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Otaku no Video

Gainax, one of Japan's premier anime studios, is best known for landmark works like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Wings of Honneamise. The studio has also produced innovative series like His and Hers Circumstances and FLCL, and wacky fare like Ebichu, which pushed the envelope of liberal Japanese TV. One of their earliest works is still among the best, and provides wonderful insight into the innocent ardor of the true fan, or otaku.

Otaku no Video is actually two videos from the 1980's that tell the story of Kubo, a normal college student drawn into the intense fandom of an otaku circle. It's difficult to define a Japan circle, as they have no exact American equivalent. Circles are sort of like clubs, sort of like creative, non-violent gangs, where like-minded people get together to share their particular passion. Like a typical American WWII movie, the circle in Otaku no Video is composed of various types: the night owl, the gun nut, the artist, the leader. At first put off by this collection of oddballs, Kubo soon rejects bland normalcy for the intensity and friendship of the circle. Like a true convert, his fervor is boundless as he pursues the dream of becoming the Ota-King, bringing Otaku culture to the world. Interspersed with the anime are live action interviews with supposed real-life otaku: a fetishistic video collector, a salaryman who moonlights as a cosplayer, and a pornography maniac terrified at the thought of meeting a real, live girl. The clips are very funny, and serve as a clever counterpoint to the narrative animated story.

The story starts as a slice of life, what the Japanese sometimes call a "youth ensemble," but ends as an epic tale of striving, betrayal, and faith in the power of sincere belief. Otaku no Video is also something of an autobiography of Gainax, which started out as a circle of fans and developed into a major business. Though the show pokes fun at the fanaticism and obsession of fans, it is never in a mean or cynical way. There is a real sweetness to Otaku no Video, a celebration of the purity and idealism of youth that the Japanese have always treasured. In the United States, teenagers are typically eager to get out on their own, to escape the prison of parents and school and establish their own life. In Japan, there is nostalgia for the years of middle and high school, a time of freedom and hope. For the Japanese, adulthood is the realm of obligation and conformity, of becoming a mother or salaryman. Growing up means losing not just freedom, but also enthusiasm and idealism. Otaku no Video takes a funny, gently defiant stand against such stifling normalcy. Touching and oddly inspiring, Otaku no Video is an important part of any anime collection.



  • Studio: Animeigo
  • Format: DVD, VHS
  • Episodes in series: 2
  • Series Completed: Yes
  • Number of DVDs: 1
  • Number of VHS: 1

 
  • DVD Audio Tracks: English, Japanese
  • Subtitles: English
  • VHS Audio: Japanese, English subtitles
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Ages: 13+
  • Cautions:
  • Reviewer: George
  • Core Collection: High School, Adult, Asian Culture