Somewhat based on the real story of how Gainax was founded, Otaku no Video addresses all aspects of an otaku lifestyle. Takeshi Kubo is a young man living an average life until he is dragged into a group of otaku. Slowly, he becomes more like them until he decides to abandon his former life to become king of otaku—the otaking!
Mixed in are live-action interviews with real otaku, addressing every aspect of hardcore otaku life. Not only are anime and manga fans included, but also sci-fi fans, military fans, and other groups of Japanese geeks.
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Comentários
lawlmartz
"It's not like I'm ashamed of my past or anything!"- Former Otaku Preface: Otaku no Video is a very insightful and introspective (with a touch of mockery) movie that contains both a slightly parodical animated version of the origins of studio Gainax, and live recorded interviews conducted by Gainax of former (and current) Otaku of the time- 1991. Very nontraditional in many ways, it's not completely anime, and not completely live action, but a blend that presents relevant cultural information regarding the Otaku. It's broken up into two parts; one, an animated movie about a guy named Ken Kubo and his stereotypical fat, geeky otaku friendTanaka, and the second part is a series of the aforementioned interviews in segments called "Portrait of an Otaku".
The animation first:
Kubo and Tanaka were college friends; Kubo the typical Gary Stu kind of guy- tennis team, has a beautiful girlfriend, scholar, and everything seems right in his life, except he's rather bored. He meets up with Tanaka by chance in an elevator, and from that fateful reunion on is slowly drawn into the Otaku lifestyle of making fanfiction magazines, garage kits (modified figurines), and eventually full on anime and video games in an attempt to become the OTAKING- King of the Otakus!
After rising to the top, Kubo and Tanaka get screwed, and then have to decide what it was that was really important to them- the grubbing, hand to mouth lifestyle of being an artist and original creator, or selling out and making all the money. There's only one true path for the Otaking, and that's to take it beyond the stars.
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The pacing is broken up by the interviews, but the narrative is both engaging and humorous, along with providing a very loose version of how Gainax was started, and their goals of shooting for the stars, both in animation and in business practices. It's very interesting to see how Otaku no Video inspired later works, and drew from the doujinshi (amateur produced works) that put Gainax on the map. Real life science fiction conventions Daicon 3 and 4 (1981, 1983) are explored, which Gainax also produced shorts for. Other character stylings and symbols seen in later works also make appearances, like Kamina's glasses on a building, robots from Gunbuster, and more.
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Portrait of an Otaku:
Through a series of live interviews, the movie also explores the lives and disparate interests of those who call themselves Otaku. Garage Kit Otaku, Military Otaku, Anime and Manga, Fanzines, Cosplay enthusiasts, and Fan Video Otaku, and even an art thief are all shown, and asked series of questions that either mock their interests and lifestyle, or that give some insight into what it is that drives them to their obsession.
While it's believed that the people interviewed were either Gainax employees themselves (who created their studio to put a name behind their amateur original works, and thereby personifying some of these stereotypes), some of it is plainly staged. Hideaki Anno himself is shown as a Hentai-game addict, even. Typically, the faces and voices are censored, so it's still unknown who some of them are. It's interesting in that they're making fun of Otaku, and at the same time themselves, because that's how Gainax started out: geeks making their own originals to hawk at conventions.
The portrait section also provides some hilarious statistics on what Otaku are interested in, and how different groups see different themes. A foreigner was also intereviewed, and it was stated that some 50% of those surveyed come to Japan solely out of anime and manga fandom, and the other half either "like" or "are not opposed" to it. A fanzine convention survey of 100 Otaku revealed that only 15% of them had cosplayed, and an overwhelming 60% had not. Of those 15 that responded yes, the "Otaku who did cosplay tended to be repeat offenders".
Another survey included those who "talk to themselves", of which the overwhelming majority with 70% did.
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There's also a deep sociological background to Otaku culture; stemming from how a more collectivist culture like Japan operates vs an intensely individualistic one like the US. "The nail that sticks out gets hammered" they say, and to a point, it's true. In a collectivist culture, the ideal person fits in with their group, their family, their society, and don't express their individualism much when around others. In private, they can be a night and day different person.
The Otaku have long been branded as "no life losers", and in a sense shunned from their culture as they're perceived "deviant", no different from the US, really. People with anime and manga obsession, people obsessed with doomsday preparation, zombie fanatics, etc.-all these groups share a common thread in that they're on the fringe of 'normative' society. In that, they find a bond together, and create their own subculture outside of the norms.
For anyone who's interested in the Otaku culture, this half mockumentary is a great video for insight into what it was like back in the day, even if it's somewhat parodical. In all honesty, what they portray satirically here is not far from the truth, neither in 1991 nor in 2015. There are tons of people out there like the ones shown in this movie, that are obsessive enthusiasts of different fandoms, and though their interests may be broad, they're all bound by a label that sets them apart- that of the Otaku.
Washi
I had heard that this was a must-see for people interested in the culture surrounding otakudom, and after finally watching it, I would have to second that proposition. It is simultaneously a humorous, introspective, and thought-provoking look at otaku, and more so than any other similarly themed production, it really covers all bases in its analytical approach to the lifestyle they lead, about the nature of shame, obsession, habitual collecting, and the way in which otaku approach other people, and the world around them. I’ll have to be brief in my comments regarding this aspect of the OVA, because there’s really enough content to writea particularly lengthy essay about. It is comforting, and quite obvious, that everything is approached through the perspective of an otaku, so that the way the themes are explored are not heavy-handed in their ridicule or disapproval of Otaku, but rather they dispel stereotypes in exchange for an edge of realism, which gradually demonstrates a residual tone of sadness and loneliness, and cleverly deconstructs the fabricated fantasy worlds in which Otaku so often reside. The surveyed data included in the OVA was certainly very interesting, with some of the results showing some strong indications of the characteristics of an otaku. Ultimately all of the ‘portrait of an otaku’ segments worked to paint a larger portrait of Otaku, and a reflective definition of the term. The strongest facet to otaku’s personalities was their drive and passion to attain their desires, and their common reliance on fantasy and escapism as a way of life.
In terms of actual entertainment value, and story, I was quite disappointed. Although an important contribution to the OVA, the ‘portrait of an otaku’ segments really fractured the progression of the story and fragmented its pace so that it was difficult for thew show to build up momentum or excitement. I felt that the story simply not be told in such a short period of time, particularly of the characters were to be properly fleshed out and developed. As a consequence of the short, and divided time, I never felt attached to the characters, or their plight, or only occasionally did their predicament make me feel. This would have been alright if it was more of a comedy, but the fact is it was rarely very funny, the black humour of the portraits was almost entirely absent from the actual anime. This basically means that the OVA is barely worth watching unless you have a genuine interest or investment in the otaku culture in Japan; you will not find a better psycho-analysis of the otaku character.
Traversy
I thought it might be proper to define "Otaku" before the actual review. In the following case, an Otaku (if you don\'t already know), is a Japanese term for a fan/person who is obsessed with any theme/topic/hobby. (The "portraits" are about anime/manga/military/hentai Otakus). Otaku no Video is a fairly fun video/OVA to watch. Not necessarily for the actual animation, but the Otaku interview bits(called portrait of an Otaku) in between the actual story, where they have interviews with all sorts of Otakus(Manga,Anime,Military,True,Foreign, "Garage Kit"). Of course, this OVA is fairly outdated (~24 years before time of this review). Opinion: Otaku\'s have changed over time, so the same(Portrait of an Otaku) can\'t necessarily be applied to modern ones.
As for the Story, it only becomes worthwhile when he emerges into the Japanese anime industry(episode 2). The first part, I found fairly mediocre.
The art is outdated, but not to the point where it is distracting. GAINAX (a couple years before the Shin Seiki Evangelion.
The Opening themesong, I found quite catchy. The video\'s background music was undistracting to the point where I\'m not quite sure whether it even had background music or not.
Characters both story and portraits were mainly Otakus, some of which seem to be hard to get along with (in the portraits not the anime).
As for Enjoyment, this OVA is one of a kind, even with it\'s outdated(ness), I still managed to learn alot (and a bit about about myself), statistics & surveys "out of 100 otakus) are given so you have an idea regarding otaku.
As a result, this OVA is one to be watched. People can look into this and say.... "That\'s how Otaku were in the 1980\'s, things have changed", "Wow, I didn\'t know that", or even "Oh, I see, that\'s why I talk to myself" (you\'re not alone!!). I\'d recommend this to most Otakus, and maybe anyone who happens interested in Otaku(ism?).
RuriTenshi
This anime was actually rather educational. It explores the realm of otakus and opens the eyes of why do otakus exist. Since there is only 2 episodes I can't really find that much to talk about but there are a few factors. The fact that it gives a side documentary on real life otakus as of 1991 is rather impressive especially for its time. If you ever plan to become a genius about anime or want to see a story of a man who converts himself into the otaku life this is a must watch. It also explores the realms of not just anime otakusbut military,cosplay, pop culture, movie and gun otakus as well. This show was rather educational and pretty funny. There were jokes That I really laughed at a lot. The story is rather interesting and it gives me some inspiration about spreading and making money off of any hobby someone may have. I also love some of the anime references. There were a few from Macross and some of the 1980s Miyazaki films. Characters consist of mostly different types of otakus and the main character who is a regular boring kid who later gets sucked into the life of an otaku. The sound is a bit dated along with other factors like seeing images of over stacked shelves of VHS tapes. This anime has a rather positive view mixed with a few negative but later turned around views of the otaku life. This series is a must watch and I recommend every major anime fan to watch this. Its entertaining, educational, nostalgic and funny. Its only 2 episodes. Whats there to loose.
FAKEANIMEGIRL
https://noahsb1c7c15d6d.wordpress.com/ The Otaku Video is a 1991 Gainax OVA that provides a parodical glance into its titular culture as well as giving a very loose and fictionalized retelling of the founding of Gainax studios. Main character Kubo is an everyday college student dissatisfied with his life and hobbies, but a chance reunion with his old high school friend Tanaka drags him into his world of the Otaku. Kubo leaves his “normal” life behind and vows to become the “Otaking”. The anime skips forward in time as it follows the two friends from fanboys, to model distributors, to independent anime creators. As well as their various oddstruggles in between, delivered in a comedic tone complete with underdog heroes and typical villains.
Dividing these chronological updates are odd live action mockumentary interviews. These are primarily staged interviews about otaku culture between Gainax employees and associates whose faces are typically obscured by mosaic with their voices digitally altered. Being made in a time when “otaku” still referred to general geek culture rather than that of anime, you even see some focus on things such as airsoft gun fanatics. Fake recording dates are given along with timely major national news, seemingly to punctuate these surprisingly self-loathing segments and their mockery of oblivious escapism and empty social lives. These interviews border on mean-spirited, and although it stems from Gainax making fun of themselves, by hiding their identities as they mean to depict broader otaku culture they end up dragging the identities of otaku fans in general through the mud as they’re portrayed as antisocial, perverted losers. For every question that genuinely probes into the minds of various subcultures and their appeals, there’s three that target the interviewee personally such as “Do you ever go outside?” or “Have you ever had sex?”. Clearly the public perspective hasn’t changed much since 1991, but for an OVA ostensibly celebrating the passion behind otaku culture it comes dangerously close to making its condemnation of the scene far more obvious than its appreciation.
It can be seen as honesty to present the optimism, solidarity, and excitement of otaku culture in an anime format complete with a comedic, melodramatic storyline and then to acknowledge the negative parts of it at the same time in reality. But not even the anime segments are free from this negativity and industry remorse, and a binary display of showing only the negativity and shame in the most realistic segments makes the bitterness much more impactful than the optimism. It’s a shame that I can’t picture The Otaku Video as being particularly made “for” anyone. Probably not otaku, for the frequent contempt it shows towards its own members’ ways of living, and the fact that the anime segments don’t focus as much on the otaku lifestyle as they do on a very brief story of rising in the industry of otaku – something almost no one watching will find relatable. The eccentric presentation and title will keep non-otaku miles away, and the depiction of the “real” otaku will make any one of them desperate to avoid that path.
Even not taking it seriously, The Otaku Video is just too sour for its own comedic purposes. Often too self-loathing, in a way that’s now particularly tired and reductionist, to set a consistent mood for laughter or joy. It’s also too heavily fictionalized to work as a reliable historic take on Gainax’s creation. There are some high-spirited moments scattered throughout as the characters stubbornly defend their interests despite being scorned by society and hope to end the prejudice, but these ideologies end up being buried by the creators’ negativity and own lack of confidence. And yet, the OVA is likable enough. In addition to crisp, colorful Blu-ray animation, this OVA’s very existence and even the contradictions about it are a testament to Gainax’s peak eccentricity and the concept and result is something that could only come from the incredible creative forces behind the studio and beyond it. It’s delightful, not for any possible attempt to capture otaku culture or Gainax’s founding, but its inherent display of the personality that made the studio so unique. In other words, this isn’t a video for otaku – it’s a video for Gainax dorks. Are you one?
RobdeFR
This Gainax video was missing in my library. And I’m very glad that I finally got to watch it. The Gainax animation in ’91 was excellent and this OVA was probably the first in it’s kind to thread some experimental paths in animation, a style that it was copied later on on titles like Tylor and became Gainax trademark in Eva and Kare Kano and on. As Gainax universe is concerned you see obvious links and the same style used in Gainax productions, if you put Otaku No Video>Evangelion>Kare Kano one after the other you can clearly see the evolution of the studio in thatparticular style. Obviously they are different approaches but each of them ended being a timeless classic with their similarities in animation.
The OVA starts off in ’82 telling the story of a average Japanese person slowly getting more and more into the otaku universe throughout the years.
Interesting point is that Gainax interview several real life otakus (or persons that had been otaku in their college days), these occasional small interviews add some sad and depressing mood to it, but it doesn’t decrease the quality of the OVA, in the other side it raised the quality.
As the story goes by, it surpasses it’s air date year (1991) and goes further into the future, this led the story to leave the depressive parts behind and ends in a rather cheerful, comedic and happy ending.
I loved the OVA and would recommend anyone to watch it.
Rate; 8.0/10
ApocalypticFrog
I cannot express my displeasure with this anime enough. This went between an incredibly cringey and unrealistic story, to a low quality interview between the interviewers and otaku from the 1980s. I am amazed at the high reviews for this. I will separate this between the anime part and the interview part, in what is hopefully better executed than the movie itself. ANIME: Story: The story is quite nonsensical, and feels like a random conglomerate of events that loosely match up with the interviews. The ending makes very little sense, and almost feels like it is going against what the entire theme of the movie is supposedto be (basically, don't fall into the trap of becoming an otaku).
Art: It's from 1985, what is there to expect?
Sound: Once again, it's from 1985. It's fine.
Character: The main character, Kubo, somewhat feels like a puppet of the creators rather than a full-fledged character. He falls into the trap of becoming an otaku, but that is where the realism ends. He jumps from one idea to another, and none of the other characters have any depth. Very little is noted about Kubo himself, other than that he has/had a girlfriend, and has incredibly odd dreams after being pushed around like a cue ball.
Overall: Nothing stands out very much other than a terrible story.
INTERVIEWS:
Story: There isn't much of a story, but most of the interviews are somehow related to the anime portions. The interviewer asks multiple questions about the lives of the interviewees, ranging from past experiences to sexual habits. Some of the interviewees are just plain weird, others seem like normal people who are down in the dumps. At one point, the interviewers practically assault somebody who appears to be trying to just go about his normal day.
Sound: I think the sound was fairly normal quality for such an old show, but the first interview stands out to me as being particularly horrid. You can hear every time he breathes in, as though the microphone is sensitive in the wrong place, along with a fan running in the background. One of the people interviewed was from the U.S., and although this may be due to where I seen the movie, the subtitles did not match what he was saying at all.
Polls: After every interview, the narrator shows the watcher several charts depicting responses to various questions, from whether someone has hear of garage kits, to whether they had sex before marriage. These polls are practically taken as fact by the movie, and are used to create assumptions based upon an incredibly small portion of people (usually 100). The process of choosing people is also not explained, so it furthers how unreliable the results may be.
Overall: This is what killed it for me. The idea was certainly interesting, but between weird audio, and unreliable statistics, it didn't feel like it made sense to be included within the movie.
CONCLUSION: This is my first review, because I could not believe how high the ratings for this were. Otaku no Video is overall pretty terrible, from a low-quality story to faulty information. I would definitely skip this, and look for something better to occupy your time with. 2/10
Fear_the_Reefer
Ken Kubo was just your ordinary Japanese college student. He had a beautiful girlfriend, a passion for a sport he was genuinely talented at, and a satisfying life with little to no problems to worry about. Everything was going just fine for young Ken, when he ran into an old friend from high school who’s dedicated his life to a surprising hobby. Tanaka, having put on a generous portion of weight since their last meeting, has fallen into otaku culture, a certified never never land where adults turn their backs on conventional society to pursue every possible facet of an underground counter-pop-culturerevolving around obscure, esoteric subjects such as animation, idol singers, special effects movies and even military paraphernalia. He initially raises his eyebrow at such juvenile fare, but soon finds himself slowly being sucked in, and before he knows it, he gets in way over his head and begins to change on a drastic level, losing both the respect and affection of his girlfriend along with any hint of his old social life.
Having left everything behind, Ken quickly realizes that the only direction he can move is now forward, so that his newfound passion doesn’t have to be a dead end. Instead, he dedicates his life not only to experiencing otaku culture, but changing it, and becoming one with it, so that he may one day become one of the greatest otaku the world has ever known. With the help Tanaka and the rest of his nerdy, passionate friends, Ken Kubo begins to climb the ladder of success as a content creator, overseeing the production of model kits in both Japan and China, all of which is a part of his grand plan to unite all of the otaku of the world in harmony under his rule as the Otaking, leading up to his grand ambition, a future theme park called Otakuland! But when his best friend turns his back on him and sells him out to hand the company over to the least expected person imaginable, will Ken be able to land on his feet, and will the otaku of the world ever live to see the day where they’ll be respected by society?
One of the first things you’ll want to know about Otaku no video is that, unlike most anime, it’s not entirely animated. A good chunk of it’s running time consists of live action interviews conducted in mockumentary style with different kinds of otakus, and these segments are spliced throughout the ova. I’ll talk more about those later, but more importantly, with only two 40 minute episodes and large portions of film that didn’t need to be animated, you might think it would be really simple to set aside a decent budget for the animation portions. And come on, this is Gainax, even a lot of their earlier works are more or less impressive in the visual department. this is unfortunately not the case, as the animation in this OVA is bare bones at best. It can be unbelievably distracting when there are tons of motionless people in the background, which is sadly all too common, and the best looking scenes are the ones where the only things happening are conversations. The opening video was decently animated, but the rest of the product just looks cheap.
Well, I say it looks cheap, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it looks bad. There really isn’t much going on in the animated sections in terms of action, so there really isn’t any content that can feel short-changed over their shortage of change. Yeah, the backgrounds full of frozen people can be distracting, but most of the content is serviceable enough, with no excess funds needed. It doesn’t really look like Gainax style animation, but at the very least, it does look like Gainax style artwork. The characters have an aesthetic that’s very much of it’s time, but is still pretty easy on the eyes. People are more or less realistically proportioned, at least from the neck down, with your typical anime facial constructs being really the only thing keeping them from looking real. Characters also cosplay in several scenes, with the costumes they’re wearing being of incredibly detailed quality, more than accurate enough to satisfy any purists sitting at the table. It’s not a great looking anime, but it looks fine.
So, we’re all otaku, right? I know I am, and obviously you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t have some level of interest in the anime medium. We all love watching animation from a certain bow-shaped archipelago, and as long as we all have that in common, we can more or less live in harmony together. There may be some truth to this, but where people tend to differ is where it comes to their otaku origin stories. We all discovered and embraced anime differently, from people who watched kids anime from a young age to people who just so happened to have their imaginations sparked by that one anime film they saw at a friends’ house. In Otaku no video, the main character was a normal, average person, and he was drawn into otaku culture from his old life because... Well, they’re not clear about what exactly started it, but it was either his friends’ level of passion, the fact that he could watch and out of print TV show on taped cassettes, or seeing that one girl in a fur bikini cosplay. Whatever it was, he came into the fandom as an adult, and was drawn in from the outside world. I don’t know about you, but this couldn’t be more different from my story.
Unlike Ken Kubo, I was born to be an otaku. If you follow the original Japanese definition of the word, someone who’s obsessed with something to the point of over-indulgence, that’s pretty much always described me. As a child I was an otaku for Power Rangers and Xmen, then I moved onto Star Wars, and later on in life I’d have similar experiences with RWBY, MLP Friendship is Magic, and the WWE. I would focus on these things so tightly that I would scare my friends and family away from the same properties. to this day, my brother still feels an aversion towards anything I get into. Seriously, after I got my PS4, his drive to buy one himself instantly died out, and he never touched mine in the year that I’ve had it. I have a tendency to approach things cautiously and skeptically, but then to dive in head first as soon as my toe’s in the water. I’ve had numerous otaku-like obsessions throughout my life, but looking back, none of them hit me as hard as pokemon did. That franchise landed me like a prize bass, and it ultimately worked as my gateway anime as a result, just like it has for a lot of people.
I went HARD into pokemon. It dominated my life to the point that I could see myself being one of the people interviewed in Otaku no video, were it made today. I don’t feel comfortable going into relevant experiences without a mosaic covering my face, but trust me, it wasn’t healthy. Thankfully, it’s proximity to Cardcaptors on Kids WB set me on the beginning of a much better path. Cardcaptors(No, not Cardcaptor Sakura, and I’m not proud of this) soon took over for it in my heart, and managed to get me into fanfic writing, which got me into writing in general. I would eventually move onto other TV anime, such as Dragonball Z and Sailor Moon, before titles like Azumanga Daioh, Excel Saga and Chobits took me deeper into the medium, seeking out titles that weren’t immediately available at the time. Getting a full-time job also really helped, as it’s allowed me to pour money into the medium, often to my own detriment, and I eventually wound up giving back to the community through a blog that I’ve been running for four years strong. My obsessive tendencies haven’t gone away, as I still feel the need to buy merchandise and become a part of everything I get into, but I doubt I’ll ever grow out of that.
Now, why did I go out of my way to tell you all about my journey as an otaku? Well, first of all, because Otaku no Video doesn’t really offer a lot of discussion points of it’s own. That may sound harsh of me, but second of all, I can’t really relate to any of it, as my story is so obviously different from theirs. I don’t doubt that there’s a lot of people out there who can watch this anime, point to the screen at various moments and proclaim “Yeah, that’s how it was for me,” but I really can’t. Maybe I’m not the target audience, because I didn’t come up the way they did, I’m not well versed in classic anime(I mean come on, most old shows are at least one hundred episodes long), and I don’t feel so attached to the sanctity of otaku lifestyle that I need to see it given a blowjob just to feel more contented with my own life choices. I didn’t catch most of the references, I don’t feel compelled to look them up, and while I’ve been able to acknowledge the existence of passion as a positive life lesson before, it doesn’t feel as important here.
Part of it has to do with the fact that this anime wasn’t really intended to have a great story attached to it. One of the over-all themes I picked up on was one of nostalgia, and sure enough, I’ve been told by a few sources that Otaku no video is a semi-autobiographical tale about the founding of Gainax, through the love, passion, tragedy and triumph that got it where it is today... As well as 18 years in the still-distant future, because hey why not be optimistic? I don’t know how much of “Giant X’s” history accurately represents Gainax’s own tale, but it does offer a strong argument for no compelling story or plot being needed. After all, if you’re telling someone’s real life story, there’s no call to embellish the facts for the sake of entertainment. Well, you can say that, but when you’re telling your life story in 1991, and you’re patting yourself on the back for events that take place in 1999 and 2035, maybe throwing in a little spice to keep the viewer entertained isn’t the worst thing you can possibly do. I’m just saying.
Because as it is, I certainly didn’t hate this anime, but I also found it really difficult to get invested in it. Rather than an actual story, it felt like footnotes, only giving us about one brief scene from each year of the fictitious company’s history, and who the hell knows what happened inbetween? For all we know, the guy with the weird sleeping habits had a drinking problem. For all we know, Ken and Tanaka were almost turned against each other by a love triangle with the cute cosplaying lady. For all we know, somebody’s parents died, affecting their attitude and convictions. All we ever get is “This happened, then this happened, then this happened...” And while all of it is relevant in some way to the over-all plot, I felt so little attachment to the stakes and characters that I found myself dozing off multiple times during the much more fast-paced second episode. Then again, maybe that’s a good thing, because from what I hear, one of the things I missed was seeing a porn enthusiast who’s trying to find a way to circumvent Japan’s decency laws jerk off on camera. I’m kind of glad I didn’t get to see that.
And speaking of the live action segments, they are pretty interesting. They act as a counterbalance to the anime’s shameless trumpeting of otaku pride by showing off the other side of the coin, how these types of obsessions can dominate and potentially ruin a person’s life. It’s not entirely negative, of course, and offers a fair and honest look at the real human faces behind otaku culture. It introduces us to people who are obviously deviating from social norms, but to them, what they’re doing is completely normal, even if it results in perpetual virginity. Everybody they show us is fascinating in their own way, from a military geek who’d fit in quite well with America’s paintball culture, a gashapon enthusiast who likes to disassemble merchandise he gets and construct his own parts for them if they’re not to his liking, somebody who records rare video(I’d like to imagine he, or a close relative, is now making a killing off of youtube), and even a few criminals who buy and sell animation cells from anime production companies. This alone would make up for a lot of the anime’s failings, if it wasn’t for the overwhelming evidence that all of these interviews were staged, and starred Gainax employees under false names.
Otaku no Video is available from Animeigo in both video cassette and DVD, which despite being out of print for respectively twenty-four and fourteen years, is still pretty easy to find online at an affordable price. There’s no english dub, but honestly, I don’t really find that surprising.
If you can’t tell by the length of this review, I had a very difficult time writing a piece on this particular OVA. It almost defies review, because by it’s very nature, the story it’s telling doesn’t need to be fleshed out or well written. It had a very specific goal, to cater to a very specific group of fans, which just happen to be the same kinds of fans that Gainax is made of. Even 26 years later, modern day otaku who grew up on the anime of the seventies and eighties can still find a fulfilling experience in it. I guess that’s why, at the end of the day, the word that I think best describes Otaku no Video would be esoteric, and that’s ultimately why it’s so hard to place a rating on it. I haven’t watched a lot of older anime, and with my time now being eaten up by a full time job and a blog that I need to constantly be writing reviews for, I probably never will, once again considering just how long a lot of those shows ran. I feel bad giving it a negative score when I’m so very explicitly not part of it’s target audience, especially seeing how beloved it is to people from it’s intended crowd, so I guess in the end there’s nothing I can do but take it on faith and shoot for the middle ground. I give Otaku no video a 6/10.
Krav40
- If you're into playing tennis, that's just fine and dandy. But if you watch anime, you're weird? Why?! Otaku no Video was a brilliant and educational little two-part OVA that follows this guy who wants to be the ultimate otaku or the "otaking". Its mainly inspired by the real story of how Gainax was founded, which we're obsessed with anime fans who wanted to make their own stuff. What I loved about this is how passionate and in your face it is. This show is not only very good in terms of its message of embracing YOUR inner otaku, but it also includes partsof real-life interviews with otakus who are awkward and clumsy and who don't even want to admit to their otaku habits in general. Most of them also lacked social contact and many were still virgins. Part 1 of Otaku no Video was very realistic and down to earth, but in part 2 the OVA becomes more like something that Gainax would have made, like f.ex Evangelion or Gurren Lagann, with a weird and insane ending.
Otaku No Video also shows that the word "otaku" doesn't solely have to be about anime, it can also apply to an obsession with anything else, e.g military, computers and even things that are considered criminal, which they showed a person who stole DVDs and sold them to people.
To conclude, Otaku No Video was an obscure yet insightful OVA that gave me new information on the Otaku culture and showed me that in Japan the word "otaku" is something which those who are, are ashamed of and how someone who is an Otaku can be applied to every hobby, just as long as that turns into an extreme obsession where it affects the life of that person in question. Otaku is much more embraced in the west and is mostly referred to as anime fans, which is why I call myself Otaku, even though it might mean something different in Japan.
chevybow
Otaku no video is a rather.. boring OVA. It transitions between animation and live action segments. The animation tells a rather uninteresting story of 2 otaku who build up this giant otaku empire.. or something. I honestly didn't care much for the animation bit. It was constantly interrupted by the live action segment (which was much more interesting)- consequently messing up the pacing and making it hard to connect to either the plot or characters. The fictitious story emits strong themes regarding otaku and their personalities but ultimately seems to serve little purpose. I would have rated the OVA higher if it did not includethe animation bits.
The interesting part of this OVA are the live action interview segments. Otaku come in many forms: some obsessed with guns, some obsessed with anime. The live action segment interviews a variety of the different otaku that exist and very obviously pushes a message given the type of questions asked. Some of the questions are personal and dive into the (lack of) romantic life of the otaku- but regardless it was interesting to see the perspective of otaku first hand. While I have seen similar interviews online- the people presented in these live action clips seem depressingly more genuine than the otaku I've seen interviewed prior, and I would have rather just watched a series of interviews in this format than watched through this OVA.
It's difficult for me to say I dislike the OVA. I would not recommend it as I feel a lot of the OVA is unnecessarily boring and repetitive. It was interesting to watch and learn about Otaku culture- but due to lack of entertainment I give this show an average rating of a 5/10.
otousan
Otaku No Video glorifies and celebrates (even as it lovingly skewers) the lives of people into anime, manga, model kits, replica guns, and science fiction. Supposedly an over-the-top, exaggerated biography of Gainax (the ultimate otaku's studio) themselves, this OVA is loaded with references to Macross, Gundam, Lupin, Yamato, Gainax's own works, and more. To compare to other movies and shows, it's a little bit Project A-Ko, a little bit NHK No Youkoso (though not so dark at all), and dare I say its modern counterpart might be Lucky Star? It caters shamelessly to fans and asks nothing from outsiders, and it's a ton of funfor anyone who wants to witness the roots of Gainax, or see just how obsessive some people can be.
AlephDaud
You may have heard of Studio Gainax. They’re the guys that made Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, FLCL, Panty and Stocking among many others. What is most interesting about them however is their connection to Otaku and one particular project of their’s: the original video animation (OVA) Otaku No Video. Gainax and Otaku: Before we get into Otaku No Video, let’s go over some context. Now what is an Otaku? For most people in the western world, it just means ‘anime fan’ however in Japan is has more negative connotations. It’s supposed to refer to someone who’s not only a fan but has seemingly devoted their entire lifestyleto a certain obsession or hobby, usually pop culture.
Gainax was founded by Otaku. These guys in university with their sketchy grades and little to no experience in animation decided to lock themselves in a small Osaka apartment and attempt to make anime (among other things). With makeshift tools and animation cels they, got their start making animated shorts for the convention Daikon III.
It was one the first times a Studio came about from a sort of indie grassroots origins and it’s something Gainax seemed to have kept with them through their life. Shows like Evangelion, Gurren Lagann and even their spiritual successor Studio Trigger’s shows like Kill la Kill and SSSS.Gridman show the classic joys of otaku fandom like giant tokusatsu mechs, over the top explosions and lots of fanservice.
They’ve even tackled more cynical aspects of the lifestyle. Particularly with Gainax co-founder Hideki Anno and his later works like End of Evangelion and MEMEME which featured direct criticisms of the otaku lifestyle inspired by Anno’s disillusionment with Otaku and how he had fell into depression during the making of Evangelion as a result.
I bring this up because Otaku No Video directed by Takeshi Mori is one of their earliest projects and is explicitly about the studio’s otaku roots. It’s a spoof all about being an otaku and the culture that created Gainax.
The Otaku’s Journey:
Otaku No Video is split into two sections more or less. The animated section revolves around Kubo, your average university student, on the tennis club, has a cute girlfriend but also kind of board, until one day he discovers the otaku circle of the University. Cosplaying in the fairs, selling doujinshi, recording all and all shows on VHS, he is slowly enveloped into their ranks.
Keep in mind this was made in the late 80s to early 90s where there was no internet, big franchises like Naruto, One Piece and Pokémon didn’t exist and shows about specifically catering to and staring the otaku demographic weren’t common. The otaku fandom was even smaller and more underground than it is today when nerd culture (especially in the west) is far more accepted in the mainstream. This creates a feel of these guys being a niche group that really only have each other.
The otaku Group at least at first does almost feel like a goofy cult with how they induct Kubo into their ranks but at the same time, they’re shown to be very warm and welcoming, and their comradery feels real. That’s what nice about this OVA, it truly feels like it presents both the best and the worst of otaku. We see Kubo’s life take quite a downturn since becoming an otaku. He gains weight, he’s not grooming himself very well and eventually his girlfriend dumps him, but he finds more excitement in the world of anime and tokusatsu than he did before and it’s hard not to feel a but happy with just how passionate these nerds are about their hobbies. As someone who has led an anime society at Uni and found some life-long friends through it, it’s hard not to feel a little warm and nostalgic watching these weebs.
I also like the plot point where Kubo is even able to find success making model figures only for a larger corporation to swoop in and take over his company and demote him from power, basically gutting his business from the inside, a sadly common practice in a lot of media industries. Thankfully he’s able to start again but it makes a solid point. On one hand otaku are weirdos stuck in their own little world that in can be easy to take advantage of but they’re also mostly good people looking for likeminded individuals to share their hobby with and having success and despair along the way.
The Otaku’s Portrait:
The other section is called ‘Portrait of an Otaku’ which has live action interviews with real Otaku and some facts about them. What interesting about this section is a westerner it can be surprising to learn just how much nuance there is to otaku lifestyles.
The video does show a few of a more typical idea of an otaku; NEETs with no friends who spend all day watching anime but also less typical like a tape collector that spends his time recording anything he finds cool on TV and trading them with others. There’s also a military Otaku who likes to collect air-soft guns and role play in the forest but upon being asked if he would ever want to shoot someone with a real gun looked dumbfounded, saying he never considered it and just thinks they look cool. There’s even a weaboo. A westerner that speaks little Japanese yet decided to sell all his things, move to Japan and devote his life to collecting Japanese pop culture memorabilia (oh how some things haven’t changed).
The one I found the strangest though was an otaku who made a living infiltrating anime studio and stealing animation cels to sell on a kind of otaku black market. Apparently, the security at these studios was so low, the turnover rate so high that you could just walk in, pretend to be an employee and go off with them. Hopefully, security has improved in the 30 years since this was made.
Final Thesis about Otaku No Video:
Otaku no Video is an odd little thesis. I never realised just how many ways there were to being an otaku. It’s easy to see geek culture as just sad men in their mother’s basements both what I think both the animated and live action sections show otaku in a darkly humorous but respectful manner. It shows otaku for who they are; weird and some of them have pretty obvious mental health problems, but others are happy with their lives and just enjoying their hobbies, regardless of what the mainstream think of them. It’s a fascinating insight into the old school Otaku lifestyle from the eyes of people that were part of it.
I’d say it’s worth a watch for all anime weebs at least once. Think of it as learning more about your origins, the good and the bad of it.
Firechick12012
For many people, anime was this super secret niche thing that nobody knew about, and you had to jump through hoops in order to find it, or go out of your way to some really obscure places to find it. I grew up during the 2000s, so this wasn't the experience I had with anime, but anime only started coming to the US in the 80s, and not in one piece if you know what I mean. Nowadays, we take anime and what it can offer us for granted, but back when you couldn't access it as easily as we could now, anime used tobe this mysterious, awesome, amazing thing that anyone who didn't actively seek it out couldn't access. Liking anime and manga was a hobby most people didn't understand or appreciate back in those days, and even now, there's still a big of a stigma against anime fans. But if you love something and aren't hurting anyone with it, then what's the big deal? Such is the subject of today's review, a little two episode OVA called Otaku no Video.
Beginning in the year 1982, Ken Kubo, the main character of this OVA, is a college student who has a nice life. He's participating in his college's tennis team and has a nice girlfriend. One day, he runs into an old friend of his from school, Tanaka, who frequently hangs out with anime fans and enthusiastic hobbyists. Kubo decides to reconnect with Tanaka and get to know his circle of friends better. Soon, he finds himself more and more drawn into anime as a hobby, to the point where he quits tennis and starts to let himself go a bit, which causes his girlfriend to break up with him. Eventually, Ken decides to fully immerse himself in the world of anime, and starts to see why Tanaka likes it so much. And thus begins Ken's journey to become the ultimate otaku, or as he calls it, the Otaking.
Now, for modern fans, Otaku no Video might come off as a product of its time, because many of its pop culture references are solely on stuff that came out during the 80s, like Urusei Yatsura, the original Gundam, Captain Harlock, Macross, Nausicaa, Minky Momo, and so on. People who grew up during that time period will recognize those references immediately, but modern fans nowadays won't be able to figure them out unless they've seen those shows or have some passing knowledge of them. That knowledge isn't necessarily needed to understand what's going on, but it's a fun little bonus for those who do. But whether you grew up during the eighties or not, the OVA still manages to really capture what it means to be a fan of something and the absolute joy one gets from being able to share those hobbies with like-minded friends. Of course, the anime isn't afraid to show the downsides of it as well, showing the stigma anime fans receive due to untrue stereotypes and how some fans take their passions too far. There are live-action segments spliced into the anime called Portrait of an Otaku, which are said to be interviews with actual otaku and showing how being one affects them, both good and bad...though those segments are actually staged, parody mockumentaries with Gainax employees playing made-up characters as a way to make fun of both the stereotyped portrayals of otaku and themselves, with Hideaki Anno in particular playing the part of an otaku who loves Noriko from GunBuster. Considering Gainax was originally started up by a group of anime fans, that says a lot.
On the technical side of things, the animation is pretty good for something that came out in the early 90s. The character designs are distinct, the actual animation and movement is fairly good, the backgrounds are well drawn, and the animators really did their best not only to pack in as many references to actual anime as possible, but even replicate them down to their finest details. Although I did notice some characters' body parts were a bit off model at times. On the other hand, the soundtrack is absolutely amazing on all fronts. The opening song in particular is catchy, fun, and has no right to be as awesome as it is for an anime like this, and the soundtrack itself...I can only think of one word for it: energetic. From the eighties synthesizers to the saxophones, flutes, trumpets, and full orchestras, the soundtrack is just brimming with life, and every single piece of background music slaps so hard it's not even funny.
The show is only two episodes long, both about 45 minutes long, less if you decide to skip the Portrait of an Otaku segments. Because of this, the characters don't have a lot of time to really develop or be fleshed out, or do more than they're shown here. That being said, I found the characters to be fine. Nothing groundbreaking, but they serve their roles pretty well, Ken in particular is a cool dude, and we do see the main characters change and grow as a result of the decisions they make throughout the OVA. Otaku no Video really goes out of its way to show how being an otaku can effect people, both for better and for worse by showing how Ken deals with both the happiness he gets from connecting with these new friends and the discrimination he faces from people who only see otaku as overgrown manchildren who live in their parents' basements. I do kind of wish some characters got more screen time and development, such as the new girlfriend Ken gets in the second episode.
All of this now begs the question: What makes Otaku no Video special to begin with? It sounds like just a goofy slice-of-life anime. For one, Gainax, the company that animated this, was also made up of anime fans, so you could argue that Otaku no Video is the story of Gainax themselves and how they managed to succeed in fulfilling their dreams...that is until it all went to shit in the future, but that's neither here nor there. Another part of it could be its parodic, light-hearted satire of otaku culture in general that wasn't afraid to poke fun at itself every now and again. But I think the reason it continues to be revered as a great starting anime in general is because of its accepting attitude towards people who love their hobbies. Otaku no Video shows that being an otaku is not easy, but that there's nothing inherently wrong with being interested in things most others aren't, and if other people have a problem with it, screw them, they're likely not worth listening to anyway. Granted, nerd culture is becoming more and more accepted in the 2010s and 2020s, though it still has a long way to go, so Otaku no Video's message might be considered a cliche at this point, but since it's still very well liked even to this day, I think it's safe to say that it's influence isn't going to diminish any time soon. It helps that it's pretty easy to own on DVD and Blu-Ray now, though you'll have better luck ordering it on AnimEigo's website. It's also available to stream on the website RetroCrush if you don't want to pay for it.
While it may be considered dated nowadays, Otaku no Video is a must-watch anime for people who want to embrace nerd culture and appreciate it for what it has to offer.
acutedream
So I just watched the two episodes yesterday at Anime NYC online. I usually do not like older anime as much, but this one changed my mind. I really liked how it made fun of otaku stereotypes, and it explained parts of otaku culture that I did not even know existed (soldier otakus). The audio was all right, but I was watching it for a free con, so you kinda get what you expect. I enjoyed the story, even though it sometimes went a little too quickly. The art gave me a huge nostalgic feeling which I just adored. I actually really got into thecharacter's lives pretty quickly, even though they were not in the anime too much. Overall, if you want to watch an anime that makes fun of anime and otaku culture, this is the one for you. I think many shows try to pull off what Otaku no Video did, but it is really difficult to make a comparison.
brandotendie
Part introduction to the world of otaku and part self-fulfilment otaku wet dream power fantasy, Otaku no Video is charming on both fronts. Having documentary-style video clips interspered amongst the entirety of the film really added to that charm, as did the relatively-lightning fast pacing of the second half for the main plot. But of course, as charming as many of the aspects are, all infused with the signature passion and self-aware voice of Gainax (lots and lots of Trigger tropes that took the weeb world by storm in the 10s are very present here), it does feel middling at times due to the fact that it'strying to appeal to two extremely different audiences, necessarily, two opposite ends of a spectrum: anime noobies and anime vets.
But despite that stretched out feeling of duality, Otaku no Video still succeeds (and at times, utterly triumphs) solely due to that aforementioned Gainax passion.
It's a love letter to anime and to its boom during the 80s golden age. It takes all the facets of otaku culture, all of its obesessive tenets, its inherent patheticness, its disgusting flaws, and embraces them.
It doesn't praise them, nor dismiss them, but just says "this is part of who otaku are, and we are otaku."
Juxtaposed with that power fantasy plot of the main animation, and the entire film as a whole really just feels like a retrospective love letter, pinned on with musings of what could have been.
It might not work for everyone due to its split identity, but if nothing else, Otaku no Video is charming.
operanerd
Anyone going into this film should probably know that a lot of the footage of the films live action portions are fake, with most people interviewed being employees of the studio, (one of the people who acts in this film as an interviewee is none other than notorious Otaku hater Hidaeki Anno, who pretends to be a fan who has little self control over specific viewing behavior, watch the film and you will see what I am talking about), so it shouldn't be taken seriously. As a mockumentary though, it is very funny. The anime portion is very enjoyable, starting out very relatable but goinginto bizarre territory. It does show some of the aspects of social stigma that are very present among anime fans, but in a very funny parody style. Not a perfect film by any means, but if you are looking for a film that spoofs its own audience, than look no further.
GalacticJourney
If you didn’t like this anime (particularly the second half), it wasn’t aimed at you. The idea is that these people, these weird, utterly impassioned people, followed their dream and through perseverance and guts managed to Otakunize the planet. It’s a wish-fulfillment fantasy, but it’s also only a slight exaggeration of what Gainax really accomplished (don’t believe me? They’re *still* playing Cruel Angel’s Thesis at half the Pachinko parlors in Ikebukuro). This OVA was aimed squarely at people like me and my wife. It is no understatement to say that it changed our lives when we first watched it in 1999, brand new Otaku, to whom allof the references went over our head. We were Kubo.
The show inspired us not only to become “Otaku no naka no Otaku”, amassing a collection that makes the folks in the interviews look like pikers, but to create our own circle of friends much like the ones in the show. We watched anime, cosplayed, did conventions, put ON conventions. The works.
But that was only Part One…
In 2001, we started an anime licensing company, and we even came close to bagging the original Fruits Basket. Unfortunately, 9-11 (and the fact that we had NO idea what we were doing) put an end to the endeavor, but it was fun while it lasted.
But in 2019, inspired by the same spirit, if not quite the same medium, we started a successful publishing house. Now, one of our bigger series is being shopped around Hollywood by an agent, and a screenwriter has expressed interest in adapting. Who know? It may well become an anime some day!
So, if you watched the show as an historical document and thought, well, that was pretty cool, awesome. If you watched it and said, "Ugh, this show sucks," then I'd hate to live in your brain. But if you watched it and said, “This is a blueprint for my life,” then you got the message, because Otaku no Video is the blueprint for the lives of those who made Gainax, designed to inspire the next generation of Otaku! 🙂
B2Reviews
A classic and rare title for us stateside, I'd heard it mentioned and described and summarized for years. Got a DVD copy for the archives near the end of last year (went by quick and thank God for that) so I could finally see for myself what was so Otaku about it. Overall a nice watch with an odd premise. Animated fictional account of a fan's ascent/descent into otakudom mixed with live action segments in a documentary style. The only thing that drags it down is those live segments. I enjoyed the anime skits and I could readily spot which character wasinspired by my manga-ka hero, Kenichi Sonoda.
Funny in a self deprecating way, truthful without pointing a finger in your face and yelling, "YOU'RE SICK! GROW UP!", and for an older project I don't think it has aged too badly.
I'd suggest it for the completionist collector of genuine anime geek stuff, and applaud anyone who gets the gang together for beer and a viewing party. Hey, that sounds like a great idea...
lolthe0
Otaku no video Quite literally a video for Otakus, by Otakus. This "anime" isn't exactly an anime, and probably weren't meant to be viewed as an anime. As was intended by Gainax founders, Anno and many others. Otaku no Video is a documentary. The story is non-existent, unless you were to ignore the real-life interview segments and only focus on the animated parts, then you'd have a simple story of young man loses focus in life and goes on to become the OTAKING! However, that's not the point of Otaku no Video. The focus is on the negative connotations of being an Otaku. Only showing, thebad and the worst. From one degenerate behavior to another. It should be known that Otaku by definition just means being an enthusiast for a particular thing/interest. Hence you have anime otaku, game otaku, gun otaku, and so on. Obviously, anime/manga otaku being the most popular form of otaku.
This "anime" does its best to show an unscripted and true representation of the various otaku. (Most, if not all, interviewees have some sort of connection to Gainax) Hideaki Anno, appearing as himself, is one of the interviewee. One might even correlate that the main characters' mentality and behavior portrayed is a mirror image of Gainax's founders.
I think, that anyone who likes anime or manga, will learn more about their interest after watching this "anime."
If you are an otaku/weeb/degenerate, you should definitely watch Otaku no Video.
