Akihabara residents worried about 'lawless' image

Wednesday 18th June, 07:08 AM JST

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9 Comments

some14some at 07:39 AM JST - 18th June

need not worry, at present, this is the general image of Japan, not only Akihabara.
medievaltimes at 08:18 AM JST - 18th June

‘‘There’s nothing wrong with Akiba or people who gather at Akiba. It’s important to not to look at them with prejudice and bias,

I dont think people look at them with bias. People look at them as guys who have a sexual longing for very young girls dressed as maids who call them "master". Then people objectively call that abnormal, anti-social and child-like.
Zen_Builder at 08:30 AM JST - 18th June

I think the popularity and hype of akiba attracts a lot of the fringe elements of society.

I know lots of Otaku most are high-earners often in management position and you couldn't tell them apart from anyone else.

Akiba also now caters a LOT to the tourists who don't follow the rules and restraints that many locals do.

IMO & IME, most of the guys now hanging out in Akiba are NOT true Otaku but simply people looking for attention and recognition. They are lured by the a "dream" of an area where they an be truly themselves and don't need to pretend.

In short your average otaku is not a young guy but a guy in his 30's and 40's who grew up with anime before it became popular. My Wife used to be an animator/manga-ka so I got fair feeling for the scene and being a semi-otaku myself.

But like I said Akiba is paying the price now for being renowned as the "Otaku centre" of the world where anything goes.

Just my view.
nisegaijin at 09:29 AM JST - 18th June

Well of course!!! Different=bad! That's why people got murdered!!
thepro at 10:20 AM JST - 18th June

This is a pretty crappy article
Beelzebub at 10:21 AM JST - 18th June

For a long time, people went to "Akiba" because they thought they could get a better deal than buying from the local denkiya or department store. Then Bic, Sakuraya, Yodobashi, etc., started "customer relationship marketing" and you were able to apply accumulated points to the next purchase, giving the image that you were somehow able to escape the 5% consumption tax. The merchants in the area changed their business model from "white box" hardware to entertainment software. What Tokyo really needs is a district that incorporates authentic sleaze and virtual smut under one big roof, with security guards and metal detectors set up at the points of entry. Perhaps the new Tokyo Tower going up in Sumida-ku can be made provide such a function.
Zen_Builder at 10:30 AM JST - 18th June

Agree with beelzebub.

When I got here we had Akiba or T-"Something" in Shinjuku.

After that companies like Bic-Camera, etc started open shops in the suburbs and more convenient locations and the need to travel to akiba declined as the prices were the same.

Now I don't need to go any longer to akiba as I can get better prices closer by at yodobashi camera, Bic-Pasokon, Labi/Yamada Denki, etc.

This in turn resulted in lots of shops closing in Akiba and giving the otaku and pink industry an opening in akiba.

Same what those companies also drove many hobby shops out of business by under-cutting them. Yodobashi camera became the local walmart.

Capitalism at its best.(sarcasm off)
gogogo at 12:25 PM JST - 18th June

Weak news, just trying to spread fear.
plasticmonkey at 09:08 PM JST - 18th June

medievaltimes, absolutely right

time to put an end to this relativistic PC bull that gives these Akiba dorks some sort of legitimacy for their junior high schoolish fantasy play.

these guys are just wanking in public