Talk:Akihabara/Archives/2012

Fire

The main article states: "Prior to World War II the area was a bustling overcrowded community. A major blaze which nearly destroyed the district brought ...". I am guessing the fire was a result of the US fire-bombing of Tokyo, but I cannot be certain. If this is the case, it would be better to say "Fire-bombing" instead of "a major blaze" - it makes a more direct sentence and also suggests the increased magnitude of Akhibara's resurgence. --Zippy 16:42, 5 Nov 2004 (UTC)

The fire actually took place in 1869, so it wasn't the firebombing that caused it. Source: http://www.cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1996/dec96/akihaba.html Kyaa the Catlord 11:25, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

Perhaps this article should be changed then, to reflect the actual date of the fire. As it is now, most people assume that it means the fire was in 1940, or was the result of WWII. This was pre WWII, pre WWI, and infact pre 20th century. Saying what is said in this article is almost exactly(at least in the issue of time) as saying, "Prior to the US invasion of Iraq, the US landed on the beaches of Normandy" instead of saying a more accurate date. Liquidtenmillion 01:45, 27 January 2006 (UTC)

Tourists

I'm putting this out mainly for the sake of debate, but I don't think 秋葉原 can really be considered an "otaku mecca" anymore. People often go to the place with the expressed intention of "seeing some otaku"---as a result, the place is generally packed with people bent on "seeing some otaku". The article states that "otaku are afforded the chance to gather [at Akihabara] to avoid alienation imposed by others who do not share their specific interests," yet Akihabara has rather earned a reputation on the foundation of alienating such people---thrusting them out as novelties in themselves. The article would perhaps be better off discussing Akihabara as a place with a reputation for otaku, rather than as a place where otaku can actually be found in abundance.

But maybe I'm mistaken on this. Does anyone have anything to say about that? Kaje

Plenty of self-confessed otaku in Tokyo call themselves "akiba-kei" (usually with a self mocking smile, although sometimes quite earnestly); and the very fact that Akiba contains more doujinshi, figurine, animation and computer game shops than any other place in the world means that yes, of course lots of otaku go there. Likewise most "idol" related book/CD launches and events are held in Akiba. And of course there are more maid cafes in Akiba than probably every other part of Tokyo combined. I don't think anyone goes to Akiba to "see otaku".. Think about the sheer mass of people in Akiba; it's immensely crowded with people doing serious shopping, not "otaku-spotting". Secondly, apart from one or two westerners who've seen some kind of TV special or wikipedia article about "otaku", why would anyone want to "see some otaku"?? Most people either think otaku are creepy, and stay away from Akiba, or more recently, accept otaku as regular Joe-schmoes but with nerdy, obsessive interests. Lately there are many non-otaku shoppers who go there to check out the huge new buildings and maybe visit a maid cafe because they saw one on TV, but Akiba is still otaku central. Finally, I think it depends on your definition of "otaku".. I'd say that anyone over 13 who spends 100 dollars on a plastic robot or cat-eared doll carrying a laser gun qualifies. By that definition, there must be thousands of otaku in Akiba to support all the toy and figure shops- it's certainly not kids going there.

Fair enough. My point was really that "otaku culture" (e.g., maid cafes, action-figure stores), plus maybe Akihabara's reputation for electronics, was the draw for people, and that otaku themselves (the real ones with serious social issues, as opposed to normal people with dorky interests) would feel alienated in such a famous, crowded, increasingly touristy setting. But I suppose that isn't necessarily true either, despite Japanese magazine articles that argue such a thing. Thanks for your comments.--Kaje 03:22, 20 August 2006 (UTC)

Very interesting point you raise about real otaku, which is really a question about the use of the word. The otaku article could use some help maybe. In the early 90's otaku was often used to describe people with borderline mental issues, who also had obsessive interests. I think the word is being reclaimed to its original more innocent meaning, nerdy shy losers (I mean this in a nice way) who like games and cartoons and will wait 4 hours in the rain just to take a picture of some tone-deaf girl in a silly pink and white outfit. Even so, even if you are a socially maladjusted old school otaku, you still have to go to Akihabara sometimes to get the latest limited edition idol DVDs and join the cue for the autograph.

Prices & Akihabara's reputation for electronics

When I went to Akihabara, I was really surprised at the prices. I don't know if anyone else can comment on this, if they have insight that I do not; the reputation, as described here and in many guidebooks, is that Akihabara is the place to go for cheap electronics, particularly electronics that are top of the line, brand new. Well, this may be the case for parts, but I didn't actually see much of that. In my experience, yes, Akihabara does have some of the newest technologies, and some of the best quality (everything I've bought there still works beautifully three years later, better than most brand-new American equivalents), but they're not cheap. Just as an example to share, I went to one of those back alley shops, where I thought I'd be getting a good deal by avoiding the tourist trap stores, and asked for a Discman (i.e. a portable CD player) - I figured that this would be one of those cheap joints, and so I aimed high, and explained that I didn't want to pay more than 3000-4000 yen. I can get a schlocky one at home for less than half that price - I thought, given the "cheap electronics" reputation of Akihabara, that I was being reasonable. Well, the shopkeeper laughed in my face and said that the cheapest one they had that was half-decent was 7000 yen. I apologize to rant and go on here, I hope I haven't lost you. But I'm simply curious what other people's perceptions are. Was Akihabara once the place for cheap electronics? Has it become too touristy or too commercial? Or is it only cheap if you're looking for parts? LordAmeth 00:02, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

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I am currently stationed in Japan, and I have two comments on the price issue.

First, compared to Japanese computer prices, Akihabara is dirt cheap.

Second, if you shop arround, and don't just shop the main stores right on the strip, you will find that anything in one of the main stores, is available somewhere else at neer half the price. You just have to look.

Emry 11:41, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

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Project Assessment

A very nice start. I'm happy that there's pictures, and I'm really impressed by the inclusion of a history - I was honestly not expecting that to be addressed. However, the history section should probably be in a prose paragraph format. And for such a major and probably popular topic, it's a shame that the non-history section is so short. Granted, I'll admit I'm not sure there's too much more to say without going into detail about the individual shops (which I'd advise against); nevertheless, see what you can do. Thanks, though, for an excellent start. LordAmeth 00:02, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

Crime

[1] [2] Shouldn't there be a section on this? (Momus (talk) 22:55, 9 January 2008 (UTC))