Picked up this AWESOME book yesterday: The Otaku Encyclopedia, by Patrick W. Galbraith. I was paging through it last night and was stunned at how much I already knew and how much more I didn't. I've always considered myself an otaku (which translates as nerd, geek, or fanboy), but I think I have some catching up to do, as there's a lot more in terms of otaku culture out there that I've barely scratched the surface on. This book should be a very interesting read.
By the way, if you want a really easy way to annoy the ever-loving HELL out of me, make the claim that I only want to go to Japan for the otaku stuff. I'm sorry, but those who believe that is all there is to Japan are truly clueless. Yes, the anime/manga/J-pop/J-idol fandom there is a big part of Japanese culture, but is not by a long shot what made me fall in love with the country. All one needs to do is study the country's history pre-20th Century to become fascinated and captivated. So much of that history still exists in Japan, if you know where to look, and believe me; I do. Don't get me wrong; I do intend to spend a lot of time in Akiba (short for Akihabara, the center for Otaku culture in Japan), but I'll be much more captivated by Himeji-jo or the streets of Gion in Kyoto as I hope for a glimpse of a genuine Maiko.
Mata ne!
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