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 subtle ambience of Akihabara / 秋葉原の雰囲気

Akihabara (秋葉原, shortened to Akiba or sometimes AKB) is a large district in Tokyo which has gotten the reputation of being home to both local and foreign otaku as well as average consumers of unique Japanese media. Of course, as legitimate gaikokujin, we had to explore it for ourselves. But Akihabara is not just a hub of self-labelled geeks and fans; rather, it's a common ground where people with unique interests can satisfy their inner love for their favorite media without being judged or berated.

In modern times, a lot of different kinds of people hang out in Akihabara. While there is a clear blend of both foreigners—many of whom self-identify as otaku—and Japanese natives, there's a lot more to it. Since Akihabara serves every kind of media from books to costumes, you can expect a different crowd on every corner!

Around two dozen Yu-Gi-Oh! fans play their hardest in the basement of an Akihabara trading card store.

Of course, contrary to what one might expect, most fans and avid enthusiasts do not stand out in a crowd. Every aisle of every store is populated with a few people at least, but to an average passer-by, nothing looks out of the ordinary.

Two ordinary manga fans check out their favorite section of an 8-floor media store.

Akihabara itself is destined to welcome otaku of every kind. Even foreigners can feel right at home, regardless of their interests!

This particular part of Akihabara draws gamers and technology enthusiasts alike.

As one might expect, however, most people in Akihabara keep to themselves, and their use of unique language is minimal in this crowded place. However, one unique trait does stand out: the majority of Japanese natives use an outstanding number of English loanwords when talking about locations and merchandise in Akihabara. Usage of 店 (みせ, "store, shop") and 〜屋 (〜や, "[something] shop") are minimal and the term ショップ is instead common. Another very common example is the use of the term コミック instead of 漫画 (まんが, "comic, cartoon"). As someone learning Japanese, you can get a lot of practice reading katakana and hearing English loanwords by simply wandering through Akihabara!

Akihabara hosts a wide variety of shops, as well.

Idol cafe?

Got it!

Cosplay shops?

Got those, too!

Manga shops?

Got 'em!

Game shops?

Even got those!

Arcades?

There's those too! But taking pictures within was not okey-dokey. Instead, please accept this artistic rendition!

Furthermore, though each of these stores may initially seem small, almost all of them extend upwards into multiple levels. It's like climbing the stairway into an infinite haven of your favourite hobby. If you plan on seriously going, it's probably best to take a full day.

Doesn't look like there are any maid cafes around... [Source: History of Akihabara]

But once upon a time, Akihabara was much different. Akiba no Hara was located by the Kanda river and thus could easily connect to Tokyo Bay. As such, it was a very convenient location for trade. Originally designated as a freight exclusive station, in 1925, passengers were also allowed access. Many wholesalers took up residence and the area transformed to a fruits and vegetables market. However, after Japan lost the war in 1945, Japanese radio technicians and electronic engineers returned from their stations abroad and began to collect in the area to sell electronics. Eventually, the range of goods sold grew to include "white goods" (such as fridges and dishwashers), then personal computers when they emerged, then music, then games. As such, it grew to be the electronic and pop culture marketplace it is today.

Of course, by this point my good readers have probably realized that "Akihabara" and "Akiba no Hara" are not the same word. So how did "Akihabara" come into usage? As far as my research tells, simply by mistake. Somewhere along the line of the areas development, 「あきばのはら」"Akiba no Hara" was miswritten as the very similar-looking「あきはばら」"Akihabara." Perhaps a certain language group might find that interesting. But I digress.

Akihabara has gone from a quaint field to a bustling and lively hotspot where people can come from all around the world to experience their favorite Japanese media. It will be fascinating to see where else Akihabara goes from here!