Process of Creating “Otaku Originality” in Content Consumption

――A Case Study of Slowmotioning and Editing on Anime Magazines in the 1980s――

Abstract

This paper discussed the process of creating “otaku originality” within the context of their consumption. Otaku considered their culture original and distinct from that of normal anime consumers in the 1980s. In prior studies, people called otaku were those committed to worthless culture. Though people regarded otaku culture as worthless, we should observe its formation process. Otaku made it a culture of worth for their community, turning it into a high context culture. Becoming a high context culture meant it achieved interactions with people other than anime fans, but how was this happen?This paper focuses on anime fan culture, and discusses the video environment and active television viewing. The VCR diffusion rate increased from 2.2% to 66.8% during the 1980s. Otaku started to watch videos with their friends. They wanted to show their videos to their friends. However, this was considered an unnatural behavior. This paper mainly analyzes community with video consumption among anime fans and discusses their motivations. They wanted to show off the VCRs “Slowmotioning” meant “unique watching”. Originally, anime meant “animation”, but their activity enabled anime fans to enjoy “pictures”. Consumers could attain “creators literacy”. However, this literacy was marketed by the creators. Anime magazines evaluated this marketing. The culture of editing by anime fans formed a frame. They consumed the unique experience of watching anime together as consumers who had a specific literacy. Otakus’ high contextual culture, including their knowledge and literacy, was created by interactions between creators and consumers of anime magazines.