Otaku fashion has changed?

I love the new ads of the U.S Apple Computer, I could not see them on the official site (I am not sure what's wrong, plug in setting?), so I watched them in You Tube.
Apple ads : Virus, i Life, Better, Restarting, WBJ and Net working. In networking, that Japanese girl talks to Mac "he seems to be Otaku, don't you think so?"

As a "Toshiro Okada - Otaking" fan, I am still a little bit nervous to use the word "Otaku". Yes, I feel Otaku should have very deep knowledge and obsessiveness to the object, actually Wikipedia explains Otaku like this.

However it is very true that the word "Otaku" is used very easily for anime fans, manga fans, maid fans, costume play fans, especially people who hang around Akihabara. Of course since manga, anime, computer stuffs connects tightly to Otaku culture, Akihabara is a Mecca of Otaku, but in a narrow sense, all people in Akihabara (we call Akiba) are not Otaku. So we call them Akiba-kei (Akiba group). Do I make sense? :-)

This site said the definition of Akiba kei is...
1.Talking about bag, it's backpack.
2.Splash out for what he likes.
3.Use PC while walking.
4.Porn book in his bag.
5.Moe for maid.
6.He like realistic girl. (even in anime, manga).
7.He thinks "I am Otaku".
8.He thinks "I am no good".

Talking to the fashion style, Akiba Blog added some features more. They say they are identically dressed , and having Poster saber, Having huggable pillow (not really, they are shopping bag). Ha! 12 Otakus came from England and visited Akiba, without showing face, we can't tell any different. ha ha ha! (This round smile mark which covered people's face is the "Warai Otoko" mark of Ghost in the Shell) But at any rate, the most remarkable fashion feature of Otaku is backpack. Akiba blog researched it, in front of the entrance of Sofmap. In 2004, there were all backpackers, they say 46% of people around there had backpack. I wrote about Train man often last year, of course the train man has backpack at first too, but in the end he changed his fashion style because of her. Actually the hit of train man became a trigger of fashion boom for Otaku, some Get off Otaku fashion guide were published.

So surprisingly enough, in this year the number of backpackers in front of Sofmap entrance decrease a lot. Akiba blog say it was just 22% in this year. 　Yes, I can find only one backpack in that picture. Still they are identically dressed, at least bags are different. Akiba kei got fashionable a little bit? Or more regular people got Akiba kei? *

Comments

[arielle rowson]

OTAKU PEOPLE ROX!!!

[Eukie]

well..hi i'm otaku girl in Thailand
but i do cosplay too
i think be an otaku it's not a bad thing because i'm got boyfriend and i love to walk outside to comix shop or buy some figger your disry was interesting!

[Dragon]

Can I just point out, that I am one of those Otaku that you mention that came from England. This trip was one of the regular trips that we organise. http://www.japan2005.anime.org.uk

I am the President, and author of the book described in the article. I do not appear in the photo because at the time, I was taking the group shot.

Oh, and I do use a backpack. So long as I can carry my VAIO, and a goodly amount of anime merchandise then I'm happy. I'm even happier when I'm in Akiba and not dreary old London.

[voxie]

Haha, I am a member of the London Anime Club, I know a few of the British otaku in that photo! I mentioned you on the website:
http://www.anime.org.uk/aorguk.nsf/Anime%20Cafe%20By%20Date!OpenView

[Mari]

Hi there
No I am not Otaku, i am just a Internet addiction. he he he
Lawrence, Thank you your post is great. No that PC does not relased in Japan and we don't know the ads.

[Lawrence]

Hi Mari,

I always enjoy your otaku culture-related articles. I too noticed the use of 'otaku' in the Apple 'Network' commercial. I had some issues with it, which you can read about here if interested: Apple TV commercial disses geeks?. Have you seen any interesting reactions to the commercial from Japanese otaku and/or Apple fans?

[bshock]

I hadn't read the Wikipedia article on otaku. I found it quite interesting. I'd never heard that the term "otome" was used for female otaku.

Mari-san, would you consider yourself "otome" in this sense of the word?

[Duck]

Nobody uses backpacks in Tokyo?