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Sep
14
2005

げんしけん. Genshiken : Volumes 1 & 2. R1 USA DVD Review.

Posted by logboy at 12:21am.

Posted in Film & DVD Reviews , Comedy, Animation, Drama, Asia.

genshiken.jpeg

Never sure about the mixture of Anime and Comedy. There also don’t seem to be many examples of shows that are specifically about the behaviour of Anime fans or ‘Otaku’ - the obsessives. There’s the very old ‘Otaku No Video’ from 1991IMDB is unclear, a show I’ve know of for some years but never seen, but apart from that this new(ish) show Genshiken might be the only example. In order to take another (and alternative) look at Otaku life, I asked Todd to prod Media Blasters into giving me a chance to see Genshiken and write about it.

What is ‘Genshiken’?

Well, as a society or club, at a University (Suioh Univesity to be exact), it intends to avoid the overly-focused or obsessive approach to either the appreciation of Anime or Manga that those other separate clubs are seen (by its members, existing and prospective) to have. So, there’s a broader approach that includes other Otaku passtimes : model making, posters, cosplay, videogames. It doesn’t actually stop them having a broad range of members that still manage to either veer into the strangely indifferent, clearly obsessive and all those possible places inbetween.

The focus of the show is on the relationships between the characters with respect their interests, with the odd show giving one particular relationship or character a certain amount of spotlight to bask in. It could be about Dojinshi (amateur Manga, uses famous characters and places them in ‘specialist situations’ or ‘poses’ for the pleasure of Otaku), Models (preparation and appreciation of Garage Kits - characters from shows or games unofficially modelled by fans for fans, for example) or Cosplay (Ohno is particularly keen, others might be pursuaded, the lads in the group are generally strangely excited by its prospect too). Themes or passtimes repeat, so the sense of the characters interest grows over time, and the subjects are reasonably well explored with the bounds of each episode.

The Characters :

As the shows 13 episodes start (first two volumes cover the first two-thirds of the short series, each episode about 20 minutes or so each), Sasahara is a freshman selecting a Society to joing. He’s the reluctant Otaku who is coming to terms with his geeky behaviour, and intendeds to delve a little deeper and explore it too. Madarame is one of the existing members, and the true obsessive or obviously-passionate guy who has no shame about his love of erotic material in games, manga and anime. Kosaka (and his woman, Kasukabe) are the couple in the group - Kosaka is non-typical and manages to conceel any geek tendencies to the outside world, but opens them up to his fellow fans, Kasukabe hangs out with the crowd and is reluctantly involved and strangely curious, and may well end of fully-fledge before the series is out. Ohno, the only true Otaku woman in the show (so far) loves Cosplay, and is the saucy but shy girl who keeps a balance in the group to a large extent. Kaguyama is the Model fan, the stammering, large and shy one - quiet and reserved. Tanaka is the old man of the group who has a relatively mature attitude to it all. There’s also some periferal characters that pop in and out, so the feeling is one of being too isolated from others, but these people are the focus.

Considering they’re University Students, the focus doesn’t really show any life beyond that of their sparetime activities but it does take those interests out of the ‘club house’ and into society for an airing, and they’re all (pretty much) also strangely jeuvenile too. Having said that, the humour does work in an almost ‘teen comedy’ approach (well, its not as mature as it could be, but it isn’t kids TV). Yes, they’re sexually aware, partly ‘active’ and they smoke / drink / try it on with each other (sort of). An odd bunch they may be - parody to some extent, reality in many other ways, but I was left thinking it was odd to be so obsessive about such interests at their age. Yes, I know there are strange people everywhere, and perhaps this opinion is only because they class with my experience of people at that age, but they really are a very strange bunch.

In the picture above, they are (by the faces, from left to right and top to bottom) : Kasukabe, Kaguyama, Madarame, Ohno, Sasahara, Kosaka, and Tanaka.

The Approach :

Well, it all kind of works. I wasn’t entirely expecting it, and I was hoping for a more focused or biting piece about Otaku life, but it’s essentially one point of view in attempt to gain as broad an audience of Otaku fans as possible. It has its light side, its tense elements, its adult content (no Hentai though), and an ability to shift tone as the episodes go by. The animation isn’t basic, but it isn’t worth watching because of its animation alone. The comedy works, though it’s not massively mature, it does sit in an odd place that I’ve not experienced as it’s clearly for a late teens / early 20s audience. There are some genuinely funny moments that had me more than ‘smiling inside’, and it’s refreshing too to see a show that approaches the characteristics of the kind of people that love all things Otaku in Japan, so you will potentially come away having learnt something about it all, or at least having a different sense of how what’s typically for a young audience elsewhere, but covers a broader range of daily appeal there.

Overall :

It’s pretty good. Nothing classic or mindblowingly sophisticated or special. It is however worth watching, genuinely unusual in many respects, educational and fun too. Great characters, well defined, well utilised, tightly written. Stories are varied, and in the end I am getting a richer sense of that lifestyle, at least from one point of view, than I’ve had in all these years. The discs I’ve been sent contain the usual previews and textless opening / ending, and have four or five episodes on each, and there’s a dub on there if you need it, but there’s always the issue of the cost versus the quantity / quality of content - and I would say if you rent, borrow, or see it on TV its a show, I would stick with it quite easily. As it is, Anime is always expensive to buy - but at least this will only be three volumes by the time its out, so its not as much of a commitment as it could be. There are so many variables around that issue, in the end you have to weigh it up for yourself. Hopefully you will see this as one option that’s worth looking at which holds more value than most shows being put on DVD within the field of Anime in America.

Other Reading :

Genshiken Fan Site. AnimeNfo Page. Anime News Network Page. Official Site In Japanese. ’Kids Station‘ mini-site in Japanese.

Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 are out now on R1 USA DVD from Media Blasters.

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Reader Comments

  1. Wes 09/14/2005 @ 12:07pm

    Otaku no Video is from 1991, do some research for once…

  2. logboy 09/14/2005 @ 12:18pm

    hey, there’s always errors going to be made - you can point them out. no room for rudeness though!

    the episodes are from or based in 1982 and 1985, with the collection of the two occuring in 1991 or 1992. IMDB says 1991, other anime sites say 1992.

    if you look around online : “The ultimate video for fans of all ages and genres, Otaku No Video is an outrageous parody of fandom! Can the fans ‘Otakunize’ the human race? This special collection includes both ‘Otaku no Video 1982’ and ‘New Otaku no Video 1985.’&” and “Otaku no Video and More Otaku no Video are two OAVs from 1982 and 1985. The story is a thinly fictionalized account of the founding of Gainax Studios, part documentary of 80’s anime fan culture, part interviews with ‘real’ otaku, part self-parody and all comedy. It’s an OAV no anime fan should miss - because, while the references may be dated, the nature of the otaku lives on. Gainax must have had a lot of fun making these two OAVs, and they don’t mind making jokes at their own expense and at the expense of otakus everywhere.&” anime news network say the original titles are : “おたくのビデオ (Japanese), More Otaku No Video 1985, Otaku No Video 1982&” and quotes the vintage as the later 1991 because thats when they were collected together and released on video in America, or thats when they were produced but were about 1982 / 1985 - some sites say otherwise… (probably reissued in Japan then too).

    I research everythign I am not sure about, but being only human I make mistakes too. Didn’t this time, or not sure still!?

  3. mike d 09/14/2005 @ 7:06pm

    you should be less human, more otaku ! no error gets past the otaku ! we demand better ! otaku !

  4. Joseph 09/17/2005 @ 12:21pm

    You did make a mistake, give up. Otaku no Video was 1991.

  5. logboy 09/17/2005 @ 12:26pm

    nope. i put 1982 - which was when ‘otaku no video’ (the first of the two shorts was made), and it was followed by ‘more otaku no video’ in 1985. the two were cemented together with brief sequences in 1991 and re-released 91 / 92. i think its more important when the films actually date from that when people remember them being issued - i wouldnt call ‘star wars’ a 90s film because it was recut then, same for ‘apocalypse now’ or ‘exorcist’ (for other examples) - all films that have been added to / altered then reissued later : ‘otaku no video’ is the same : it should be a pointer to the time of its origin, the early 80s, as a guide to what the culture of anime / otaku was like, not to when people think they first arrived.

  6. Wes 09/17/2005 @ 12:50pm

    No, they were made after Gunbuster (and I believe Nadia). Again, if you’d just do your research (or hell, maybe even watch the damn thing) you’d know better.

  7. logboy 09/17/2005 @ 1:05pm

    the explain this : “Otaku no Video and More Otaku no Video are two OAVs from 1982 and 1985.&” how is research going to help when various sources say different things, and infact IMDB doesnt separate the films, simply mentions the compilation...? its confusing. and for the sake of a simple mention in a review, i am not going to watch it. the pictures ive seen for the films look very early 80s, and the majority of in depth pieces say it comprises two films, one from 82 and one from 85 - and that they were cemented together with new footage in 91.

  8. logboy 09/17/2005 @ 1:12pm

    looking around again, still finding mixed messages. its confusing as its mentioned GAINAX is formed from earlier workers / other companies. found this piece which does as i do, and says theyre made earlier and simply combined. if i am confused, or wrong, then i am not the only one (to say the least!) : read the first paragraph here… similar to what ive copied into the comments above.

  9. logboy 09/17/2005 @ 1:30pm

    yep, spent half an hour more looking around. still conflicting information out there. GAINAX seems to have foundations in 1981, though may not have had that name back then… still getting both messages “made in 82 and 85&” and “made in 91&” which is either because theyre based in those years (82 / 85) ? or made then? not seen it, but still, shows however much research you do, theres always going to be conflicting information…

  10. Geert Jan 09/17/2005 @ 4:50pm

    I also believe Otaku no Video is from 1991, and 1982 and 1985 are just years used in it. Still, it’s a very small mistake which is easily made, so I don’t see why Wes has to get all worked up about it. Seems to me something else is bothering him.

  11. Fabool 09/18/2005 @ 1:54am

    http://www.gainax.co.jp/anime/otaku.html

    The OVA was made in 91/92. The years, 1982/1985, just point out the years the two episodes take place.

    For Gainax fans this OVA should be required viewing. To some extent it even contains some minor facts of how Gainax came to be (the whole garage kit scene in the eighties..).

    Regarding the actual topic. Genshiken is a fairly good show - especially considering the quality of todays comedy anime, which seems to mostly revolve around bad harem-shows. A bit shortlived as a series and there’s no real plot per se, but that’s a lot better than stretching the show to 26eps or more with no content.

    There are a handful of jokes that may require you to know a bit more about the otaku scene than your average Joe but nowhere as many as in say, Azumanga Daioh.

  12. logboy 09/18/2005 @ 3:51am

    thanks for the more considered, thoughtful responses. i dont agree with the ‘youre wrong, i am right’ approach to arguments. evidence is always nice, and when i provide it i am even happier that people read it - even happier that people (*ahem* Wes) dont simply sit there shouting (til theyre blue in the face) ‘youre wrong! youre wrong! youre wrong!

    to clarify, theres no definitive resource ive found which will accurately confirm one way or the other the year of production or the cause of the confusion : one site (well, several examples of this one, at least) will say “made in 1982 and 1985&” another will say “made in 1991&” another said “made in 1992&” another even went “1993&” and one talked about it as early 2000s (!)…

    from my point of view, seeing a listing that mentions individual titles for the parts within it suggests they were amalgamated / cemented together, and i cant see logical reasons why the years 1982 and 1985 were chosen (especially if its a 1991 film - why not make it contemporary?) beyond the mention of it being about Gainax’ origins : theres nothing ‘key’ about the points in time in terms of broader otaku history that i can find / think of. perhaps the 82 / 85 factor is simply an issue relating to the separate issues in japan?

    the films certainly were released separately in japan, i have confirmed that much - but understand from my point of view, going off and researching it (which ive a couple of hours on, out of pure interest), when you see conflicting knowledge, how do you say one resource is correct and another wrong? as always, more than happy to be proven wrong - the key word is ‘proven’ not ‘told’, as i make mistake all the time (only human).

    I will change the review to say 1991. though in the future, again, i highlight that if anyone has an argument with accuracy then provide evidence.

  13. Joseph 09/18/2005 @ 10:32pm

    Why are you still posting about this? If you had just asked someone remotely knowledgable or done some simple research at a place like http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=293 (which lists all firm dates in the Vintage portion of the page), then you wouldn’t be asking questions as if Gainax arbitrarily picked some random years just to confuse people like you.

    Or, you know, you could watch it.

  14. logboy 09/19/2005 @ 1:29am

    why still posting on it? because i have done my research, and as i pointed out, several times, theres conflicting opinions - from people writing pieces dedicated to extensive coverage of ‘otaku no video’, the best anime sites and every man jack in between… and because people dont actually seem to be reading the posts being made also.

  15. Wes 09/19/2005 @ 7:03pm

    You should try writing in english sometime.

  16. Fabool 09/19/2005 @ 10:52pm

    ... I don’t understand this hostile atmosphere here. If there’s a mistake/inconsistency in the text then inform about it - no need to be rude about it, especially since the matter seems to be cleared up already.

    Everyone makes mistakes and it is sometimes hard to get solid info, especially if the content is in another language than your own. Even sources like ANN (which I really appreciate) are not always correct.

  17. logboy 09/20/2005 @ 2:29am

    yeh fabool, this is one thing ive already mentioned, and people should be aware that in other threads at the site where hostility appears often results in a ban - logical arguments supported by evidence is fine - attacks are not.

    also, its one of the things i was hoping to not have to point out, but its also iimportant to not simply see things from your own point of view, but to also imagine someone in a similar situation and then go off and see what happens - i think theres a lot of certainty in how people are talking about the issue of the production date for ‘otaku no video’ but not a lot of empathy. no one information resource is necessarily more trust worthy than any other, and the more variations you find in one piece of information, the more likely you are to question how possible it is to trust any ‘fact’ you read online…
    -----

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