A Story About Some Otaku that will Make You Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside

TheGameNinja · January 10, 2011, 05:44:46 PM

On Christmas morning 2010, a mysterious donor left 10 ¥30,000 (about US$360) backpacks at a child guidance center in Gunma Prefecture in Japan with a letter that read, "Please use these backpacks for the children." The card was signed Naoto Date, the alter ego of Tiger Mask, a manga/anime pro wrestler who fights for children in an orphanage. These backpacks are required for Japanese school children and are intended to last them through junior high (thus the high price).

Since then, 14 similar events have occurred all over Japan, though the gifts have varied in content. All of the gifts have been given to orphanages, schools, and other such institutions. None of the donors have identified themselves directly, all of them giving under the name of Date, even the ones that gave their gifts in person instead of leaving them to be found.

This is a really cool thing Japan's otaku are doing, and will hopefully help to fight the stigma that society places on otaku over there. Maybe we otaku outside of Japan should follow in their footsteps? :3

shadowDOESrock · January 11, 2011, 06:32:59 AM

I wonder why no one knows that 'otaku' is an insult.

Jazz Nova · January 11, 2011, 10:44:43 AM

Quote from: Lucyfied on January 11, 2011, 06:32:59 AM
I wonder why no one knows that 'otaku' is an insult.

Maybe it's like the way "yankee" was an insult.
The colonists took it with pride and rendered it not an insult.

TheGameNinja · January 11, 2011, 11:26:59 AM

The number is now over 100!! Over 100 donations all over Japan, but a few differences are popping up now. A few have been given under the name of Santa and a handful have been given under the name of other anime/manga characters, such as Joe Yabuki from Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe), which is about a championship boxer that grew up in a nursing home.

Dracoslythe · January 11, 2011, 01:25:35 PM

I think it's sweet. Alot of people see the anime-lover community as losers who have nothing to do than to watch cartoons. This shows different. :3

YOU KEEP ON GOING, MYSTERY GIVERS!

Hakudamashi · January 16, 2011, 07:10:42 PM

If I hear a Pedo Bear joke, someones gonna pay

Also, what is an otaku anyway?

TheGameNinja · January 16, 2011, 08:57:09 PM

An otaku, by western definition is a person whose hobbies revolve around anime; not just watching anime, but also playing video games related to anime, reading manga, collecting figures, and everything and anything else that has to do with anime. The original Japanese meaning is simply one who has a hobby of some sort. there are train otaku, sports otaku, basically anything. But when used alone, the word had generally come to be used as derogatory term for anime fans. But, as has happened before, they simply took the name as a badge of honor. Today the word itself doesn't hold the same stigma it had in the past, but the general feelings of society are still against otaku. Otaku are seen as the origin of the hikikomori phenomenon by some. Others see them as pedophiles. But the most common thought is that otaku are lazy and do not contribute to society, which is a pretty big deal over there.

Also, the number of these events has risen past 700.

shadowDOESrock · January 17, 2011, 07:05:11 AM

No?

Jazz Nova · January 17, 2011, 07:09:30 AM

Quote from: TheGameNinja on January 16, 2011, 08:57:09 PM
Also, the number of these events has risen past 700.

OMG
That's a lot.
xD

Hakudamashi · January 17, 2011, 11:47:02 AM

Quote from: TheGameNinja on January 16, 2011, 08:57:09 PM
An otaku, by western definition is a person whose hobbies revolve around anime; not just watching anime, but also playing video games related to anime, reading manga, collecting figures, and everything and anything else that has to do with anime. The original Japanese meaning is simply one who has a hobby of some sort. there are train otaku, sports otaku, basically anything. But when used alone, the word had generally come to be used as derogatory term for anime fans. But, as has happened before, they simply took the name as a badge of honor. Today the word itself doesn't hold the same stigma it had in the past, but the general feelings of society are still against otaku. Otaku are seen as the origin of the hikikomori phenomenon by some. Others see them as pedophiles. But the most common thought is that otaku are lazy and do not contribute to society, which is a pretty big deal over there.

Also, the number of these events has risen past 700.

The same could be said about sports fans, but we don't, do we?

Jazz Nova · January 17, 2011, 12:01:33 PM

Quote from: windlessusher on January 17, 2011, 11:47:02 AM
The same could be said about sports fans, but we don't, do we?

Nope.
Sports fans aren't seen as bad...
And most don't care enough to do it, either.

Hakudamashi · January 17, 2011, 12:51:09 PM

Quote from: Jazz Nova on January 17, 2011, 12:01:33 PM
Nope.
Sports fans aren't seen as bad...
And most don't care enough to do it, either.

That's what I meant

Jazz Nova · January 17, 2011, 01:43:31 PM

Quote from: windlessusher on January 17, 2011, 12:51:09 PM
That's what I meant

EXACTLY
I wish that sports fans had didn't just sit around on the couch and watch American football... Which sucks anyways
(americans)

Supersonic196 · January 17, 2011, 02:27:41 PM

Quote from: Jazz Nova on January 17, 2011, 01:43:31 PM
American football... Which sucks anyways
(americans)

the worst kind of football. doesn't even deserve to be called football.
also, YOU DON'T EVEN USE YOUR FOOT IN AMERICAN FOOTBALL.

back ontopic
maybe there's somekinda underground association of otaku donators.

A Story About Some Otaku that will Make You Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside

shadowDOESrock

shadowDOESrock