World's first 'otaku' summit opens in Japan

Is an otaku summit a good thing?

They want to try reading a book without pictures in it.

2 words.... BAD IDEA!!!

@AkexCook, agreed, they have not much money, and there are a million anime conventions already. I mean, I am a huge otaku, but I honestyl don't see what this adds - I go to every anime convention in my country, they're organized by fans, some has as much as 7000 visitors and last three days (in the Netherlands, really small country, so that's incredible!), and we have about 9 yearly anime cons now in this tiny country, all of which attract at least a few thousand people.

So it's already really popular here. And if people want to go to Japan, well everyone knows about comiket and the like, so me or my friends can just buy a plane ticket.

This seems like a total waste of money to me, because it only attracts people who are already fans. It would be more usefull to, for example, make it easier for legal sites like crunchyroll to get worldwide licneses instead of just for the USA. That would really increase exposure and popularity. This doesn't seem like it will increase the number of fans whatsoever.

Having said that, it's definitely awesome how anime and games and manga and the like are getting so popular lately. The amount of cons and visitors in the NEtherlands has grown by 500% in 4 years. That much! There is also a permanent manga kissa now where I go to hang out with friends each week, a ton of cosplay meets, more than 10 shops specializing in in including 3 or 4 with physical all year locations, and at least 3 large otaku clubs which I know of. Ie. one can be a permanent, hardcore, 'lifestyle' anime freak / cosplaying otaku here just as well as in Japan these days. Quite amazing, and quite awesome, since me and all my friends are in and love the subculture!

I say good on them if they want to have some fun, meet like-minded people and talk about manga/anime. I wouldn't dress up because I don't have the skills to make a convincing costume, but if someone gave me something pre-made (that I liked) I'd give it a go for a laugh!

it's definitely awesome how anime and games and manga and the like are getting so popular lately

Why is that awesome?

The non-otaku comments make me laugh. We do read books without pictures, probably more often than most people. We read everything. We spend money. We cheap out on hotel rooms, flights and food, so we can spend it all in the dealers room at the convention. Cosplay is common, but not required. Conventions, not just for anime and manga, but movies, comics and books from all over the world, are as much a reason for tourism as old buildings and sandy beaches. In Toronto, the hotel bookings are filled for miles around for the annual Anime North convention six months before the event. The event is filled to capacity, around 20 000 per day. The restaurants are filled. World Con (which started as a science fiction reader con, but has fans of everything) has been going for 73 years and at a different location around the world every year. Fans will fill the hotels and spend money as much as the Shriners, business men, sports teams or bikers.

@plasticmonkey, well I really don't care whether other people like my hobby off course, it's my hobby after all, but it's awesome for the simple reason more fans mean bigger conventions with more events, competitions, workshops, etc. and more fellow fans to make fun with. Also more cosplay meets and the like. That's why ^_^

It leads to fun giant conventions like this one in my own city which will have over 7000 attendees (excluding hundreds of dealers etc.!) this year~ https://plus.google.com/photos/114730589893508500362/albums/6025941828719231777?banner=pwa

it's so big, there were not one, but two big-name Japanese bands/performers who flew over from Japan to give a concert there. Sadly one of the two (Origa was there for a live concert) died 6 months later :-(

Anyway, It's just a great lot of fun, lots of cool people, literally hundreds of events, everyone's cosplaying, huge game room, dozens of competitions... you get the idea :)

As long as the otakus are renting hotels and putting money into the economy, I really could care less. But I would mention that a small village would a make a better spot than the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

lots of cool people, literally hundreds of events, everyone's cosplaying, huge game room, dozens of competitions... you get the idea :)

Yeah, that answers my question. Thanks!

Peter: " We do read books without pictures, probably more often than most people. "

I highly doubt the 'probably more than most people' part, but I agree anyone who imagines that otaku read nothing else could be a little naive and/or biased.

In any case, why is this a "world's first"? There are comic (and the like) conventions all the time, the world over, with Comicon being HUGELY popular among 'geeks' in particular. And enough of the "Japan's uniqueness" garbage.

Smithinjapan. Its unique cause 90% manga characters are japanese

@kiyoshiMukai yes, but the 9 or so yearly otaku conventions I mentioned exist in the Netherlands make it rather strange to call this convention itself unique. I mean.. .this one , currently held yearly in my hometown, has existed since before the start of the millenium.... www.animecon.nl

I really don't get why people hate or make fun of otakus. They are all friendly and happy people that are not bothering your or hurting you in any way. If they want to dress up or spend their money let them be, after all is their money and their time.

Otaku Summit signed the birth of the Inetrnational Otaku Event Association, that aims to bring together Japanese subculture-focused events all over the world, in order to exchange info, knowledge, guests, etc. crossing borders, culture, race, religion, everything. It's a literally historic watershed moment for Japanese subculture.

oh freaking god, what am i ? i work all day in a research plant making things that make people better, i take photo's, can make and fix computers but yeah i love anime and people look at me strange because in their eyes Ghost in the Shell or Knights of Sidonia is the same as Micky Mouse

No you won't see me at a conference like this - but that is something for the younger set- leave them be - they are having fun and have an escape outlet that is not hanging out on a street-corner mugging people

kiyoshiMukai: "Smithinjapan. Its unique cause 90% manga characters are japanese"

You missed the point entirely (not surprised). It's NOT the only manga convention, nor the only one in Japan for that matter. Otaku, or geeks in other countries (if you insist only 'pure blood Japanese' can qualify as true otaku), flock to many. And "manga" may have originated in Japan (not comics in general, which have been around for ages elsewhere, of course) but in no way is it unique here. Even if you are correct in saying 90% of manga characters are Japanese, that 10% that is NOT Japanese makes it not unique.

Who cares what they're doing....they're getting together without religion or politics dictating to them, enjoying their lives and time with each other. I think this is great.

it is "unique" because it is the first such international event held in Japan, that's what makes it different.

Interesting because Manga plot always isn't about some superhero defeating evil so it's denomination is "Japanese" but could resonate to wide audience. Besides, who cares if they're having fun....

I love anime and manga very much, even though I don't consider myself an otaku and I'm not interested in cosplay. In particular, I think Japanese animation produced some amazing works in the 70s and in the 80s. I grew up watching those wonderful series on Italian tv when I was a kid, and I will always bring in my heart the great values and emotions that those stories gave me. Thanks Japan.:-)

This sounds like my kind of event. Never been to a convention before, but I fully intend to sooner or later. I may even attend the next Otaku Summit. In cosplay, naturally. I mean, if you're going to have fun, might as well go the whole hog rather than be half-hearted about it. I keep hearing about how amazing these events are, I'd like to experience that with some like minded people.

I think I'll ignore the Otaku bashers. There's always something that people have to be negative about. At the same time, we all have something we love that other people can't understand. I mean, I don't get why people fly across the world to watch 22 guys kick a ball around a field, or why Americans seem to enjoy drinking flat beer whilst watching people hit a ball with a big club. I see no difference between a passion for sport and a passion for anime though, and no reason to bash people for it. Whatever floats your goat really.

Wow; I bet it's NICE at Yoyogi Park today...

I think it sounds like fun... Back in the mid & late 80's I had blue streaks in my hair & rocked the leather jacket with Icer 1 painted on back & z gundam on the front. My wardrobe was all about dressing Otaku & I worked it before "Otaku" was an everyday word or even being used. I would have done anything to attend a gathering in Japan! Like some, I'm older now and leave the cosplay to the younger folk. Although my sense of fashion is permenently embebded with an anime influence:) Haha