30 Understanding "Otaku" and Akihabara w. Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith

On This Episode of Japan Station On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we're talking about "otaku," the history of the anime "holy land" of Akihabara, and a whole lot more. About Koichi Dr. Patrick W. Galbraith is an lecturer at Senshu University in Tokyo. He is one of the world's leading expert on the topic of Akihabara and the related subcultures that are often associated with this famous district of Tokyo. Galbraith is the author of man y books and articles, including Tokyo Realtime (2010), The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan (2014), The Moe Manifesto: An Insider's Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming (2017), and others. His most recent book, published by Duke University Press Books in 2019, is Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan.u, Topics Discussed Dr. Galbraith's first visit to Akihabara Hayao Miyazaki's complicated relationship with fandom during the early part of his career The character Clarisse de Cagliostro from the 1979 film Lupin Third: The Castle of Calgiostro The different waves of anime fandom in Japan The lolicon/rorikon Boom of the first half of the 1980s The word lolicon/rorikon and its various meanings The connection of the character Lum Invader from Urusei Yatsura and her connection to the cocept of lolicon/rorikon How computers and adult computer games (eroge or erogē) helped transform Akihabara into what it is today The ongoing struggle between the "otaku" of Akihabara and the Japanese government What the future holds for Akihabara What the current status of maid cafes in Akihabara is The tendency of trying to link anime and manga back to ukiyo-e woodblock prints from the Edo period The problematic idea that tentacles are a uniquely "Japanese" thing And much more! Follow Japankyo on Social Media Facebook (@JapankyoNews) Twitter (@JapankyoNews)  

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Helping you understand everything you should know about Japan. Interviews with Japan experts, deep dives into Japanese culture and society, and plenty of laughs; every episode host Tony R. Vega sheds light on a different aspect of Japan. Whether you're planning a visit to Japan, learning Japanese or just have a passion for all things Japan, we've got something for you! Common topics include ・Japanese culture ・Deep dives into the Japanese language ・Japanese history ・Japanese food ・Japan travel tips ・Japanese pop culture: anime, manga, movies, etc ・The stories of foreigners living in Japan ・And more! Episodes release on the 1st and 21st of the month. You can reach us via email: mail@japankyo.com About Tony R. Vega Tony R. Vega is the founder of JapanKyo.com, creator of The Anime Linguist YouTube channel, professional MC, and lifelong Japan enthusiast. He has a particular passion for the Japanese language which led him to obtain an M.A. in Japanese language and linguistics from the University of Hawaii. Tony is also legally blind and dedicated to raising awareness of the blind and visually impaired, as well as the problems these individuals face.