Otaku - Japan's Consumer Cult

Date: 2006 September 13 16:48

Posted by Joe

Otaku - Japan's Consumer Cult.

A syndicated article that appears MSNBC and Business Week focuses on the Otaku, who are Japan's Consumer Fanatics.

It mentions their geeky tendencies to build their own computers, along with their spending large amounts of money on collectable manga and associated merchandise. Interestingly enough the article also states their raw spending power, around $3.5 Billion dollars (USD), a year on anime DVDs, manga, IT gadgets and other toys. Namco Bandai's Idol Manager idolm@ster gets a mention too.

The article then goes on to explain the Densha Otoko and maid cafes, along with English language websites that track the news. They single out two websites Otaku World and this website Otaku News. ^_^

The article also mentions kakure-otaku (hidden otaku), and the Secret Otaku Support Commission.

It then finishes with Kondo Kagaku, a company that noticed a lot of it's servomotors were being bought buy keen otaku who wanted to produce their own robots, so the company met demand and produced their own robot kit.