Nakano Broadway for your Broad Otaku Shopping Desires

Nakano Broadway is a shopping mall located in Nakano, just a short transfer away from Shinjuku on the JR Chuo Line. Inside this mall is one of the most concentrated otaku shopping districts outside of Akihabara. Here you can find many hobby shops featuring items from anime, manga, idols, figurines, cosplay, electronics, clothing, military, and even model trains. There's something for every breed of otaku here! Leading up to the Broadway is a long strip mall filled with various other shops as well. Its a very convenient location for shopping that is not as well known as Akihabara or Shinjuku.

This corridor of shops is like a runway leading to our main destination, quite exiting!

I found out about Nakano Broadway after my roommate's host family took him there. He mentioned that cheap anime goods are sold there and that was all I needed to start organizing a trip there the next day. I'm a huge sucker for discounts and cheap, quality goods; plus I had been having trouble indulging my anime merchandise desires at Akihabara due to the high prices. Therefore, this is the perfect shopping mall for me in that regard, and I had no trouble spending over 4 hours in there. In fact, I ended up leaving only because shops start closing quite early around 7-8pm!

Two small figurines I got for around ￥1400. Normally these are in randomized boxes so it's hard to get the ones you want, but these were second-hand, so I didn't have to worry about that.

It is natural to compare Nakano Broadway to Akihabara because they cater towards similar consumers. However, there are some major distinctions between the two otaku centered locations. Akihabara is very well known, even among western non-otaku. But that makes it a major tourist attraction with some inflated prices and very busy crowds. The variety available here is incomparable though and there are many unique shops here with merchandise you can't get elsewhere.

A unique shop in Akihabara that sells artwork from various online artists, including my favourite artist, Kantoku.

Nakano is a more concentrated and condensed version of Akihabara. While the selection isn't as big, the stores covers the majority type of items that one would be looking to purchase in Akihabara. Stores are tightly packed and usually cater to a specific interest rather than giant multi-floor buildings. Since it is all concentrated in one location, its a lot easier to navigate than the many city blocks of Akihabara's Electric City. It is much easier to check out every store here than in Akihabara! There are also some unique sights here, and I managed to catch an artwork gallery display for one of my favourite series, Little Busters.

Never would I have imagined seeing Little Busters displayed in public in such a formal setting, I love Japan.  Full album.

Nakano Broadway has many stores dedicated to selling second-hand goods. The biggest one is Mandarake, a chain retail store that sells anything Japan and otaku related. The Mandarake here spans multiple floors and has a store dedicated to each otaku subculture. Otakus usually take good care of their collections, and so these second-hand goods are of very good quality. If you don't mind having used goods (that look pristine), I would highly recommend checking out these shops to find a great deal.

One unique type of shop I found is a rental box shop. These shops feature a bunch of locked cubes that individuals can rent to showcase and sell their items. When you want an item, you tell a store attendant to unlock the box, and after inspecting the item for damage, its yours! This is a unique way for sellers to have a small shop without having to physically attend it. It's much different than trying to sell your goods online and having to meet up with the buyer in person, which is a common method for western individual sellers. I found many unbelievably cheap items here, probably from sellers trying to get rid of their goods as soon as possible. Take note that most items do not come with the original packaging anymore, so getting fragile figures home can be quite a tricky ordeal.

These cubes contain many items ranging from literally anything from figures to posters to books.
Prices are listed on each item as well.

I hope this short  introduction to Nakano Broadway has inspired some readers to explore this unique location. It is one of my favourite destinations in Japan now after just visiting it once due to its highly concentrated yet easy to explore stores. The prices are great and I look forward to visiting it again once more before leaving Tokyo to indulge my final shopping desires.

Dress for Success, Cosplay - コスプレ

This post is written by Aulora and Peter.

This week, we will write a brief intro to Cosplay!

The practice of cosplay itself is not exclusively Japanese of course--con-goers in any country are surely aware of this fact. Indeed, its origin is not Japanese either. However, the word itself was concieved by Japanese reporter Nov Takahashi to describe what he saw at World Con in 1984. World Con, an annual science fiction convention, was held in Los Angeles that year, and by that time the practice of cosplay was well established among American Science Fiction con-goers. With the first documented instance of a costumed con-goer being Forrest J. Ackerman at Worldcon 1939 in New York, cosplay had already grown to be a flourishing component of Science Fiction conventions in America. As such, Takahashi was merely describing what he observed in a creative manner. The word he created, "cosplay" (コスプレ), is a portmanteau of the English words "costume" and "play." After reporting the American practice back to a Japanese audience, cosplay officially took off in Japan to be the widely popular activity that it is today! In particular, Cosplay is popular among Otaku audiences!

But what distinguishes Japanese cosplay from that in other areas? One prominent factor is that cosplay in many other parts of the world is a practice reserved exclusively for conventions. 

From Design Fest, Tokyo Big Sight

However, in Japan, this is not so!! Not only do congoers dress up, but there are cosplay establishments in which the staff dress up! For example, of course, maid cafes, prevalent in areas such as Akihabara and Shibuya, where the staff dress up!

Normally you aren't allowed to take photos of staff members in costume. But.. she happens to "conveniently" be in my shot!

Furthermore, people can cosplay freely in public!! Oh the expressive power!!!!! In areas such as Harajuku, people dress in elaborate clothes and fun costumes! In fact, at this point, it begins to overlap with fashion, reconciling the rejected with the trending. Personally, I find that quite an interesting concept!

For example, lolita fashion is quite common in Harajuku!

But other genres of cosplay include steampunk,

and of course, characters!!

Akemi Homura from the anime, Madoka Magica

So what if you want to try your own cosplay? Well, there are two main routes you can take.

First are the pre-manufactured costumes that are produced and sold with varying quality. They are mostly available online, although certain specialty shops may carry popular sets. This is an easy way to get a taste of cosplaying one of your favourite characters in a pinch.

A cosplay shop in Akihabara

Most cosplayers choose to create their own costumes though, often starting many months or even years before the intended convention to show it off at. These costumes themselves can be considered a work of art and much effort and money is put towards created magnificent costumes. Skilled cosplayers often require many skills such as sewing, painting, fashion design, textiles, and even work with materials such as wood and fiberglass, to create more difficult and high quality representations.

Be careful of the convention rules however. Some of them do not allow props that resemble real weapons for security reasons. You don't want to get in trouble with the police just because your character looks dangerous!

We hope that you enjoyed this small glimpse into the wonders of cosplay, and perhaps even take part yourself someday!

Moe moe kyun~! / 萌え 萌え きゅん～！

This post is written by Peter and Sarah.

Those who are familiar with otaku culture will already know the term moe (萌え) as a natural concept. Those outside are often confused with the definition and the obsession over this slang term. The term itself is hard to define and there are various definitions of it. There's no denying the huge influence it has had on otaku culture though.

The most common definition for moe refers to a particular feeling one gets towards a fictional or non-fictional character. It may be directed towards a particular character or a characteristic archetype (more on this later). In general, it stands for "cuteness" or "adorableness" rather than sexual attraction, but that can vary depending on the otaku. Other definitions include a "pure protective feeling" akin to a parental relationship towards their children. The definition is intentionally vague, because otaku culture itself varies, and different otaku will consider different things to be moe.

Nomura Research Institute defined the slang word as a pun from the word 萌える (moeru), meaning "to bloom, or budding", as moe characters are usually young and developing characters rather than more mature ones. Another source may have been 燃える (moeru), meaning "to burn", where your heart is "burning for passion". The physical feeling that some claim they get from moe is similar to the feeling of wanting to cuddle an adorable kitten or puppy upon first sight. 

Characters commonly defined as moe today are typically young, cute, and innocent girls. Otakus are usually attracted to a specifc character archetype rather than specific characters, but some otaku claim to fall in love with a character and declare them as their "waifu". This is the 4chan definition of waifu (NSFW Language and content warning). This is a primarily western otaku term, but Japanese have a similar concept with some extreme cases participating in  嫁との晩餐 (yome to no bangohan, lit. dinner with wife), where otaku celebrate holidays with their virtual partner.

An otaku celebrating Christmas with their virtual "waifu".

Here are some other popular archetypes:

• Tsundere (ツンデレ) - A character that is initially hostile and cold (tsun tsun ツンツン, meaning turning away in disgust) , but slowly warms up and shows their warmer side (dere dere デレデレ, meaning lovey-dovey).
• Yandere (ヤンデレ) - A character that appears perfectly innocent and charming at first, but are actually obsessive or controlling towards their love interest, often showing insanity episodes invoked by jealously.
• Meganekko (眼鏡っ娘) - Literally means glasses-wearing girls. While their glasses are the main focus, these characters are usually quiet and sweet, but very smart and pleasant.
• Kemonomimi (獣耳) - Characters with animal features, such as cat ears (nekomimi 猫耳), fang teeth, and tails.
• Imouto (妹) - Characters that fit strongly into the little sister/big brother dynamic, often going into the incestual territory.
• Zettai Ryouiki (絶対領域) - Not a specific character type, but referring to the bare skin between the skirt and knee high socks.
• And much more including maid (メイド), shrine maiden (巫女, miko), loli, energetic girl (元気), clumsy girl, etc.

Rin from Fate/Stay Night is the standard go-to tsundere example.

'Moe points' give otaku the chance to gather and discuss their favorite charm points and characters. As otaku are traditionally solitary creatures, outside of otaku conventions most of this discussion happens on online boards like 2ch, where topics (スレ - threads in 2ch parlance) discussing top ten moe characters, debate over which characters are or aren't moe, or which moe point is best are common. As moe has continued to gain traction in the otaku community, animators and マンガ家 (mangaka - creators of manga) have started to intentionally target this part of otaku culture. Some people even say that moe has taken over the industry, because it is easy to market and can reach wider audiences than the age-old "sex sells" advertising.

Moe sells.

Moe is also gradually beginning to spread throughout Japanese culture. The other day, a Japanese female friend (and definitely not an Otaku) complimented Sarah as "めっちゃ萌える" and described it as meaning "ridiculously cute." Another Japanese woman stated that most young Japanese people knew the word and what it meant in the otaku culture, but would almost certainly never use it because of the negative view of otaku.  Using "moe" in the sense of cute associates someone with otaku culture, so it's likely that the vast majority of people will describe someone as かわいい even if referring to typically 萌え features such as fang-teeth or glasses. However, even if the terms aren't directly used, it is certainly more prevalent in everyday culture as a cute way of attraction attention.

A poster from the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Moe Moe Project.

The reality of otaku in Japan / 日本でオタクの本当

The Japanese have a very different viewpoint of the term otaku than we may be used to. In the West, due to the popularity of Japanese culture and all their awesome stuff, people usually self-define as otaku if they enjoy Japanese media, specifically manga or anime, even if such media are consumed in English through translations. However, in Japan, the term is much more derogatory and is almost akin to the term hikikomori (引きこもり, lit. shut-in).

The Japanese population portrays otaku with a negative image as a burden to society, and they are generally disliked and shunned. This term is used to classify a subgroup of people who have poor social skills, and stays indoor everyday playing games or watching anime, which gives them their analogous hikikomori name. Their only forms of communication are generally online through text boards and image boards (like 2ch) where they usually post anonymously. Some of them also do not work or study formally, giving them the classification of ニート (NEET: Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Japan has a major problem with NEETs right now, particularly in the 18-35 age group who still live off their parents, so it's no wonder why this sub-population known as otaku are looked down upon by society.

Boards such as 2ch are often filled with anonymous otaku posts and otaku-slang-filled content.

With Japan having a very respectful and traditional culture, going against the norm in Japan is considered strange by the majority, so certain otaku behavior may also give them a negative and weird image. Even foreign perspectives on modern Japan focuses on some of the more ecstatic behaviours that doesn't reflect the hard-working and serious population as a whole. A newer definition of the term otaku that some younger people use refers to those who are passionate about their hobbies, and are not afraid to show it off. It doesn't have to be disruptive or flashy, but their dedication to their hobby is clear. This is the definition that is most neutral, and can cover the most extreme examples as well as more subtle cases.

Many students in Japan enjoy media such as light novels without being considered otaku.

In the West, people have redefined what an otaku is. Instead of being shut-ins, otaku in the West are often simply lovers of anime and manga. Though, while one otaku may read or watch a handful of manga or anime, another may watch over 9000 episodes of anime per day (okay, maybe not quite that many). This behavior borders on that of a weeaboo (a slang term for a Japanophile). However, even in such cases, these otaku are rarely as secluded as Japanese otaku; while they may lack a significant social life, they usually attend school, have other commitments, or even somehow maintain a relationship.

Because of the positive light in which Western otaku portray themselves and other otaku, it is often seen as an exclusive “club” in which non-otaku are not welcomed, and are thusly treated as outsiders. People in this “club” will sometimes even go out of their way to buy anime-related merchandise (like figurines, posters, etc.), even if they aren’t really collectors, simply to keep their standing among other otaku.

The varying definitions of the term otaku result in a very different interpretation of our blog topic. Due to our roots, the topic we had in mind is skewed towards the Western definition, but it will be interesting to keep the Japanese definition in mind when researching more information about it while we are here in Japan.