Have you ever wondered what thousands and thousands of Japanese otaku (geeks) look like when they swoop on a single spot? They look like this.
The Japan Expo Belgium 2011 was held in Belgium, with folks dressing up like Japanese anime and game characters. And other people beating the crap out of each other.
In a piece on the Lolita Complex, punks and otaku, game translator and author Matt Alt points out that the word “otaku” (“geek”) was a dirty word of sorts, banned by NHK until 2008. More in the link. [Neojaponisme]
Japan’s National Tourism Organisation has released a two-sided map that will revolutionise Otaku Tourism. The first side details each region in Japan, leading fans to major anime/manga hotspots, and the other details pilgrimages to harder to find locations. [Forevergeek]