Otaku going to Japan?

[MMM]

Has your love for anime, manga or j-pop-culture brought you to Japan?

I just read "Akiba: Manga Guide to Akihabara" and more non-native otaku are visiting Japan. Are you one of them?

[Keaton421]

Who're you calling otaku, partner?

My girlfriend and I will be visiting her parents in the winter of '09, close to Nagoya and we'll at least travel to Nagano to see her grandparents. That's great by itself, and my appreciation for Japanese history, gadgets, and ridiculous television is just icing on the cake.

[BakaCrisis]

Being an "otaku" or Anime maniac as my japanese penpal says... has persuaded me to travel to Japan.

[reptilesandsamurai]

I've been twice already and I'm planning on going again in '09. I would say my Otaku tendencies prompted the trips. Can't wait for the next trip.

[kenmei]

no but my love for my fiancee, her family, japan, the language, the food and the culture has much like my fellow non-otaku keaton

[MMM]

Originally Posted by kenmei

no but my love for my fiancee, her family, japan, the language, the food and the culture has much like my fellow non-otaku keaton

I am just seeing if self-proclaimed otaku are actually making it to Japan. Please don't feel left-out, though.

[kenmei]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am just seeing if self-proclaimed otaku are actually making it to Japan. Please don't feel left-out, though.

I felt a need to post in order to not feel left out

[MMM]

Originally Posted by kenmei

I felt a need to post in order to not feel left out

Post all you want, you just probably are not an otaku voter.

[MissMisa]

I voted, I wouldn't call myself an otaku but I have a casual interest in some of those things. I'm hoping to make it there in a few years, in England we normally have a 6 week summer holidays and thats our longest, [Someone told me America's is much longer.] So I am planning to gradually get money and go in that time. 2009 probably not, it's more likely in 2010, hopefully someone will give me a job at that time. Saying that, all my money would be best spent on University. I actually do currently have enough money to go to Japan, but that supposed to be for a car and to go towards university and stuff, so that's a no.

[Keaton421]

My prediction is that the overwhelming majority of people who have been to Japan, or who have firm, realistic plans to visit in the future won't be otaku. They either realize that pursuing anime and pocky is no way to live, they're 12 year old fanboys/girls without the means to do so (and lose interest when they're of age), or content to stay in the basement subbing Naruto Shippuden and dreaming about kawaii ramen pockyland.

I think young adults (18+) with a casual, but true, interest in Japan will be the ones who make it. So far, we've been the only ones to post in this thread :P An otaku who did make it to Japan would be too shocked and on the first plane home

I realize I'm tough on the otaku. This is Japan forum after all, but Japan is not about those trivial things, just like my country isn't about baseball or apple pie - it just says that on wikipedia. I believe we can turn this place into a mature discussion about Japan for those who have genuine interests grounded in reality.