I’ve been reading about this strange new “surge” in crime in Akihabara, Tokyo. Apparently, for the past year, there has been “…a five-fold increase in the number of people found carrying illegal knives. They believe otaku are doing so in self-defence.”
Why would otaku need to defend themselves in Akihabara, Otaku Heaven, of all places? Because the criminal element has figured out that weak otaku carrying around ¥214,000 are easy targets.
Shockingly enough, credit cards aren’t as popular in the land of electronics as they are here. “In Japan, credit cards are used in just 8% of transactions, compared with more than 20% in the U.S.” Japan is still largely a cash based society, although many financial institutions aim to change that.
The majority of otaku carry around large lump sums of cash when they journey on down to Akihabara and criminals know it. The prospect of easy cash with little or no hassle is too big of a temptation for them to pass by.
Waiting outside popular anime-geared shops, these otaku hunters pull unsuspecting geeks into an adjoining ally and demand their cash. Otaku then fork over the dough and scuttle away with their lives if not their Haruhi figurine.
Also, a meido was accosted when she was handing out fliers for her establishment. Instead of having her money stolen, she was forcefully molested.
Meido and otaku alike have taken to carrying knives for their protection. Police now randomly stop pedestrians in the district to do a spot check to see if they’re packing steel. They fear for the otaku’s safety. The otaku and meido seem to feel safer with four inches of stainless in their pocket but if a person doesn’t know how to use a knife it’s actually more dangerous to carry one than not. That’s what the police are afraid of.
In the US, we have similar shake downs in the form of school bullies beating weaker kids up for their lunch money. That’s been happening for time immemorial. Is it a big deal that the landscape of the Japanese crime scene now includes otaku? Should otaku be more aware of their surroundings and maybe not proclaim “Look at me! Weak and Dorky!!!” with what they’re wearing and their demeanor or should they be free to be as dorky as they want?
Otaku don’t feel safe any more in their Anime Paradise and who can blame them. What do you think? Are otaku an endangered species? Or is this a case of survival of the fittest?
At least they don’t have guns. Unlike certain other countries.
But the maids carrying knives? Would that be moe-adding? I suspect so.
Especially if they know how to use it. :3
Survival of the fittest, definitely.
While reading, I knew someone would mention “a meido carrying a knive? moe!” :p
I think the police should pay special attention to otaku gathering places if they already know they are good targets for criminals.
they should try to get the criminals and not the otaku for carrying knifes. After all it’s the reason why the otaku need to do that..
I think that is a load of bull! otaku’s should b able to be as dorky as they want I’m a anime lover just like them but if your going to be dorky at least don’t fall for some shit like “Hey come here for a min I want to talk to you kide” Don’t be a freaking retard be more aware of some people and if you are going to carry arounds so mcuh money at least of the right sence to not let people know that you do have soem much money I mean my god you have to be stupid to tell somebody ” hey chekc out the shit load of cash in my pocket” My god!
I don’t think otaku are an “endangered species” – people won’t stop being otaku if their interests draw them that far in. But, like a lot of Japanese people, I think they need to get smarter about their own personal protection.
@Tj han, how are knives moe-adding? I’m not too up on moe.
@Sabas, survival of the fittest now a days usually means the person who has the most cash; not the strongest , smartest, carrier of desirable genes..
If we stop and think about it, a lot of people who are alive today are here because of modern medicine. 100, even 50 years ago, these same people wouldn’t have even made it past the birth canal. The reason why they received medical care is because they had $$$ and occasionally, insurance (which costs $$$).
So, if you think about it, if otaku have a lotta $$$$, shouldn’t that, in today’s modern society, mean that they’re the fittest? Just a thought….
@Nemo_N, I’m not familiar withJapan’s police infrastructure. Do they even have that kind of manpower to patrol all the popular anime gathering places in Akihabara?
@Kami68K, I think the police are trying to get the criminals when they randomly stop pedestrians. I wonder if the Japanese police are going to need to set up a profiling system in order to protect otaku and catch potential otaku hunters.
@Zack, agreed. Be as dorky as you want but at least have a strong demeanor when hitting the streets. Looking like a victim will get you treated like one but looking like you’d put up a fight will make you less of a target. Animals do this and the only exceptions to the rule are the predators who are truly desperate, sick, or inexperienced. I don’t think some thug who’s been ganking otaku for thrills is any of those; just opportunistic.
@griever, do you feel the Japanese as a whole have issues with being careful about self-protection? Geez, they live in a land that has some really effective self-defense arts.
So far, I’m hearing that the otaku have the right to be geeky but also, that they should take responsibility for their safety. Is this an American attitude? Has growing up with bullies and cliques taught us to be more conscious of potential danger?
I know the Japanese social structure is vastly different from the US’, down to the schools. Can this be part of the problem? Should self-defense be drilled into these kids heads at a young age? Should the Japanese “vaccinate” their kids by injecting the school system with more bullies? Or will otaku always be clueless because that’s part of what makes them otaku?….
I think a lot of Japanese people don’t consider being harmed when they leave the house because 1) crime is still relatively low (compared to the US), 2) the news plays up stereotypes of the very violent crimes, so the vision of what to be aware of is limited (this includes gaijin, at times), and 3) there’s generally been a sense of “you just don’t do it” (unless you’re yakuza, and then you’re socially permitted, in a sense).
A lot of people don’t study martial arts and my guess is that for a group of people, the hardcore Akihabara otaku would be among the lowest.
Man these otaku’s should sign up for self-defense classes and bulk up like Kenshiro.
They should do like animals do in the wild and travel in packs. Then they should see if they can get a group discount =D. That’s turning a pinch into a chance!
@Kabitzin
“Pack” is probably not the best term to use here. Pack is usually used for the hunters (like wolves). Better terms would be school (fish) or herd (antelope)…of course, the reason why this works for the prey is that it confuses the hunters when they scatter (then reform) and usually only the weak, old, or sick are caught…not sure if this would be any consolation for the weak, old, or sick otaku.
@Kabitzin, I kinda figure that most otaku are solitary creatures; only gathering at cons and the like.
@mochi, lol, a herd of otaku…What would you call a large roving group of otaku? Almost every species has a grouping designation. Crows are a murder, geese are a gaggle, what fun new collective noun could be assigned to otaku?
@Rachel
What immediately comes to my mind when comparing otaku to another species is one that can be social within its own group, but rather timid with outsiders…the prairie dog. This is just a rough comparison, of course.
That would make it a “coterie” of otaku…doesn’t roll off the tongue, I’m afraid, though I guess there is a certain appropriateness with the term.