Buy used:

$31.88

& FREE Shipping. Details

Used: Good | Details

Sold by ZBK Books

Fulfilled by Amazon

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 6 images

Follow the Author

Patrick W. Galbraith

Otaku Spaces Paperback – April 17, 2012

by Patrick W. Galbraith (Author), Androniki Christodoulou (Photographer)

10 ratings

See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Paperback

"Please retry"

$28.03

—

Paperback, April 17, 2012

$31.88

$42.81

$31.88

Paperback
$31.88

6 Used from $31.88 3 New from $42.81

"Otaku Spaces sets out to explain the complicated subculture of otaku through the stories of otaku themselves...Galbraith and photographer Androniki Christodoulou allow the otaku subjects they feature to take control of their own narrative." - Wired.com Raw File

"This is a terrain of contested meanings. And 'you' (the original meaning of the word otaku in Japanese) are entering it. Invite otaku into your home and heart, as they have invited you into theirs." - The Huffington Post

"A peek into an otaku's bedroom or living space can be a bit of a surprise for the average person...Patrick W. Galbraith digs even deeper into the way otaku choose to decorate their surroundings, and the reasons why they choose to do so in the way that they do." - CNN "Geek Out!"

"The book is certainly a beautiful object...There's such an intimate air to Christodoulou's photographs that you have to imagine what the subjects are hiding...But the interviews appeal, in the end, to our commonality: A few of the subjects gently point out that if people are honest with themselves, everyone is a little bit otaku about something." - The Stranger (Starred Review)

"(Galbraith) clearly knows his stuff, and also has a genuine regard and respect for people that it would be easy to make fun of. Christodoulou has a real eye for capturing the essence of the otaku world, and the large-scale format (9” by 9”) and high-quality color printing in this book show her work off to its best advantage. Even if you’re not an otaku yourself, Galbraith and Christodoulou do such a good job of capturing the flavor of these subcultures that reading Otaku Spaces is the next best thing to a trip to Japan." - PopMatters

Otaku—nerd, über-fan, obsessive collector. Since the 1980s, the term has been used to refer to fans of Japanese anime, manga, and video games. The word appeared with no translation on the cover of the premier issue of Wired magazine in 1993.

Patrick W. Galbraith has produced a groundbreaking work of reportage that takes us beyond the stereotypes of "weird Japan" and into the private rooms of self-described otaku. Interviews and more than fifty color photos reveal a seldom seen side of these reclusive Japanese collectors. They talk frankly about their collections of blow-up dolls, comic books, military paraphernalia, anime videos, and more.

Galbraith follows the collectors to their favorite shops and shows how public space in Japan is starting to mimic the look and feel of the otaku's private room. He also interviews Japan's top cultural critics, helping to place otaku culture in wider sociological and economic contexts. Galbraith broadens his interview focus even further to include otaku from the United States and the United Kingdom, forcing those of us who live in any hyper-consumerist culture to admit that we can and do have otaku tendencies.

Patrick W. Galbraith—a self-described otaku with the anime tattoos to prove it—is a PhD student at the University of Tokyo and the author of The Otaku Encyclopedia (Kodansha Limited). He also blogs at the popular Otaku2 and is widely considered one of the foremost American experts on Japan's pop culture.

Androniki Christodoulou is a freelance photographer based in Tokyo, Japan.

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Chin Music Press Inc.
Publication date

April 17, 2012
Dimensions

8.9 x 0.7 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0984457658
ISBN-13

978-0984457656
See all details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Keiji Nakazawa
129
Paperback
$13.34
Shigeru Mizuki
52
Paperback
$12.95
Patrick W. Galbraith
79
Paperback
$19.95
Patrick W. Galbraith
34
Paperback
$9.89
Patrick W. Galbraith
11
Paperback
$27.95
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
359
Paperback
3 offers from $16.28

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Shigeru Mizuki
52
Paperback
$12.95
Keiji Nakazawa
129
Paperback
$13.34
Mayumi Mayumi
242
Paperback
$41.00
Junichiro Tanizaki
134
Paperback
$15.99
Group Jammassy
54
Paperback
$45.00
Masafumi Monden
1
Paperback
$30.95

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account

Editorial Reviews

Review

"(Galbriath has) cosplayed as Super Saiyan Goku from Dragon Ball Z and led audio tours of Akihabara not just as a scholar, but as a participant. That gives him a different perspective than some of his more theoretically minded colleagues. And it goes hand-in-hand with a strong sense of responsibility toward his subjects. With Otaku Spaces, he consciously set out to counter the myth of Miyazaki, the madman alone in his room...His check is the people he talks with, often spending hours on a single interview. As his work reveals, they can speak candidly and with remarkable self-awareness about being otaku — whatever that means to them. Far from Miyazaki's empty room, they occupy spaces of life, surrounded by the things they love and eager to tell their own stories." - The Verge

"Anyone who identifies as a fan of manga or anime should have a look inside, as well as anyone who calls themselves a collector. The themes are universal" - Collectors' Quest

"A truly interesting book and a definite must have for fans of Japanese pop culture." - Forces of Geek

"An enlightening and engaging volume...easy to recommend to anyone interested in otaku specifically or in Japanese pop culture in general." - Experiments in Manga

"(Galbriath has) cosplayed as Super Saiyan Goku from Dragon Ball Z and led audio tours of Akihabara not just as a scholar, but as a participant. That gives him a different perspective than some of his more theoretically minded colleagues. And it goes hand-in-hand with a strong sense of responsibility toward his subjects. With Otaku Spaces, he consciously set out to counter the myth of Miyazaki, the madman alone in his room...His check is the people he talks with, often spending hours on a single interview. As his work reveals, they can speak candidly and with remarkable self-awareness about being otaku ― whatever that means to them. Far from Miyazaki's empty room, they occupy spaces of life, surrounded by the things they love and eager to tell their own stories." - The Verge

"Anyone who identifies as a fan of manga or anime should have a look inside, as well as anyone who calls themselves a collector. The themes are universal" - Collectors' Quest

"A truly interesting book and a definite must have for fans of Japanese pop culture." - Forces of Geek

"An enlightening and engaging volume...easy to recommend to anyone interested in otaku specifically or in Japanese pop culture in general." - Experiments in Manga

About the Author

Patrick W. Galbraith: Patrick W. Galbraith is a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies at the University of Tokyo. His research is focused on the impact material conditions have on fantasy, specifically how shifts in modes of capitalism and consumption impact "otaku" culture in Japan. His primary ethnographic field site is Akihabara in eastern Tokyo. He has worked as a freelance journalist specializing in Japanese popular culture since 2004, which culminated in his writing "The Otaku Encyclopedia" (Kodansha 2009)and co-founding Otaku2.com. His work has appeared in to Metropolis magazine, Otaku USA and on CNN Go.
Androniki Christodoulou: Androniki Christodoulou is a freelance photographer in Tokyo. She moved to Japan after working as a photographer for the Athens Olympic Committee during the summer Olympics of 2004. She was born in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Product details

Publisher : Chin Music Press Inc. (April 17, 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 0984457658
ISBN-13 : 978-0984457656
Item Weight : 1.34 pounds
Dimensions : 8.9 x 0.7 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,696,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #503 in Popular Culture Antiques & Collectibles (Books)
- #835 in Photojournalism (Books)
- #8,668 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences

Customer Reviews:
10 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		56%
4 star		14%
3 star		15%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		14%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

An enjoyable glance into Otaku culture.

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2012

Verified Purchase

Let me start off by saying that I, myself, am a big fan of anime/manga/Jrpgs/etc. I say this not to paint myself as an otaku, as I am not (though I may own a figurine or two of my favorite characters), but to help the readers understand where my review is coming from - so that those who can relate to my position might better be able to decide whether or not they are interested in this product.

So, to start, the format of the book:
It begins with a rather short, but helpful, introduction that speaks about how the book was done. It gives the reader a few useful definitions(which, if you are a fan of anime or Japanese culture, you're likely already familiar with) that help you understand some cultural vocabulary used in popular Otaku circles (moe, kawaii, etc). The author then presents their view of what "Otaku" can be, providing a decent history of the term and its evolution from "mania", its negative view due to certain public events, and eventually its more localized acceptance.

After the introduction of "Otaku" comes the aspect I will admit drew me to the product in the first place: the pictures and interviews. Here you are introduced to plethora of individuals - from those who collect tons of figurines due to their affections towards given characters, to a man who owns a ridiculous number of dating simulation games. There are males, there are females, and they all share one thing in common: They each have their own definition of what an "Otaku" is. To some it is a prideful badge to be worn, some find the term too constraining, others feel like it has too many implications for them to fully relate to it. All in all, the interviews were enjoyable as the reader gets to experience a cast of characters in all of their interesting (and at times peculiar) characteristics.

After the interviews comes the "Otaku Location" section. You'll see pictures and learn general (and I mean general, there is much less specificity here) information about places like Akihabara - who goes there, why they go there, and what it is okay to do there. You'll also learn of a few less famous places, whether they be for fujoshi (a term you'll learn in the book) or just places with a more "otaku"esque, though not full "otaku", atmosphere.

All in all, it was an enjoyable book, and I found the pictures to be great additions to the stories and interviews that went alongside them.

But now we come to why I give it 4/5 instead of 5/5 stars.....The moment of truth:

The book and its cover are flimsy. You'd think, given that it is a book with numerous photographs, it would be made to handle a little bit of damage - but no!

Anyway, the book isn't the best piece of literature in the world, or anything close - but it does just what it promises, and it goes about it in a well presented and organized way.

So if you're looking for a glimpse into Otaku life because you want to understand more, or you want something to relate to, or maybe just because you want to hear it from THEM (right from the source!) - then this book is for you.

I hope this review helps some.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Bookworm

This book has a special place on my shelf for ...

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book has a special place on my shelf for its innovative design and balanced view of otaku culture in Japan. Unlike the states, the term "otaku" has an extremely negative connotation in Japan, and it's refreshing to see both stories of success (like the boxer and the race queen) and despair (enter the closet-dwelling collector) in one book. Kudos to the author for showing a range of experiences.

Helpful

George Van Meter

An Interesting Look Into the Lives of Otaku

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2012

What is an otaku? The answer to that question, Patrick Galbraith along with photographer Androniki Christodoulu attempts to show us in Otaku Spaces. They take us on journey into the world of the otaku by first giving us a brief history of both the famous and infamous events and people in the use of the word to its current meaning.

The real meat of the book is the next part of the journey. Here we meet otaku the average person to the famous (a K1 fighter, two members of the idol group Nakano Fujoshi Sisters and Danny Choo). Some view themselves as dabblers. Some believe that the term as it is currently used do not apply to them. While others embrace it fully. Here we get a peek into the private lives of these otaku and glance at their psychology and history. We also get to see what the term otaku means to them even if they do not believe themselves to be otaku.

The next section covers commercial venues where otaku gathers. This range from Akihabara (home of the idol group AKB48, stores that cater to otaku and maid cafe) to Nippombashi in Otaku. We cover their history and development as meeting places for otaku.

The book finally ends with interviews with several experts on what made otaku an economic and global phenomenon. All in all a quite interesting read. I would highly recommend it to anyone from people who are interested in their fellow fans to the person who is trying to understand why a loved one is into what they are into.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Stefan Blitz, Editor-in-Chief, Forces Of Geek

Interesting Perspective

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2012

I find otaku culture fascinating, in no small part to it's combination of collecting with hoarding.

This book is filled with some truly fantastic photographs alongside brief interviews and commentary. The oatku within are all fairly interesting and surprisingly interesting people; their obsessions are a part of who they are, but don't define them.

A truly interesting book and a definite must have for fans of Japanese pop culture.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Travis J. I. Corcoran

Depressing

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2012

Verified Purchase

I purchased this book because I was interested in the Otaku phenomena and thought that a photo tour of the homes of Japanese enthusiasts obsessing about their various hobbies would be cool.

Unfortunately, the main hobby represented is "obsessively collecting crap aimed at teenagers".

The studio of the fanatic model maker, the loft of the obsessed kite builder ... none of these things that were in my imagination were in the book.

The guy with 10,000 animes? He's here.

The other guy who considers himself married to some animated character? He's here too.

Bleh.

Depressing.

I think I'll walk outside in the rain, or do something with my hands to help dispell the miasma of sadness and lives being wasted.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

bluebirdy

Painful

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2014

This book is incredibly well designed and packed with information from someone clearly invested in the culture. I found the actual text quite enlightening, well researching and excellent. The aesthetic qualities of the book leave a lot to be desired. The design is slick and cool but visually it comes across as sad and depressing. The photos depict none of the fantastical elements of otaku, it is shot in the same way you would shoot mental patients. You would never know that otaku have a vibrant, creative culture, it judges them to be sad tossers in their bedroom, some who wont even show their face because they don't trust the photographer.
It is the saddest depiction of a Japanese subculture I have ever seen. Clearly the authors wanted them to look like sick losers which is a waste as their subculture is quite colorful.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful