スクリプトは事前提出されたものですので、ビデオの音声とは異なる場合があります。

No Otaku, No Culture---Anime, Manga and Otaku in Japan

Maizuru National College of Technology

Anime, Manga, Otaku. Are you familiar with these words?

Anime refers to Japanese animation or animated cartoons, Manga is a comic series with content for both children and adults, and an Otaku is an enthusiast for Anime, Manga, and so on. In our presentation we hope to discuss the positive contributions of Anime, Manga, and Otaku to Japan.

An “Otaku” is a difficult word to explain clearly. It can refer to a geek, nerd, or a freak. “Otaku” is similar to “maniacs.” Both of them have an absorbing hobby. However, there is a difference between the two. A “maniac” has a focus on one thing while an “Otaku” is a person who has some related hobbies. Of course, anime is the most important to “Otaku.” But an Otaku not only watches animated movies on TV, has a favorite anime character, but also is a technology or computer enthusiast, an avid collector, enjoys a costume play, or has an interest in a teen idol. Those things an Otaku likes are often called the Otaku culture.

Please look at this picture. This is an advertisement for the Kyoto Prefectural census held this year. They used an animated character to popularize the registration of the population. This particular character is from the most popular anime among Otaku. This proves that the Otaku culture is no longer a sub-culture but has become a part of mainstream culture.

The word Otaku has become famous not only in Japan, but also in many foreign countries. Computer games, animation and animated characters from Japan have fans all over the world. Dragon Ball and Pokemon are famous brand names from Japan and NARUTO and Doraemon are well-known animated cartoons. Nintendo DS, and Play Station are famous computer game systems designed and made in Japan.

Please look at the graph. This documents the change in the animated cartoon market. The peak of popularity was 2006, and note that the fastest growth in popularity was from 1985 to 1990. When Dragonball Television Broadcasting began televising the Ghibli series around 1985, it greatly increased the size of the anime market. Now, this graph shows a recent change in the music market. The anime market has more stability, and is almost the same in size as the music market in 2009 because the sales of the latter are declining.

What is the secret of the growth of animation industry? Of course, the industry has changed its target from productions for younger people to those for a wider audience. Shows such as Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, and Pokémon are made for boys and girls, Sazae-san, and Chibimaruko for families, and productions such as New Age Evangeliion and Ghost in the Shell, or Mobile Armored Riot Police, are made for an adult audience. Spirited Away of the Ghibli series has a mass appeal to both children and adults.

But the important point is the mass marketing of merchandise based on the famous characters in the series. If the main characters become popular, the cartoon becomes a big hit. A boom occurs when fans of the cartoon start buying branded goods. The emotional attachment of the fans only increases when they obtain goods from their favorite shows, and the possibility of consumption is limitless. Mizuki Nana first succeeded in the world of anime fans, and has now become a famous singer who appeared in Kohaku Utagassen. A song from an anime, “K-on!”, went all the way up to number one on the hit charts. Thus, the success of one kind of media can help promote other industries.

Look at this picture. This is Washimiya shrine located in Kuki, Saitama. The number of people who visit this shrine has gradually increased because its buildings are featured in an animated cartoon. Consequently, local revitalization has advanced by selling goods from the animation, and drawing the attention of visitors to the Shinto shrine and surrounding area. Originally only 90,000 people made a New Year's visit to Washimiya shrine, but since the animation went to air the number of visitors has increased to 450,000. The strong point of the animated cartoon is that it promotes the sales of goods and helps the local economy, even if those fans might not be aware of the shrine's historical meanings.

Animation industry is very important for the Japanese economy. Japan has very few natural resources, so raw materials must be imported. Animation, comics, and other cultural products do not need the import of resources, so Japan can develop the economy efficiently. Cartoons, comics, and branded merchandise such as “Hello Kitty” could be called “Japanese cultural products” in much the same way as Hollywood movies are American cultural products. These can contribute greatly to Japan`s balance of trade and economic development. This is possible because Otaku people are fans of a lot of related things. They are interested in Anime, computer games, and dolls. So if they come to like an Anime character, they will surely buy the PC game featuring it.

If we want animation industry to continue to grow, it is necessary to promote it in foreign countries. But the important point to remember is that many of these Otaku cultures have developed naturally and spontaneously. Too much control might be dangerous to creativity.

Otaku had been a negative word, and Anime or Manga had been despised as childish rubbish. But recently the situation has changed owing to the economical or cultural success of Anime and Manga. Otaku culture has become a resourceful and meaningful part of Japanese culture. No Otaku, no culture!