Comments for Anime and Manga http://ezanimez.com The latest Anime and Manga updates Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:13:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 Comment on One does not care to acknowledge the mistakes of one’s youth by Daryl Surat http://ezanimez.com/one-does-not-care-to-acknowledge-the-mistakes-of-one-s-youth/#comment-2 Daryl Surat Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:34:59 +0000 http://ezanimez.com/one-does-not-care-to-acknowledge-the-mistakes-of-one-s-youth/#comment-2 If it's any consolation, the live-action interview segments of Otaku no Video are pre-written and faked, but you're right in that they're all meant to highlight the grim nature of existence. For instance, the interview with the American guy for instance is done in such a way that you can hear what he's actually saying in English such that it's completely unrelated to what the Japanese translation is saying (the Japanese overdubbing provides a very "Wapanese" interpretation). Two years ago when I did that review of Welcome to the NHK I said that it was the more stark, harsh version of otakudom compared to Genshiken and Otaku no Video (Comic Party doesn't even exist in my world). But I'd like to slightly withdraw that from the table now that NHK is all over because in the end it got overly sentimental and hopeful, and that's just not how real otaku stories play out. No, for my money's worth the TRUE vision of the otaku lifestyle is the manga Ressentiment. I still haven't read it all yet (I hear even it has a glimmer of hope), but I declare it required reading for anyone you meet who goes around saying they're an otaku. There's a chance they might not fully grasp the meaning of the word, and Ressentiment will help them understand. If it’s any consolation, the live-action interview segments of Otaku no Video are pre-written and faked, but you’re right in that they’re all meant to highlight the grim nature of existence. For instance, the interview with the American guy for instance is done in such a way that you can hear what he’s actually saying in English such that it’s completely unrelated to what the Japanese translation is saying (the Japanese overdubbing provides a very “Wapanese” interpretation).

Two years ago when I did that review of Welcome to the NHK I said that it was the more stark, harsh version of otakudom compared to Genshiken and Otaku no Video (Comic Party doesn’t even exist in my world). But I’d like to slightly withdraw that from the table now that NHK is all over because in the end it got overly sentimental and hopeful, and that’s just not how real otaku stories play out.

No, for my money’s worth the TRUE vision of the otaku lifestyle is the manga Ressentiment. I still haven’t read it all yet (I hear even it has a glimmer of hope), but I declare it required reading for anyone you meet who goes around saying they’re an otaku. There’s a chance they might not fully grasp the meaning of the word, and Ressentiment will help them understand.

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