Dedication / Acknowledgments ix
Introduction. "Otaku" and the Struggle for Imagination in
Japan 1
1. Seeking an Alternative: "Male Sōjo Fans since the 1970s
20
2. "Otaku" Research and Reality Problems 49
3. Moe: An Affective Response to Fictional Characters 76
4. Akihabara: "Otaku" and Contested Imaginaries in Japan
127
5. Maid Cafés: Relations with Fictional and Real Others in Spaces
Between 184
Conclusion. Eshi 100: The Politics of Japanese, "Otaku," Popular
Culture in Akihabara and Beyond 227
Notes 261
Bibliography 289
Index 311
Patrick W. Galbraith is a lecturer at Senshū University in Tokyo. He is the author of The Moe Manifesto: An Insider's Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming, coauthor of AKB48, and coeditor of Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture.
“In this tremendous book, Patrick W. Galbraith brings to life the
relatively unknown world of Japanese popular culture. His voice
shines throughout thoughtful interviews, detailed ethnography,
sensitive portraits of people characterized as ‘otaku,’ and nuanced
readings of videogames and interactive fiction. An impressive
contribution to the field of manga and anime studies.”
*The Soul of Anime: Collaborative Creativity and Japan’s Media
Success Story*
“This book offers nothing less than a thorough rethinking of
normative sexuality and alternative sexualities through the figure
of the otaku and their practices. It's everything that the fields
of Japan studies, queer theory, and media history need at this
moment. A virtually flawless and captivating read.”
*Anime’s Media Mix: Franchising Toys and Characters in Japan*
"This thoughtful investigation of hegemonic masculinity and its
alternatives at the margins of imagination is well-sourced with
cultural and academic research as well as personal experience."
*Choice*
“Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan is a meticulously
researched book...[and] a strong contribution to the field of
Japanese popular culture.”
*Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute*
“This is an excellent and thought-provoking text which will no
doubt take its rightful place in the canon of manga, anime, and
otaku studies. . . . The narrative [Galbraith] weaves contains just
the right amount of academic theoretical discourse, reflections on
his personal involvement in the movement, more as a participant
than as a participant observer, and a solid history of Japanese
(sub-)culture over the last 50 years.”
*Japanese Studies*
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