Are Otakus Weird? ... Depends

So the Goddess says, thus it is so ...

                                           Are Otakus Weird? ... Depends

                                                                  by

                                                                      Jay Agan


     All depends on the "otaku". Me? I'm just a fan. To prove there's a difference:

Believe it or not, this pile actually IS someones' collection. I
don't have even a fifth this much. Most I wouldn't bother with.

1. Me: I only have about two shelves worth of these Japaneses cartoons. Yes, I call them cartoons. Sometimes I use the Walter Lantz spelling (Kartunes!).

    Otakus: Some of these folks have anime collections bigger than my entire vid collection.

"Man's gotta know his limitations.": Dirty Harry
Credit: Fighter4Luv from DeviantArt

2. Otakus: Some cosplay as characters who don't match their body types, age or gender. There should be a rule wherin one can only cosplay if one is within 10 pounds of the character they're portraying. Oh yes, get a shave!

    Me: I don't cosplay but if I did, I'd take my limitations into account. You wouldn't see me made up as Sailor Moon, Pinkie Pie, or whatever!

Even if I was into this, I wouldn't have a place to put them. That & I stopped
building/collecting models long ago (It was the darn glue!).

3. Otakus: A lot load themselves down with figurines, knick knacks (Paddywhacks!), posters, body pillows (What the ...!?), manga, books, magazines & other ephemera.

    Me: I've a couple posters, three reference books & a stack of manga less than a foot high. I don't bother with a magazine unless it has an article of interest. With all the free stuff/info on the net, why bother?

I have only one of these. Guess which one. Credit: Derek Lieu

4. Otakus: Into "anime flavor of the month". "The latest 'n greatest." Will watch anything anime, never mind if it's any good or not.

    Me: I have a few of the "classics" & am pretty much satisfied with that. If I'm streaming a show I don't like, I drop it. If  I pick up something & it turns out I don't like it, I either throw it out (If it's too objectionable.) or give it to the local colleges' anime club.

Oh? Uh ... What is it exactly? (Yeah, right!)

5. Otakus: SOME have, shall we say, interesting "predilections" to say the least.

Me: I'm not gonna tell ya! ... er ... uh ... I mean ... Never Mind! FORGET WHAT I SAID!


It Was the Darn Glue! here.

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DISCLAIMER: All images used on this blog are strictly copyrights of their owners. I do not claim credit/ownership for any images used here in my blog unless stated otherwise. If I have offended anyone by posting any images on my blog, please contact me via email and I will remove specified image(s) ASAP.

Worlds' First Cosplayer

Mister Monster, Dr. Acula, the poormans'
Vincent Price. Whatever you called him, he
was Uncle Forry to me.

                                             
                                               Worlds' First Cosplayer

                                                              by

                                                                  Jay Agan

      The vast majority of anime fans have probably never heard of Forrest J Ackerman. Yet he had more of an indirect influence on anime fandom than most realize.

      Writer, literary agent, actor, collector, punster, promoter of the fantastic in film & in print. Superfan. As editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland he was a great influence in my formative years. Every month I would get an education in the cinematic worlds of horror, sci-fi, fantasy & mystery.Though the magazine was somewhat juvenile in nature (So was Mr. Ackerman!), it nonetheless took one behind the camera & intro-d you to the people & methods of the "magic" that made these movies great. Many big names in Hollywood & around the world were inspired by this man & his magazine to enter the industry. It is safe to say the world of western cinema would not be the same today if not for this man.

      Forrest Ackerman may also have been the initiator of the field of cosplay.

      At the first World Science Fiction Convention (1939) in New York City, he showed up in costume (See photo below.). This caused quite a stir, so much so, that the 1940 con had several more people so attired. Cosplay went from there to what we see today at anime & sci-fi cons the world over.

Forry cosplaying at the 1st World Science
Fiction Con in New York City, 1939.

      There is more to this story however. Though it's mentioned from time to time its' implications aren't considered & should be.

      Mr. Ackerman was not the only one in costume at the con in '39. Accompanying him was Myrtle R. Douglas, the designer of the costumes they wore (She was attired as a character from Things To Come.). That's right! Forrest J Ackerman was the first sci-fi geek/"otaku" to show up at a convention with a ..... GIRLFRIEND! (Until "recently", how many otakus, anime or otherwise, have even HAD girlfriends?) THAT, my friends, is what is called HISTORY!

      Hats off to ya Forry! You were one of the people who made my life a little more fun & interesting than it otherwise would have been. Though you were a staunch atheist while among us, it is my sincere hope that you have been (And still are.) pleasantly surprised. God bless you sir!

                                Article copyright © 3-17-2011 Jay Agan

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Strange Young Lady, Strange Little Movie

                                           Strange Young Lady, Strange Little Movie

                                                                           by

                                                                              Jay Agan

      I was cashiering at an unmentionable, cut rate, regional, merchandising, chainstore where I met an unusual co-worker. I noticed she would dye her hair (Death black, Chernobyl red, Jolly Ollie orange.) at regular intervals. Didn't think much of it at first though it certainly got the attention.

      A couple months into her employment, I found, through a chance discussion about movies, that she liked anime. (That certainly explained the interesting hair colorations.) This rekindled an old interest I had in the genre. By that time I had been collecting movies for a couple years & was seeking to expand in another direction. Anime seemed a colorful way of doing so & I haven't looked back scince.

      It wasn't only anime she was into, but all things Japanese. And she seemed such an intelligent person. She could speak German, & her Japanese was quite good. Not your typical anime geek, otaku, or Japanophile or whatever it was she considered herself. She told me she had Japanese ancestry (Which I found VERY hard to believe.) A chance meeting with her dad in the checkout line revealed she was about as Japanese as Irish stew.

      Getting to know her better as time went on, I would kid her about her interest in "them there furrin' cartoons". At times she would act rather sensitive about it. I'd say "cartoons", she'd say "anime" (Sometimes "ANIME ---- it!"). I'd say "comic books", she'd say "manga". She'd say "Banzai!", I'd say "John Wayne". You get the idea.

      We had this informal, on again/off again, semi-friendly feud for quite some time. I rather enjoyed it though she wasn't always receptive &, at times, rather peeved.

      One day. She did something ..... awful.

      Knowing I was into sci-fi & horror, she suggested I check out a certain Japanese made horror film. As it was a recently made flick, I was somewhat reluctant. I have an aversion to "modern" horror as they go for the gore, leaving plot & story behind. Most of my flicks were made before 1980 as I'm pretty much "old school" when it comes to horror (Price, Lugosi, Karloff, etc.)

      Knowing the Japanese do things differently, (As one fellow stated on the Universal Monster Army message board: "The Japanese are 30% weirder than the west. And I mean that in a good way."), I bought the flick cold, sight unseen. Something I rarely do. Oh yes. Name of the film: Audition.

      This is not a review, but I will say this film is not so much a horror film as it is a horror. The first 3/4 is a slow building psycho-drama. the last 1/4 ..... excriutiating. Agonisingly, tooth watering, ..... excriutiatingly PAINFUL to view.

      I'm there ..... watching. Hands gripping armrests, fingers convulsingly impressing prints into the wood. Sometimes, sitting sideways, hand over one eye. No screaming or yelling. Only little mewling squeals & gurgles welling up from the bottom of my throat, sometimes spasming into "Oh ..... my .....GOD!". My teeth & jaws hurt so much from all that gnashing & clenching.

      I know the guys' intentions were less than honorable, but ..... did he really deserve ..... that? I will never listen to the prelude of Bizets' Carmen the same way again. If you want to find out what happens in this movie, by all means, see it for yourself. Better yet, by all means, DON'T!

      For days (Weeks!) after, my workplace "friend" would taunt me with that weird little sound the movies' psycho-babe made while manipulating acupuncture needles:

      "Deeki deeki deekideeeee!" (Subtitles said, "deeper! deeper!)

      My usual procedure with flicks I'm less than satisfied with is to either give them away (I'd rather a movie is appreciated elswhere, than sit on a thrift store shelf.), or in this case, throw it out (Save the cases when you do that. They come in handy if you're a collecter.). As I was about to toss it, a thought occured to me (Yes, it does hurt when that happens!). I'll give it to a close friend.

      This friend is an interesting guy: Been in the service over twenty years. Well read/educated, PHD in history. Works for the government (So he's not ALL good, what the hey.). Part time college professor. Traveled the world, "Been there, done that." (At least twice.) Seen some combat (Doesn't care to talk about it.) The closest I've seen to a "Renaissance Man".

      So it was with some fascination/amazement/amusement I saw this guy get unhinged over a viewing of The Silence of the Lambs some years before.

      "Jay? ..... Jay! What's happening next!? What now!?"

      Gave him a sing songy, "not gonna tell ya, har har har!"

      "C'mon Jay!"

      "No way! Snicker, chortle!"

      "Agan ----it!"

      "Hee hee hee hee!" So it went. At times, my mind is not well.

      On one of his travels through, I dropped a bag of movies on him, making it a point to see this particular flick.

      Two weeks later, he calls me up for the express purpose of telling me what a vile piece of crud I am. Seems he made the mistake of watching it with his newly married wife. Now she has more doubts about me than before. (Due to the machinations of aforesaid merchandising chain, I missed their wedding & never met her. What George told her about me must have been interesting enough. Audition did not help.)

      Later, he got the urge to "share the love" & lent the disc to someone at his place of work. Now he's looked askance of by a couple other people.

      The world can be a brighter, better place if even only a few of us "pass it forward". I know it has for several other folks. All thanks is due to a rather strange young lady I met at work.

      You didn't think I was gonna blame myself ..... did you?

                                                       Article copyright © Jay Agan

DISCLAIMER: All images used on this blog are strictly copyrights of their owners. I do not claim credit/ownership for any images used here in my blog unless stated otherwise. If I have offended anyone by posting any images on my blog, please contact me via email and I will remove specified image(s) ASAP.

Sonny Gave It Strait

                                                         Sonny Gave It Strait

                                                                        by

                                                                           Jay Agan

     Sometime in Autumn, 2003. I'm out on the lot bringing in shopping carts at a place that shall remain nameless. Unlike most of my fellow employees, I actually liked getting karts all day. I'm outside, getting some exercise, & best of all, am away from the public (God bless 'em. Grrrrr!). Wheeling another load in, I noticed a Hummer pulling in. The earlier, discontinued, large model, glossy black, with Dragonball Z characters painted on. Huh? Some otaku with more money than brains? Had to check this out.

     Though I recognized the images (Goku, Krillin, etc.) on the vehicle, I'm no fan of that particular anime. I'd seen bits & pieces of that loud, garish, repetitive show while channel surfing. I actually had seen a few whole episodes of the original Dragonball & found them quite funny. But DBZ? Ugh! I recollect one fellow commenting there were 350+ episodes & taking out the flashbacks/repeats you'd have about 75. Simple intros/faceoffs would take more than one ep before a fight would start. Shoot! Even Pokemon's more involved plotwise.

     As two guys pile out, I notice some kids gathering round. Turns out to be a promotional for the shows' trading card game & one of the guys is Sonny Strait, voice of Krillin & other characters in the English dubs. Feeling snarky, I try to needle him.

     "Hate the show, it hurts my eyes."

     He patiently explains the effect the creators wanted was the basic five color scheme used in comics and funny papers.

     "What's the show about? All I see are a bunch of costumed goons beating each other up."

     "That's exactly what the show is about!" Pointing in the air with a flourish, smile on his face, not rattled at all.

     Not getting the reaction I wanted, (No snobbery or pretentiousness. Dang!), I turned back to retrieving karts. "Well, it could be worse. It could be Sailor Moon."

     Only a chuckle in reply. Years down the road, someone commented he probably got a lot of crap from "fans" and knew how to handle it. I guess so!

     A half hour later, I spot Mr. Strait in the stores' cafeteria. Feeling more civilized, I question him on the voice acting field & he graciously answered my inquiries. The guy has class.

     This was one of several instances that led me to pursue a career in the field myself, (A story{s} for maybe later.) & I won't forget it.

                                                   Article copyright © Jay Agan

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