused on their own small world?

Why? Us, being in the PC game industry, haven’t yet come to an agreement regarding the definition of “otaku;” even though many people think of “otaku culture” as an old cliché. What we want to find out in this issue of Gamanian is the reason that the “otaku culture” was formed and what kind of relationship our lives have with the “otaku culture”.

In general, if we take a look at the influences brought by “otaku culture,” creating a fashion of living goods and oral expressions are not the only two.

Last year, Taipei Fine Arts Museum and KAYODO co-hosted an exhibition of fine miniatures and various symposiums with topics related to otaku culture.

These events were all aimed at getting closer to the minds of the general public. So, no matter if you are prominent otaku or a recessive otaku, just believe us in this: you can never escape from the otaku culture.

With the passing of this generation’s otaku, it is very likely that there will be a new generation of new otaku in the future. How are they different? And

2008 JUNE

- 02

Publisher: Albert Liu Editorial Desk: Eric Chen Directing Supervisor: Jean Chang Project Manager: Yoyo Dai Creative Desk: Misha Wu, Jason Chyi, Ayo Hsu Website Planner: Francis Huang Text Editor: Sisi Chan, Saku Liang Art Editor: Loui Lo Publishing: Gamania Brand Center Printing: Fundation Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

? what are the influences they are bringing us? We would like to take past experiences as a reference of future development. We hope you can join Gamanian in this journey of discovery.

As part of the PC game industry, do you really know the definition of “otaku”?

Is the recent otaku fashion going into a recession?

Or it is already changed to a new form?

Let us take a moment and do some thinking before going into this issue of Gamanian.

CONTENTS

Features

06 08

Special

15 24 25 26 30 34 36

People Project

38

In-depth guidance to the otaku culture What is Otaku?

The Otaku phenomenon in Asia-Japan, Taiwan, Hongkong, Korea and China Real Otakus always have someone Otakus are a new force to be reckoned within Asia!

Otaku rating survey Making a fortune in the world of Otaku I love, so I am an otaku!

SPACE 17 Exhibition Report - Only the figuring understands you Gama Class – find out how the creator of C.I. Boys created the legend – Richard Wong Gama class- international renowned designer speaks of creative inspiration.

03

Features

From the Internet to the mass media; from a catch phrase to a marketing technique

otaku originally symbolized the spirit of a speciďŹ c demographic but now it has gradually evolved into a

lifestyle habit.

Does this mean the next generation of otaku has begun? Or is it transforming into another form?

Follow Gamanians across ďŹ ve regions in an exciting journey to discover the world of the otaku.

Target: the wo

- 04

Features

What is Otaku?

If you are passionate about staying in and hate nothing more than leaving your doorstep, rather than being described as “home-loving”, you will now be addressed as an “otaku”. Is that what being “otaku” means? Do otakus really lead a life that is so radically different from us? Otaku is a hip term that originated in Japan but took on a very different meaning when it arrived to Taiwan. Do you really understand what it really means to be an Otaku?

Why be Otaku?

With wave after wave of media exposure on topics related to otaku, the culture of otaku is now officially accepted (though not very positively) in our society. But does that also mean otaku culture has been condemned to a grim fate of media manipulation? Prepare to be enlightened in the following series of coverage. While you become initiated to the world of otaku, reflect upon this: what would the next generation of otaku be like after this tide of otaku culture has ebbed?

orld of Otaku

05

Features Animations? Aren’t those for otaku? Comic books? Only otaku would keep a whole collection, don't they? PC games? Only those fooling around are in for that!If you think of otaku as a shallow group of people, you are way far from being right!

In-depth guidance to the otaku culture Five misunderstandings about Otaku

Is it because the media has been exaggerating too much? Or indeed otaku prefer keeping a lower profile? In general, the public has a slightly negative image towards otaku. But, do you really understand “otaku”?

Judging from the definition of Autism — challenged in communicating, speaking and interpersonal relationships, otaku, who enjoy sharing and showing their passion seem impossible of suffering from the same syndrome.

別 管 我

...

Otaku≠Autism sufferer

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/saku1216

Otaku≠lovers of young beauties The variety of an otaku’s passions is wide. “萌系”(passion for under-aged girls) is only one of the recent fashions. Others include science fiction, detectiverelated works, horror –related works, etc. On the other hand, who doesn’t appreciate pretty things?

Source of the picture: internet, “Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu”

Otaku≠sloppy and badly dressed Probably some otaku are like that but let’s be honest: when you found something that you love, you can’t help but ignore all the rest. Who can blame those who are not clothe lovers?

Source of the picture: Official website of Nakagawa Syoko: blog.excite.co.jp/ shokotan/

Otaku≠Collector For all collectors, anything that falls into the specific category is a subject of collection. For example, stamps, miniatures, etc. For otaku, if they don’t have a

passion for a work, they can’t feel a passion for its related products! (Editor’s note: what a “passionate” group of people.)

Source of the picture: www.ourtvgame.com

Otaku≠unemployed kidult In order to pursue and collect items related to their beloved works, most otaku have a stable career and income to be well prepared when the time for showing their “passion” comes.

- 06

Source of the picture: ashahsu.spaces.live. com/

Features

Only Otaku would collect because of “love”

What is Otaku?

The term Otaku comes from the pronunciation of “御宅” in Japanese. It mainly refers to “a group of passionate people who are highly enthusiastic in ACG(Note 1).” They generally share the following three characteristics:

1. Highly capable of purchasing works or related products they have a passion for.

2. Enjoy researching, composing and sharing their knowledge and opinion regarding works they love.

3. H i g h l y c a p a b l e o f s e a r c h i n g a n d obtaining information related to works beloved by them.

The operational and purchasing capabilities of idol otaku shall not be underestimated!

Source of the picture: blog.pixnet.net/superblue/

With the expansion of the sub culture and the consumer’s model, “Otaku” is no longer limited to ACG lovers but also refers to “those enthusiasts who have the above three characteristics on any given aspect.” For example, idol otaku who are crazy about their idols and any related products, military otaku who can’t stop once they start to talk about weapons or war history, etc. Furthermore, in Taiwan, those who stay in for the whole day and play online games nonstop are also called “otaku.”

(Note 1)： ACG is the abbreviation of Animation, Comics and Games.

Influences from the otaku culture Maybe you still hold a prejudiced view on otaku even after the above introduction. Still, we cannot deny that the otaku culture is already surrounding us. From the Gashapon machines everywhere, the commercials calling for shopping without leaving the house, to TV channels that broadcasts animation 24 hours a day; the otaku is spirit is all around us. You, who are playing with NDSL, who are crazy searching for new information about you new passion, who are persuading others to join a pop star’s fan club; do you still regard yourself as a nonotaku?

Not only Otaku collects books and DVDs

07

Features ACG, the first thing that comes to mind is Japan. Densha Otoko, the first thing that comes to mind is also Japan. “Moe” , maid, voice actor/actresses, and Bishoujo games, the first thing that comes to

mind is still Japan!

The Otaku phenomenon in Japan Characteristics of Japanese Otaku The initial otakus in Japan were comprised mostly of key players in ACG production that have helped to consolidate the current ACG market in Japan.

However, due to the proliferation of ACG technology and techniques, ACG works gradually deviated towards commercialization and numerous works were created to cater to consumers in the mainstream market. As a result, a significant portion of otakus only cared about satiating their demands for visual entertainment and neglected the spirit of research that has defined what Otakus are. This change in modern otakus has led to Toshio Okada (OtaKing – the king of Otaku) to lament that “Otaku is dead!”

圖片來源： 電擊 G's 2007年11月號

Currently, the “moe” appeal became the only goal of pursuit for most otakus.

Undeniably, this particular group of otaku has led to the birth of different “moe”centered economies such as maid franchises (maid café, maid hair dresser, maid internet café and etc), ACG peripherals (figurines, cushions, Cosplay costumes, character CDs, DVDs and etc.), Comike and so forth. It is also worth noting that this specific group of consumers is capable of spending over 290 billion Japanese Yen per year (note 1), and their preferences and behaviors will in turn affect and impact Otaku markets across Asia.

Distribution of dominant Otaku domains in Japan: ACG otaku, idol otaku, electronic otaku, tetsudo otaku (metrophile) gunji otaku (military geek) and etc.

Note 1:

figures are cited from the investigative report published by the Nomura Research Institute in 2004. The report indicated that the scale of consumption for otakus in Japan on animation, comic, games, idol, and PC assembling has reached 290 billion Japanese Yen.

- 08

Features

Gamania Japan's Otaku Reps Speaks Up! Japam Rep : Solan Project Study Room

2

1

Personally, I think Otakus belong to a particular demographic of people who have profound love for specific fields and are willing to invest in what they love.

I consider myself an otaku, and I have several shelves at home loaded with comics and over 300 discs of animations. My researches on coin-related knowledge has long surpassed the scope of a common hobby; you can show me any coin you have and I will be able to tell you what currency it belongs to and all relevant information instantaneously. (Editor’s note: now that’s a coin otaku who knows his stuff! I suppose he must be filthy rich to cultivate such an interest XD) As for the term “moe”, which otakus have been using profusely as of late, refers to the tingling sensation that one would experience in his heart when he/she sees the character/work of his/her dream. That’s what “moe” means. I spend roughly 10,000 to 15,000 Japanese Yen on ACG products on a monthly basis; but during the biannual Comiket, I would spend way more than that on “doujinshi” products. It is sad that otakus have been viewed negatively by the general public because some pathological killers (most notably Tstomu Miyazaki) were found to be fans of ACG. But I believe if otakus can one day take on the role of creators and make some significant contributions to the society, general public of the “norm” will refrain from looking down or making fun of otakus. So let’s work together towards that goal! (smile)

3 1.M y pa t h t ow a r d s t he s t u dy i n g of J a pa ne s e language and becoming an Otaku began back in my vocational school days (early 90s) when a friend lent me his original Weekly Shonen Jump in Japanese .

2.Watching (or recording) favorite animations on time is part of the daily routine for otakus 3.The biannual Comiket never fails to turn otakus into big spenders!

100% Otaku 09

Features

Sacred sites for Japanese Otakus Physical locations

Functions

Ikebukuro Akihabara Nakano

Best known as the homes of countless stores selling animations, manga, game related products and peripherals (such as gachapons (lit. capsule toys), Cosplay costumes). In addition, specialty businesses such as Maid cafes, Maid hairdressers and Maid massage salons can also be found in these areas.

Akihabara is also particularly known as the major shopping area for electronic products in Tokyo

Nihonbashi

Tokyo Big Sight

The most renowned market for doujinshi products; the place never fails to become incredibly crowded during the Summer Comike (held in the middle of August) and Winter Comike (held at the end of December)

1

2

1.Ikebukuro become the most famous gathering place for fujoshi (a pejorative term for female fans of manga and novels that feature romantic relationships between men) 2.Apart from the Comiket, there are also many stores whose services centered on the sales of doujinshi goods

Source of images: www.cuhkacs.org/~benng/Bo-Blog/index.php

Virtual locations

Functions

Address:

アキバBlog

A renowned blog in Japan that features detailed record of merchandizes sold

by Akihabara stores and events of all scales held there. The site attracts an incredible amount of visitors on a daily basis

http://www.akibablog.net/

2ch

Based on statistics collected in 2001, 2ch has drawn more than 10 million users per day

http://www.2ch.net/

MOON PHASE

Latest official ACG information is updated on a daily basis at the site. The data on bishoujo games available on the site is also fairly extensive

http://www.moonphase.cc/

NICONICO

Offers functions similar to YouTuBe, but NICONICO Douga allows user to leave comments on featured videos directly. NICONICO currently has more than 2 million registered members

http://tw.nicovideo.jp/

Official website

One can obtain the latest official information on animations or latest news/ works about specific manga artist

These can be easily found through Google search

The アキバBlog is the favorite site for Apart from ACG related works, many many otakus for containing the latest corporations have collaborated with information on Akibahara NICONICO to host their latest official clips and trailers on NICONICO Douga

The biannual Comiket never fails to turn otakus into big spenders!

- 10

Features Media: “After a three-day online marathon without any rest, an otaku was found ^#$!@#! 」 The general public: “Otaku makes me sick...I think they may have mental problems...”

The Otaku Group: “You guys are talking nonsense! We’ve got to make it right!”

The Otaku Phenomenon in Taiwan Characteristics of the Otaku Group in Taiwan Similar to the otakus in Japan, the otakus in Taiwan are featured by their expertise in the ACG area as well.

Comparing with the Japanese otakus who are living in the birthplace of the animation, comic and games, the otakus in Taiwan, however, are facing more difficulties in obtaining the physical material (such as books, magazines or original works). They are, as a result, particularly outstanding when compared with the other groups in terms of their competency in information collection. Being unable to obtain the works and peripheral products they desire in the local market, the otakus in Taiwan have surprising consumption both through the internet and physical shops of animations and comics. The demand has stimulated the birth of various service industries who offer “ordering” or “purchasing” services for the Japanese products on behalf of their customers, as well as “fund transfer” services to enable their customers to join specific Japanese organizations as members.

Interested Areas of Dominant Otaku Groups in Taiwan: the ACG Group, the Idol Group, the Military Group and the Travel Group.

Gamania Taiwan's Otaku Reps Speaks Up! Taiwan Rep 1: Huang Ting-Fan, Gamania Funlogy Center

I can’t afford the 1/6 big dolls, so I collect Pullips alternatively.

What I wish to say is: “Otaku creates the economic miracle!” Wow!

NDS and comics are my best friends for bedtime.

11

Features

100% Otaku Um...I would describe myself as someone who is “adamantly otaku, and Otaku-styled Adamant”. I am more obsessed with female-oriented works such as BL (note: Boys Love) and Moe

works. It’s hard to find a specific reason for joining the “Otaku You probably don’t believe even I-Robot has its models

Group”. I would attribute it to the “nature” of the individual.

People may feel interested in the emotional world of the otakus. So far, I’m still fancy free. What I desire is someone who is prepared to “receive”. I would, however, not define the term “receive” at this stage! （editor’s note: I see, so you are the one to take the offensive?）

A muscled guy – the irresistible Batman

Models can be flamboyant with some accessories.

- 12

Features Taiwan Rep 2:Tsai Li-Yen, Game Planning Department

Although people are aware of the existence of the otakus, they do not have very positive perception on the otaku. There are often misconceptions about the “Otaku Men” or the “A-Jai (Otaku Guy)”. In fact, otakus do not necessarily stay at home all the time. Just like me – I’m also a member of the bicycle peak-climbing club. Anyway, the ACG-related industries are in fact quite interesting and creative. The works presented through the ACG industries are sometimes even more creative and imaginative than movies. They are highly entertaining. In future, we may have even more opportunities to find funs in these works.

What I wish to say is: “It is not the case that you can become an otaku simply because you wish to be one. The fact is that you would suddenly find yourself an otaku even before you are aware of it. There is no specific motivation to trigger the change. I would say it’s part of the nature, isn’t it?”

KERORO regiment is cool!

These are the so-called “love”.

Good works not only satisfy the collector's demands, but are also valuable for repeated reading and study.

13

Features

Places for “Otaku Pilgrimage” in Taiwan Physical Sites

Facilities

Observation by the Editor

Millennium Building

Comprehensive range of ACG, idol, as well as peripheral products.

The third and fourth floors are absolutely the most frequently visited places by the otakus.

Taipei City Mall

Comprehensive range of ACG, idol, as well as peripheral products.

Want to see the amazing scene on holidays where dozens of people holding PSP or NDSL are all sitting around the circles? Do come here to experience it in person!

Moe Moe Center

Moe Point Café, Cosplay costume re n tal , an im a tio n a nd c om ic s related products

Though not the pioneer of the Maid Café, the business size of the café is impressive. Note: Check out the schedule before you come, otherwise you will see

NTU Sports Center

The said venue for Cosplay. Also called “NTU Big Egg”

Want to fulfill your dream on the Cosplay stuff? Come and get them here!

Arclink

A place selling all the computer and ACG peripheral products.

The most frequently visited place for 3C otakus. Take the “little friends” along and not miss the fun!

A scene of the Cosplay Gala held in NTU Sports Center

nothing but the sports center itself. XD

The Millennium Building is a place mostly referred to by the otaku.

Source：www.cuhkacs.org/~alanlee/blog/

Source：www.poweros.net/~aoi/travel.htm

Virtual Places

Facilities

Observations by the Editor

MSN

The best online communication channel with fellows.

Simply observe the MSN nicknames and you will know what your fellow people are crazy for.

www.gamer. com.tw

A fantastic website for you to show your great ideas or get the first-hand game information.

A “home” for otaku gamers. On-line otaku gamers are now the main contributors.

Komica

Commonly referred to as the “Oh Shit Island”. The website is structured as the 2ch Forum of Japan.

Though not fancy, it’s easily accessible.

A site for the senior otakus. A lot of people visit the site everyday simply to show their new pictures.

PTT

A BBS site with more than 100,000 online at the same time.

A site where you can find the gathered power of otaku with diversified strength in different “professions”.

Blog

A place for “preaching” by the otakus. Pay a visit here anytime and deliver the love and happiness.

Experience the different “otaku” taste here, “all you can eat!”

Familiar Game Player Website for Garmania Supporters in Taiwan

Whenever you go online, you can always find nearly 100,000 folks there. The amazing power of the community!

Otakus in Taiwan have surprising consumption both through the internet and physical shops of animations and comics.

- 14

Special Love is an important lesson of life.

Do otakus ever find true happiness?

Real Otakus always have someone Otakus are thought to spend all of their time chatting online and never going on dates. In reality, however, things seem to be quite different. Otakus are passionate about the things they like, and get involved in all kinds of fan activities. This gives them much better odds of "striking it lucky" in love compared to "Otaku Men" who camp out in front of a computer screen and never go out!

Otaku Otoko Love Energy

An anonymous survey produced the following statistics on Otaku Men's love life:

34% 48% 9% Married

Single

Dating

6%

3%

Have Met Someone

Secret Crush

Can an online relationships become real world love?

In the early years, people thought online relationships might develop into something more. Times have changed however. With online scams now a fact of life, the online Otaku Men and Ladies population tend to stick to purely platonic relationships.

Computers are fine for fantasies The realities of the virtual world… about love

Survey of Marital Status in Online Games Game

Marriage Rate

Remarks

Lineage

56％

Server survey based on number of wedding rings purchased

Zodiac

62%

Server survey based on number of people who sign up for the Matchmaking System

Maple Story

35%

Server survey based on the number of people who purchased wedding scrolls

Who says otakus don't have a love life? Internet Otaku Men, however, should avoid spending too much time on online romances so they don't miss out on real-life romance.

15

Features

Hong Kong is famed as a shopping paradise and Asia's trendsetter.

What types of otakus does Hong Kong produce?

The Otaku Phenomenon in Hong Kong HK Otaku Characteristics It was "Densha Otoko" ("Train Man") that brought otakus into the public spotlight in Hong Kong. This is why Hong Kong people often use the term "Train Man" and "Train Girl" interchangeably with "Otaku". As Hong Kong is one of Asia's fashion shopping capitals, it's only natural for the city to home to "Fashion Otaku".

Dominant HK Otaku Types: Fashion, ACG, Idol.

Gamania HK's Otaku Reps Speaks Up! HK Rep: YI, Ci-Heng, Product Operations

I would like to say: "My otaku meter didn't improve after I joined Gamania. To be honest with you, overtime is cutting into my otaku time!"

- 16

Otakus know how to enjoy life too!

They particularly love gourmet food.

Features

For me, I think I became an otaku not only because I loved video games but also because it fulfilled a psychological/spiritual need. Games and manga are hobbies that you can spend a lot of time on. There is no body you need to speak with or answer to. In other words, once you get into ACG, you can just get right into it.

I once did a 7-day marathon gaming session for a single-person PS2 game and beat the game after 84 hours (excluding wipes and parts that weren't saved).

When a person has nothing particular to do on the weekend, games offer a one-way activity that isn't particularly mentally taxing. (Editor: I agree with the oneway thing, but some games are hellishly taxing on the brain) The reason why some otakus decide to immerse themselves in games and manga may be due to a lack of faith in the human race. This is an issue well worth thinking about, though not everyone is like that.

Feel free to look me up for a game of Monster Hunter!

HK Rep's Recommendations 1.Slam Dunk

It's not just a basketball story. It's also a story about growing up for several young people. In the story, you find out about the characters' background and their motivations.

The focus is not just on the main character either as the inner workings of other players is covered as well, making their "Hard Work"

50% Otaku

feel all the more inspiring.

2.Monster Hunter MHP is a game that really demands a lot of skill (when playing offline). When you use your character's skills and your own ingenuity to defeat a dragon, it's a real rush (the kind that makes you want to get up and yell YES UA). While you don't get the same kind of rush from playing online with other players, it's pretty fun playing the 4-player co-op mode too. The armor sets in MHP and the new socket gem system also allows players to have fun collecting all kinds of different equipment, then mixing and matching them.

3.Hajime no Ippo.

No particular reason – it's just really fires up the warrior spirit within!

17

Features

HK Otaku Pilgrimages Physical Location

Purpose

Editor's Observations

Sino Centre

Place to find manga, boutique anime/manga products, toys, models, figures, Japanese idol products and CDs, TV games, computer games and all kinds of ACG products.

HK otakus all swear by this place for all ACG otaku shopping needs. You can shop your heart out here!

Richmond Shopping Center

Boutique anime/manga products, toys, models. Figures and TV games. Main focus is on toy figures.

The Richmond Center is where HK modeling otakus go for their regular fix.

Oriental 188 Shopping Center, Wan Chai

Manga, boutique anime/manga products, toys, models, figures, TV games, computer games

Shopping centers completely dedicated to ACG peripherals are as rare as hen's teeth in Taiwan… people in HK are really lucky!

Animate

The first large Japanese manga/anime specialty store in HK.

Another store selling models! Looks like model collecting is far more popular in HK compared to Taiwan!

Hong Kong Anime/ Games/Manga Convetion

The ACGHK is held at a different time every year. This is the ultimate highlight of the year for the ACG community in HK.

Large scale conventions are a must for popularizing otaku culture! I wonder if voice actors are invited to attend XD? For readers interested in seeing a major otaku event, this is the show to see!

1 Source: www.flickr.com/photos/makzhou/

2 Source: http://www.ddc.com.cn/news/article. php/3751

1.The Sino Centre is where otakus regularly go to spend their hard-earned money 2.The ACGHK gives 3C IT expos a run for their money!

3.J a p a n e s e A C G developments have continued to exert a 3 strong influence over Asian otaku populations

Virtual Locations

Purpose

Editor's Observations

Major ACG Bulletin Boards

These sites bring together otakus from different fields and allow them to share their views

A lot of file sharing happens under the cover of the membership ranking schemes. These are usually borderline illegal.

Major Portal Sites

Be it Yahoo or Google, a site's good as long as it meets the otaku's thirst for information!

It's not just otakus that use the portal sites. General net users probably use them a lot as well, so they shouldn't really be considered a major otaku haunt!

Wikipedia

This online encyclopedia is compiled and edited by net users. It might not be 100% accurate but it's right now the best search engine for sub-cultures.

Anybody can become a Wiki author if they are willing to put a little effort in! Even yours truly frequently uses it as a reference~

Another store selling models! Looks like model collecting is far more popular in HK compared to Taiwan!

Wikipedia is where the otaku community can really put their expertise to good use

Google is probably the most power search engine in the world today

- 18

Features Japan's close neighbor, Korea might still not be as influential as Japan when it comes to anime and manga But when it comes to developing online games and the population density of online gamers Korea leaves Japan far behind…

The Otaku Phenomenon in Korea Korean Otaku Characteristics The report from Gamania's contact in Korea said: "We have otakus in Korea as well. It tends to be associated with people who game for several days straight in a net café then collapse and die of exhaustion though." As a result, Koreans don't tend to associate otakus with anime and manga. On the other hand, Korea is a major market for online games. The "2008 CESA General Population Survey and Report: Typical and Atypical Users in Japan and Korea) reported that 67% of the Korean population are gamers, with 78% of these being online games. The most representative group for Korean otakus is therefore probably the fanatical online gaming otaku!

The 3C industry has also become quite well developed in Korea over the past few years, drawing the attention of Korean 3C otakus. They collect 3C products then review their strengths and weaknesses for other users to refer to.

This kind of behavior matches the 3 basic characteristics of the otaku. Korean culture has also become quite popular throughout Asia recently. The high ratings achieved by Korean TV shows have generated a market for peripheral products and also led to the rise of their own idol otaku population.

Dominant Korean Otaku Types: Online Games, 3C, Idol.

"Lineage" is still one of the most popular online games in Korea, though it was released years ago.

"DAMO" – In a break with the heroic historic drama convention, this TV show featured a lowly policewoman as the main character" and became a hit.

Source: Internet

Idol otaku will visit the shooting location or copy the dress of the characters in their favorite shows in order to emulate their idols.

Source: Internet

19

Features

Gamania Korea's Otaku Reps Speaks Up! Korean Rep 1: Han Duk-ki, GM, Customer Service

This is the most treasured classic in my collection!

I honestly don't think I am an otaku (Editor: That's what a lot of otakus say XD~). I am at most a Mania (fanatic) when it comes to baseball. I do like playing games and watching anime though. The most moe character? Well‌ my top picks would be Asuka and Rei from Neo-Genesis Evangelion as well as Rin Minmei from Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Just to make it clear, I am not an otaku, but the following works are all highly regarded:

1.Neo-Genesis Evangelion.

Reason: The series' high production standards and the superb way it handles the psychological aspects are what really grabs me.

2.Cyber Formula Reason: The story's simple but I am drawn to how passionate the main character is about the things he believes in.

3.Ghost in the shell Reason: Quality needs no other explanation.

If otakus can balance their interests with real life, they may very well become the top experts in different disciplines and help further the development of the human race!

5% Otaku - 20

Features

Korean Rep 2: Lee Min-Su, CS-GM

This is my collection but that doesn't make me an otaku~

To my understanding, an otaku takes things to greater lengths than Mania. I consider myself Mania and prefer that term as well. Right now what I love is the English Football League and football trivia. I also spend about 50,000~60,000 Won (approx. NT$1600) a month collecting ACG related DVD and models. As I am in the habit of playing online games, I usually meet with other like-minded people in person or chat with them online. Just to make it clear‌ I am not an otaku.

The Otaku Phenomenon in Korea!?

From the above, it's easy to see that the word "Otaku" has some serious negative connotations for Koreans. This means that even if they do ďŹ t the bill, they are unwilling to describe themselves as such. Yours truly has the following suggestion for our Korean audience: Please turn to page 6 and let it help you set aside your prejudices about otakus!

21

Features In recent years, China has been focusing its efforts on the development of online games.

With all the rapid advances being made in Internet access and trade,

Otakus appears to be emerging as a force to be reckoned with as well!?

The Otaku Phenomenon in China Chinese Otaku Characteristics Due to regional differences in development, Chinese otakus' main sources of the latest information are either ACG related channels in the big cities or online bulletin boards and community forums. These provide a platform where they can meet and share their works with other otakus and ACG fans. Though relatively few real-world activities are organized by Chinese otakus, their level of online activity may lead the rest of other Asian otaku populations.

Dominant Chinese Otaku Types: ACG, Idol.

Baidu.com is a very well known Chinese community platform.

The main types of Chinese otakus are ACG and Idol.

10% Otaku - 22

Features

Gamania China's Otaku Reps Speaks Up! Beijing Rep: LIOU, Jiang, R&D Shouldn't anyone who spends most of their time at home be considered an otaku? There are also terms like "Otaku Ladies" and "Otaku Men". I don't consider myself an otaku but I really love games and anime. I pretty much knock myself out on games and anime in my spare time as well. As for "Moe" characters‌ well, I think the crown goes to Chii from CHOBITS.

Shanghai Rep: JIN, Shuen-Fa, R&D I only collect Saint Seiya models from ten or so years ago, so my otaku meter is probably quite low. I am quite positive and objective about the entire otaku concept myself. More specifically, I define an otaku as someone who spends all of their spare time on ACG. A broader deďŹ nition of an otaku would probably be someone who is a fanatic about one particular thing, be it shopping, politics or something. Otakus are now a well established social group but in the future, the next big social phenomenon may actually be "Himono-Men" and "HimonoLadies" (Literally "Dried Fish Guy" and "Dried Fish Girl", refers to slovenly men and women who may look perfectly normal at work but becomes absolutely unconcerned with personal grooming or cleaning when at home).

23

Special

Otakus are a new force to be reckoned within Asia!

Apart from the general otaku population in Asia, there are also "Otaku Men" and "Otaku Ladies" This particular group stays at home playing games, surfing the net, sleeping, reading books, watching movies and looking up information related to their interests or work. As their obsessive interest in certain things often lead to poor health or a lack of social skills, the general public has always had a very negative impression of the "Otaku" population.

Older generations feel that "Otaku Men/Ladies" are made up of social outsiders who spend all of their time on the Internet and do little real world socializing. They hide in their rooms, ignoring their real world roles/responsibilities.

They lack initiative and stare at computer screens all day. For younger generations however, they feel that being "otaku" is merely a personality trait. They are used to spending time alone but socialize through MSN or e-mail.

They pass the time listening to their iPod, playing gaming consoles and visiting their favorite websites everyday to stay up to date. In a lot of people, their "otaku" tendencies have actually ended up making them an expert in their ďŹ eld. They are very sensitive to graphics, information and are always ready to study their objects of interest in microscopic detail. They are often quite willing to show off or share their ďŹ ndings with other people.

From the above, we can see that "Otaku Men/Ladies" are derived from the basic otaku. The otaku however spends time studying, collecting and sharing information about their hobby because of "Love". "Otaku Men/Ladies " however do it to pass the time and to socialize. Though their outward behavior can be quite similar, their motivation is quite different. Can you tell the difference?

- 24

Special Are you an otaku that stays-in all day long?

Or a sunny boy/girl that spend the days outdoors?

Otaku rating survey Being surrounded by PCs and PC games, when was the last time you went out to have fun with friends? Or maybe, you are becoming a member of the otaku family? Come and check how close you are to becoming an otaku!

1.How often do you completely clean up your room? a. When there is no place to put things in the room. （→ Question 2） b. Every year before the New Year’s Holidays.（→ Question 3） 2.During the weekends, when you are all alone in the house, what do you usually wear? a. Spend the whole day in my pajamas.（→ Question 4） b. Something comfortable and casual.（→ Question 3） 3.What do you usually do on Friday nights? a. Prepare loads of snacks and drinks and keep my eyes fixed on the TV for the whole day.（→ Question 6） b. Schedule movies and dinner plans till midnight and sleep all the way to the next afternoon.（→ Question 5） 4.During weekends and holidays when you don’t have to get up early, what time do you usually wake up? a. Definitely before lunch time.（→ Level D） b. Till I am too hungry to keep laying in bed.（→Level C） 5.Home alone, what do you usually have for lunch? a. Snacks and cookies or anything I can get from my fridge （→ Level C） b. There are lots of diners and food stands on the streets, any one would do（→ Level B） 6.There is an excellent new movie coming up, you will; a. Check on the theaters and the time slots and then see if anyone else is interested（→ Level A） b. Check whether there is anyone interested and then fix the right time（→ Level B）

Level

A

rate

99 Level

B

rate

70

Super otaku with an extremely boring life Your life is totally restrained within a fixed area. Besides interacting with colleagues at work, you spend the whole time off work inside your room with your PC and computer games.

You hate social events and dinner plans and you don’t even know how to be at ease within a group of people. You have a dull and boring life.

A pre-otaku who is showing his/her potentials

Beware; you are slowly becoming an otaku!

You vastly reduced the amount of social events to attend and the only thing you think about is to stay at home and chat online or play computer games. It would be understandable if you are recovering from an overwhelming schedule, but being lazy and closed-up from nothing indicates you are getting closer to being an otaku.

Level

A happy working person who has his/ her life all properly arranged

rate

You are pretty good at arranging your life.

You meet friends regularly and you are willing to expand your social life. Although you might stay in and rest for a few days, you would never allow yourself to disconnect with the outside world.

C

50 Level

D

rate

10

A lively outgoing person without a hint of otaku Otaku is a term far from your part of the world. You are the kind who can’t bear a single moment of bore. You do not prefer chatting with friends through tools such as the internet or cell phones and you cannot sustain a day without going out.

Test provided by Miss Antares Blog：http://blog.sina.com.tw/antares/

25

Special Business in the Otaku world is good business!

You may have noticed that the term otaku is popping up everywhere; be it on the Internet, TV commercials or physica

It seems that otaku has already become the latest fad in the world of marketing. Let’s now examine these success s

Making a fortune in the world of Otaku

Network communication—Even if a true otaku never leaves his house, he can Convenient services such as online ordering, Internet ATM payment, home delivery and so forth have dramatically changed consumer behavior; actions that used to be a hassle and time consuming can now be easily performed with a PC with Internet access.

The incredibly popular Yahoo Auction – offering more than 4 million pieces of merchandise for consumers With over 400 items available and comprehensive services that cover dining, recreation and entertainment, Yahoo Auction is truly a godsend for otakus who wish to try out the latest products without having to part the comfort of their own home. Needless to say, Yahoo’s convenience has offered them a better excuse for not leaving their house.

Overcoming the odds to reap the fruits of success; Books.com enjoys an average annual growth rate of 50%

The impressive results achieved by Books.com for the last couple of years were not without reasons; in just the category of foreign books alone, Books.com offers up to 800,000 titles for readers to choose

from.

Along with all the new books in Chinese and various old titles, Books. com boasts an incredible selection of over 1 million books in store.

- 26

Yahoo Auction – offering more than 4 million pieces of merchandise for consumers

Special

al stores.

stories and see how others have succeeded.

know about everything in the world Not only that, Books.com also offered a convenient service for customers to pick up the books they have ordered at the nearest convenience store. Books.com has enjoyed an average annual growth rate of 50% ever since 2000 and it has certainly taken a big chunk out of the internet business pie.

Online videos of real estate, couples engaging in virtual relationships… what’s next?

Many real estate businesses are making the task of house searching as painless and convenient as possible by offering online house viewing services for potential buyers to search their ideal homes right in the comfort of their own home.

Not only that, there are also websites dedicated to all sorts of social networking and matchmaking services. The most notable one has to be “iPartment” – a website that offers a paper doll system for users to create their own virtual apartments and allows user to live together as couples in the Internet world. As you can imagine, “iPartment” has tremendous appeal for many lonely otakus of both sexes.

27

Special

Product marketing – Relationship and dating advices for Otaku?

Due to the incredible success and exposure of Densha Otoko, topics such as otaku’s romantic relationships, otaku’s outfit and various habits became everyone’s favorite subject of conversation. Many businesses even hoped to attract resonance from the otakus by capitalizing related themes.

Namchow Crystal Skin Care Laundry Soap – the otaku chapter In this creative commercial, an otaku guy seeks advices from the online community in preparation for a hot visiting female friend. His online advisors all recommended the best laundry soap for his laundry needs and the product eventually helped the protagonist to win the girl’s heart. The scenario and the shooting script were intentionally produced to imitate Densha Otoko, and it was a brilliant technique to win Otakus’ recognition for the product. Despite being a relatively old brand name, Namcho has successfully demonstrated their creativity in the commercial and managed to tap the market of the young generation by leaving a deep impression in the hearts of their target consumers.

An otaku confesses his love at the Taipei International Auto Show An unknown man attempted a feat of great courage at the Taipei International Auto Show (held once every two years) – confessing his love to a showgirl who was working at the event. The brave suitor even assembled a cheering squad in the hopes of winning the girl’s heart. Although he was rejected in the end, the incident turned out to be a sensation and fueled the atmosphere at the venue to a climax.

In reality, this is merely a marketing ploy devised by YULON Motor Co., Ltd and an Internet novelist; the novelist first created a themed novella entitled “The Showgirl and Her Suitor” on his blog and allowed visitors to vote from different scenarios before continuing with the story. The ending of the novella would then be fully acted out at the venue of the auto show. Within two weeks, over 100,000 visitors have browsed the story and the audiences at the show who witnessed the ending of the novella began a series of popular discussions. The innovative marketing technique that took on the topic of otaku really did leave quite a lasting impression for the viewers.

- 28

Special

Games that are truly fun will conquer the hearts of all gamers, otaku or not According to our investigation, the current online gamer demographic is comprised of the hardcore gamers between the age of 18 to 22, the casual gamers (spends less than 1 hour on gaming) above the age of 30, and the new group of 10~13 year-old gamers with promising potentials. These groups are the target demographic that our marketing team will focus attention on.

Generally speaking, gamers in the OLG community usually lead a more reclusive lifestyle. This is why we must speak in the language of the gamers and think from the gamers’ perspective in order to maximize our marketing power.

Given such market environment, Gamania’s marketing team has proposed the notion that “all gamers who play our games deserve our wholehearted service, otaku or not”. The truth is, otaku culture in Taiwan is not as clearly defined as its Japanese counterpart; what we have in Taiwan can only be classified as moderate otaku culture by the Japanese standard. And as such, as long as our games can deliver production quality, user-friendly operation and create a pleasant atmosphere of fun through strengthened connection among gamers, our games will still be fun and exciting to play regardless of gamers’ gender or gaming orientation.

29

People

Love is the supreme value of otaku!

I love, so I am an otaku!

Jo-Jo Hwang Current Jobs: Instructor in a university Convener of the Shuffle Alliance

Jo-Jo has been a fan of animation/comic for more than 35 years, and an expert in the otaku group. He is n the “otaku spirit”, having led the Shuffle Alliance to publish a number of books including “Welcome to the Guide to the “Moe” System”, “The Five Heavenly Kings of the Japanese Animation/Comic”, and “It is it?”, etc.

As the convener of the Shuffle Alliance, Jo-Jo does not have a nicely decorated office or a gorgeous background for photo shooting. Throughout the interview, however, he impressed us with her thorough understanding of otaku culture and his extremely convincing and penetrating analysis. The world of otaku is, really, very “in-te-re-sting”.

“Otaku is Dead” Talking about “otaku” Jo-Jo shook his heads and said that people in Taiwan had still misconceived the meaning of “otaku”. The word “otaku” actually implies a long story. It certainly does not mean “the group that stays at home and never goes out” as literally interpreted. The media in Taiwan has misled people, and the word “otaku” has been more and more abused. The Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Kaiyodo Company have organized various Otakurelated activities last year, trying to correct people’s perception

The Difference in Common Perception

Otaku Study and purchase because of love.

Collectors Buy for commercial purpose.

Ota Merely stay at home and do nothing.

- 30

People

now devoted to the development of e World of ACG – A Comprehensive possible to conquer the world, isn't

toward the word “otaku”, and the efforts were in vain. Society already has had a deep-rooted misconception toward the word, which is hardly rectifiable.

Jo-Jo agrees that some of the people who reckoned themselves “otaku” are merely “collectors”. They like things that are fashionable, and sometimes make the collection for commercial reasons. They are, however, not at all interested in the stories behind the collections. These people are complete opposites of the real “otaku” who are “motivated by love”. “In both his lecture in a seminar held in Shinjuku, as well as in his new book published this year, Okada Toshio has pointed out that ‘The otaku is already dead’ (Note 1). Don’t you think this applies to Taiwan as well?” Jo-Jo commented in a thoughtful way.

31

People

Because of love, life is continued.

Why is the Otaku Group today no longer the Otaku Group we used to know? “Why can the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” endure for more than ten years? Why can the animation, comic or games today remain popular for a short period?” These are because that the commercial-oriented society gradually trivialized ACG culture, which used to be quite meaningful. Jo-Jo made an example with the on-line games. The game suppliers have been continuously importing new games from Korea. The true value of the games, however, has been diminishing by and by when fancy-looking yet meaningless games are produced speedily. “Many of my friends are no longer game players. They are game mixers. When they find a new game, they would play for a while. They would shift to another game immediately once they get bored, and could never get back the feeling for games they desire for.” Therefore, if we could help the game players to regain the feeling of love they used to have for the games, we could expect a longer life of the game. This is not only the responsibility of the game designers, but also a point for deep thinking by us, the game companies.

- 32

People

A True Otaku Era In spite of the various misunderstanding on the “Otaku Group” in the society, Jo-Jo still wishes to further extend the spirit of the otaku. “This is something we have to strive for in the Shuffle Alliance. Through the activities we organized, we wish to deliver to people the passion and spirit of the otaku.”

As the successors of the “Early Otaku”, what are the new missions of the “Second Generation Otaku”?

In the eyes of Jo-Jo, the revival of the essential otaku culture could only be expected when the true “Discerning Eyes, Analytical Eyes and Penetrating Eyes” (Note 2) are opened again.

Note 1: “The Otaku is Dead” by Okada Toshio Okada Toshio was born in 1958 in Osaka. He is the founder of the Gainax Studio that produces animations and has created a lot of classical and popular animation works including “The Royal Space Force - Wings of Honneamise”, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, etc. He is also the first scholar who starts to research on the “Otaku Group”. He is the author of the book “An Introduction to the Otaku” and is conducting courses on various prevailing cultural topics in the University of Tokyo and Rikkyo University, including “A Review of the Otaku Culture”, etc. He is also addressed as the “Otaking” or “Master of the Otaku Group”.

The topic of “The Otaku is dead” was firstly mentioned in a seminar named “Loft Plus One” held in Shinjuku, and great feedback was received. He mentioned that if consumption is the only thing remained with the animation culture in Japan, then “the otaku is already dead”.

Note 2：Discerning Eyes, Analytical Eyes and Penetrating Eyes The terms are created by Okada Toshio, the Otaku King. He believes that a real Otaku should be equipped with three eyes: -Discerning Eyes that can distinguish the outstanding works from the mediocre works, or to identify a good work among a group of works.

-Analytical Eyes that can analyze the works and find out the good things in them, such as the storyboarding, scripts or the painting skills.

-Penetrating Eyes that can find out the true implications behind the works and read the messages delivered by the author.

33

Project

Exhibition Report

Only the figuring understands you FOR figuring designer, the figuring is their own incarnation For figuring collectors, their are collecting a piece of themselves C.I. Boys was featured in the May SPACE 17 exhibition. The purpose was to inspire Gamanian with new creativity by the creator of C.I. Boys, Richard, keen sense of humor. Through CI Boys’ vibrant character design and marketing tactic, it brings Gamania different thinking and learning.

- 34

Project

C.I.Boys profile: A group of joke-playing, destructive little cute monsters is everywhere demolishing everything they hate with unique Death-ray Cannons. Take a closer look – they could be right beside you!

The original idea of C.I. Boys was created during a meeting, not as a part of the meeting agenda but was born when Richard was doodling out of boredom. And, even the name of “C.I. Boys” was meant to be comical.

Richard: It would be even more insulting to the enemy if the Deathray came out of the character’s bum.

DERI

NOMI

HIRO

A rebel against the world, he savors the destruction process and watching others suffer.

He is extremely cruel, violent, moody, and harboring long-term anger.

POKA

GO（SONY ）

MIGU（SAN MIGUEL BEER）

Pessimistic, insecure and forever bitter about his misfortunes.

Infatuated with high-tech gadgets, loathes all things archaic and passé. The typical postmodernist.

Always looking spaced-out and without a care in the world.

X-CITE（XBOX）

TO-7（TOSHIBA NOTEBOOK）

Uni（Uni-President）

Naturally loves gaming and always ready to take on any challenger.

Introverted and timid, he is very sensitive to all things new. Blushes easily because he’s shy.

After drinking his Uni-President beverage, he turns from his white color to a brilliant orange with a pair of cutie white angel wings on his back setting him free to fly in the sky.

Pretends to be brave but is really fragile, he loves to bully others – especially Poka.

35

Project

Gama Class – find out how the creator of C.I. Boys created the leg Richard Wong Founder of Red Magic Creator of C.I. Boys His creation of C.I. Boys has generated in excess of HK$20,000,000 of revenue in a year and the growth seems unlimited.

Work Philosophy: Happiness Surprise Love Creative guideline: Creative+Function=New market Profit Formula: Good design+Double promotion=Win win Achievements: Has a private collection of over 7000 comics (enough to replace one of his office walls) Employs 37 internationally renowned designers.

Have been interviewed over 4000 on different occasions.

Designed over 2000 different models of C.I. Boys.

Produced over 20,000,000 C.I. Boys figuring.

Promotional event at 7-11 achieve a 99.98% collection rate.

Q. How would you describe yourself?

A. “Big kid” - I am 35 years old with a youthful attitude like a 7 years old kid; conducting myself in our society with recklessness.

Q. Do you have any trade secrets to share on character development?

A. The important thing is the soul of a character; if the character only has its physical appearance of a character, it won’t have longevity.

Q. Do you consider yourself an introvert?

A. I consider an introvert is someone who likes to live in their own world, doing the things they like. But my personality is more outgoing, interested in trying new things and meeting new people. Also, I like to offer my opinions to others, so in that sense, I don’t consider myself an introvert.

- 36

Project

gend – Richard Wong Gamanian's figuring

Fundation Sisi

BR Betty

BU2 Shian

BU2 Shian

Creative OV

Creative Kane

BR Jason

品牌 Ayo

RD IZUMI

HR Athena

HR Vinnie

37

Project

Gamania class- international renowned designer speaks of creative inspiration.

Finding the creativity source in your life

Sijuan

Most famous designer in Malaysia Chief Editor of an International fashion magazine – Territory Founder of BIGBROS WORKSHOP

Under the conservatism and poor design environment in Malaysia, Sijuan breaks through from traditional Asian style and created a modern magazine - Territory

Sijuan’s method of creative inspiration: Sing KTV, travel, swim…. Who says we can’t get inspirations from playing?! As long as you’re willing to experiment, you’ll find inspirations anywhere.

Creative is all for your smile

Chris Lee

Founder of Asylum Corporation, Singapore Granted over 50 international awards

Chris who has had great success in Singapore says the greatest creation has the ability to move people and bring smiles to their faces.

Chris Lee’s source of creativity: Look from different angle and viewpoint. It all depends on what reference point you use.

- 38