# Otaku Unite! March on the capital (of geekdom)! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 30, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065 "2007-06-30T19:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/1 "2007-06-30T19:48:58Z")
[Japan’s otaku subculture organizes a march and demonstration to be held today in Akihabara, a part of Tokyo which is the center of said things](http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/are-you-ready-for-the-akihabara-liberation-demonstration-june-30th/). From personal experience on how even the minorest of otaku (think anime+manga fan, cosplay, and other related activities) can receive a large social stigma in Japan, I have to say this march is pretty cool. First Akihabara, then the world! ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/2 "2007-06-30T20:09:56Z")
What were they marching for? – IG ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/3 "2007-06-30T21:28:13Z")
The capital of geekdom isn’t Redmond, Washington? Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/4 "2007-06-30T21:40:44Z")
[QUOTE=Improv Geek] What were they marching for? – IG [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > The groups want to unite anime and manga fans, cosplayers, social rejects and any others who love Otaku culture to reclaim Akihbara as the Otaku “holy land” and to protest against those who discriminate or look down on Otaku culture. I just like the idea that there are “shadowy Otaku groups”. The Illuminati is run by people who like giant robots, lengthy power-up scenes, and gratuitous fanservice. Could be worse. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/5 "2007-07-01T03:29:22Z")
I’m going to Anime Expo tomorrow. Wonder if any of the attendees know about this. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/6 "2007-07-01T03:41:01Z")
I wonder where my AnimeNorth T-shirt is… :: shakes self :: If I’d discovered the linked site when I was in high school, I would have been _lost_, I tell you. I was into Japanese stuff and had a crush on a Japanese girl and tried to get a Japanese penpal and all, but I lived in semi-small-town Ontario and there wasn’t that much else out there and no-one else was interested in it. So I ended up doing other stuff, like architecture and French comics. But if that connection had been available… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/7 "2007-07-01T03:42:06Z")
[QUOTE=if6was9] The capital of geekdom isn’t Redmond, Washington? Who knew? [/QUOTE] The capital of geekdom is the San Francisco Bay Area. Redmond is the capital of tame corporate geekdom. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/8 "2007-07-01T03:53:59Z")
No, those are the capitals of _useful_ geekdom. I was working at Anime Expo today, and believe me, there’s a whoooole lot of otakin’ going on there. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/9 "2007-07-01T04:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=BraheSilver] believe me, there’s a whoooole lot of otakin’ going on there. [/QUOTE] Was Harry Nilsson there? He was probably lost if he was. “Everybody’s Otakin’ at me, I can’t hear a word they’re sayin’” ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/10 "2007-07-01T06:38:24Z")
> [@Otaku](#): > > オタク・萌え愛好者・非モテ、そして社会的少数者として生きる者が社会からの有形無形の差別に反対し、その存在意義と自由をアピールします Translation: _As otaku/moe-lovers/unpopular people, and such persons living as a minority in society, we want to resist organized and unorganized discrimination, and make an appeal for our rights and freedoms._ “Moe” is of course images of principally **underage** anime characters. This fight is already over and lost before it even begins. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/11 "2007-07-01T06:45:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] “Moe” is of course images of principally **underage** anime characters. This fight is already over and lost before it even begins. [/QUOTE] I would tend to disagree and say that “moe” is principally images of _cute_ characters, with “cute” being defined as the “aww” type rather than “whoa, she’s hot” type. Thus moe characters can look underage even if they’re not. Which really doesn’t make it much better, but it’s a distinction that should be made. Plus of course “moe-lover” doesn’t necessarily bring in _sexual_ tones, although quite a lot of the time it does. Hmm. I seem to have attacked as much as i’ve defended, there. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/12 "2007-07-01T06:58:03Z")
While I’ll agree that moe can include large (even pendulous) breasts, the goal is specifically for an underage look. And it is principally a fetishistic interest, so I wouldn’t agree that moe = “awwww.” _has tended booth at a dojin convention in Tokyo, and went to animation school with several otaku in Tokyo_ While I’ll agree that there’s clean versions of moe, the driving force is as I said. Go to Akihabara and you can buy body-length pillows of Sakura-chan and whatever the new girl was with green hair and a big cat bell who’s similarly prepubescent. That’s prime moe, not Ryo-ohki or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/13 "2007-07-01T07:11:18Z")
While I agree that moe can have negative aspects, I dont think that’s what this march is about. Here’s the wiki on [Moe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_(slang)) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/14 "2007-07-01T07:13:19Z")
Right, pain in the tookis to do Japanese word search without being able to type Japanese, but the one thing I was thinking of is Deji Carrot. The following links should show image results for “moe” ( 萌え ) and “deji carrot” ( デ・ジ・キャラット ) in Google Images Japan. [http://images.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&q=萌え&btnG=Google+検索&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi](http://images.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&q=%E8%90%8C%E3%81%88&btnG=Google+%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi) [http://images.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&q=デ・ジ・キャラット&btnG=イメージ検索&gbv=2](http://images.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&q=%E3%83%87%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%A9%E3%83%83%E3%83%88&btnG=%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B8%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&gbv=2) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/15 "2007-07-01T07:16:18Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] While I agree that moe can have negative aspects, I dont think that’s what this march is about. [/QUOTE] I didn’t say it was, I was just pointing out that these are losers of the prime degree. Akiba-kei moe-ites walking about are just going to strengthen any negative images there may be in the rest of the populace. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otaku-unite-march-on-the-capital-of-geekdom/410065/16 "2007-07-01T07:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I didn’t say it was, I was just pointing out that these are losers of the prime degree. Akiba-kei moe-ites walking about are just going to strengthen any negative images there may be in the rest of the populace. [/QUOTE] Yes, I agree. Sorry if I sounded combatative earlier. Although, Japanese sexuality, especially in Tokyo, can be alarmingly less orthodox than traditional Western values…