Otaku: Its Effect to Teenagers

Otaku is the people who obsessed with anime, manga and video games. These kinds of people usually are not being ignored by other people and are called ‘freak’ and ‘different’. Japan is famous in producing anime, manga and video games. For those who love watching these type of entertainments are called ‘otaku’ and this name was well-known around the world. Nowadays, many otaku are living among us although we did not even realize about it. Most of otaku are children, teenagers, and adults as well, but it giving more effects toward the teenagers. Being an otaku might come as a good effects, and also maybe not. Although all otaku are called ‘freak’ and ‘different’, they did not realize that actually being an otaku can give good effects and even can change them a lot in positively.

Firstly, being an otaku can affect the way they using the Internet. It made them use the Internet more properly. According to Kairu (2008), teenagers are not using the Internet anymore for chatting with random persons, Yahoo Messenger or anything unnecessary. Most of them are using the Internet to find anything related to anime, manga and video games. They also like to search and download anime episodes, anime songs, video games and read manga online. Other than that, teenagers made their own blog or a website about anime. They usually search information about upcoming anime, upcoming manga, and anything related in the Internet. So when they found the information they want, they will tell the others through their blog or website. Usually the famous websites or blogs gain more attention and the news will spread more widely.

Being an otaku makes the teenagers want to learn Japanese culture. Most anime talk about their culture in Japan and the teenagers got affected. They feel like to learn Japanese language and it is a way to attract people especially teenagers who are easily affected to learn more about Japanese culture. They might want to learn how to wear kimono, and watch full bloom of cherry (sakura) flowers in spring. According to Taneska (2009), otaku has a huge impact on the Japanese culture, because it has become the main topic by the teenagers in few decades. Otaku culture in Japan has spread around the world and most of them like to collect something as their collection, for example, anime figurines, DVD and VCD anime, and manga. Besides that, they also might want to visit Japan one day. It was like all the anime produced to introduce their country to the world. They kept some money so that they could visit there. They can go to Akihabara district which is in Tokyo to search anything they want related to anime, manga and video games because the district is well-known as the centre of otaku cultures (Vincent, 2007).

Another effect of otaku is graphic arts. Graphic arts are famous among the otaku teenagers and it was incorporated by most of the teenagers into all of public life in Japan. A study by Vincent (2007) found that manga production began to grow in the late 1940’s arts explosion. It also states that domestic sales of manga had increased and accounted for around 40% of all books sold in Japan (Vincent, 2007). The penetration of manga consumption in Japan extends to anyone who born after the war. Most of the otaku teenagers are really love drawing and most of them already published their works in Internet. In another word, graphic arts can guide them to be a cartoonist although he or she has no talent besides drawing.

Last but not least, being an otaku can affect the teenagers personally. He or she is too obsessed with anime, manga and even video games until they do not care about other things. They also became careless about their daily lives and most of them did not like to go out often. Sometimes they are more comfortable to stay at home rather than go out. They only go out if there is event, for example anime music concert, cosplay competition and manga book fair. For this reason they are not really good in socialize with other people. Although it was happened to be like that, they also learned so much from being otaku. Anime and mange show them how to love people, how to describe and understand other person’s feelings. It also shows them how to manage routine in daily lives, and taught how to try so hard to protect what they dreamed for. According to Lawrence Eng (2009), “There’s nothing wrong with being an otaku,”.

So, it is evident that being an otaku maybe affecting to the teenagers, but it is also giving advantages to them as well. Of course not of all people can accept this kind of culture and many people looked down to them but Japan proved that otaku industries became large and entered international and become well-known around the world. People in Japan started to accept this affects and they gave their commitment so that their industries can hold on until now. Most of them maybe too obsessed, but focusing on something they love showing that they can do what other people cannot do.

REFERENCES

Eng, L. (2009, January 1). The Politics of Otaku. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.cjas.org/~leng/otaku-p.htm

Kairu, (2008, October 24). The Denoument of Being a Otaku. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.keilmaru07.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/denoument/

Taneska, K. B. (2009, September 12). Otaku-the living force of the social media network. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.manovich.net/icam150_winter2008/Otaku.pdf

Vincent, T. (2007, n.d). Manga and Otaku Subculture in Japan. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.slideshare.net/rikhudson/manga-otaku-subculture-in-japan-ocr-media-conference 2009