The Otaku Encyclopedia

Content

The Otaku Encyclopedia consists of some 600 entries on the subculture concerned with anime, manga, and video games, with 124 color pages and 150 photographs. Frederik L. Schodt provides a foreword to the book. In addition to entries about the subculture, the encyclopedia contains interviews with a dozen different notable people. Kaichirō Morikawa who is an author, and lecturer at Meiji University talks about the otaku culture of Akihabara. Anime director Yutaka Yamamoto talks about anime in general which include its fans and ones he has directed. As one of the main organizers of Comiket, Koichi Ichikawa talks about the ja fair, including what lies ahead. Author Yunmao Ayakawa known for working as a journalist, and cosplayer, talks about cosplay and what got her into it. ja model figurine sculptor BOME talks about and describes his career in model making. Expert gamer Haruna Anno, who has been dubbed as "Queen of Retro games" in Tokyo, talks about how otaku and gamers relate to one another as well as how she got into gaming. Singer Himeko Sakuragawa known for her single "Goin' to Akiba" talks about her life as an Idoru, and her experience with Akihabara.

A list of recommended anime, video games, and Tokusatsu appears at the end of the book.

Interviews

• Hitomi
• Ako Hazuki
• Toshio Okada
• Takashi Murakami
• Shoko Nakagawa

Development

Galbraith regards the book as being needed due to media coverage of Tsutomu Miyazaki informing people about Japanese fandom.

Reception

Scott Green regards The Otaku Encyclopedia as not being "disposable criticism". Mark Schilling, writing for The Japan Times, regards the encyclopedia's goal as being to "supply facts about the objects of obsession, while opening windows into the mysterious culture that produced them", saying that the book does not have enough "critical distance or analysis". Brian Ruh feels that although the book tries to be broad in its scope, it is written from a fan perspective and shows that Galbraith is primarily a "moe otaku".

References

References

1. (2009-06-01). "'The Otaku Encyclopedia'". ICv2.
2. Aoki, Deb. (2017-11-09). "Manga Gift Books Guide". [[Dotdash]].
3. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
4. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
5. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
6. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
7. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
8. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
9. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
10. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
11. Patrick W. Galbraith. (2009). "The Otaku Encyclopedia". Kodansha.
12. Kai Ming Cha. (2009-10-27). "Geek-Speak Japanese Style: 'The Otaku Encyclopedia'". [[Publishers Weekly]].
13. (2009-09-18). "AICN Anime - Gantz, Otaku Encyclopedia, New Imagi Astro Boy Footage, New Priest Casting, Battle Angel Sighting? Macross and More". [[Ain't It Cool News]].
14. Schilling, Mark. (2009-07-26). "The quirky terrain of an otaku mind". [[The Japan Times]].
15. Ruh, Brian. (2010-12-14). "Otaku, Where Art Thou? - Brain Driving". Anime News Network.