The Culture Creators

         Nachika Fujimoto

The Culture Creators

Japan’s animation is now gaining attention from the world. Cosplay, wearing costume as an animation character, is not a hobby favored only in Japan but now a worldwide hobby. Who has developed the animation to such a worldwide scale? It was not the elite of the Japanese society nor the scholars; it was the young generation group called the “Otaku.” The people who play an active role in the country do not always create new culture; the “abnormal” people can create a new innovation. People who do not follow the path of others will create astounding movements.

                Otaku is a group of people who has strong interest into certain subject, which can be classified similar to scholars, however the difference is that their interest is in animation. “Disgusting” is a synonym used to represent the Otaku. Otaku has been looked down at from the society as introverts or even as psychopaths. The “Introverts” has kept its interest and affectionate towards animations no matter how the society had labeled them as. Ordinary people cannot create this culture; only the otaku can create it. The hobby of the “introverts” is now spreading to the world.

                The society tends to place their focus on the elites and exclude the extraordinary people. What Japan needs right now are “weird,” “abnormal,” and people who can think outside the box. An eccentric characteristic is needed to create an original culture yet Japan society tends to exclude these people. Stubborn society blocks the new ideas because it is against what they believe as “common sense”. In fact who makes the “common sense?” It is actually we, the citizens, that makes it and this idea of common sense is killing the expansion of culture.

A mutation is necessary for Japan. If Japan is an organism then the people are the DNA; we shape the society. Organism’s evolution is caused by a mutation. Unfortunately, Japan has evolved to resisting new ideas but it has to be changed so that Japan can grow. There has to be a mutation to accept new ideas.

                Otaku, the new culture creators, are still seen as a negative trend from the elites of the society however the world has accepted it and absorbed it as a part of its culture. Now it is our turn.


                                                                       Reference 
Girl from Russia Cosplaying as:Ayanami Rei（綾波レイ）From animation Neon Genesis EVANGELION（新世紀エヴァンゲリオン）
Image from: http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/kyousoku1/imgs/b/1/b1dfcd4b.gif