The Cultural Dynamic of Doujinshi and Cosplay: Local Anime Fandom in Japan, USA and Europe
. Volume 10, Issue 1 May 2013 The cultural dynamic of doujinshi and cosplay: Local anime fandom in Japan, USA and Europe Nicolle Lamerichs Maastricht University, Netherlands Abstract: Japanese popular culture unifies fans from different countries and backgrounds. Its rich participatory culture is beyond any other and flourishes around comics (manga), animation (anime), games and music. Japanese storytelling showcases elaborate story worlds whose characters are branded on many products. The sub genres of Japanese pop-culture and the lingua franca of their audiences shape Western fandom. In this article, I scrutinize the global dynamic of manga. I specifically focus on the creation of fan manga (‘doujinshi’) and dress- up (‘cosplay’) as two migratory fan practices. The form and content of fan works, and the organizational structure behind them, varies intensely per country. If manga is an international language and style, where is its international fan identity located? In this article, I explore this uncharted territory through ethnographic views of diverse Western and Japanese fan sites where these creative practices emerge. This ethnographic overview is thus concerned with the heterogeneous make-up and social protocols of anime fandom. Keywords: Anime fandom, doujinshi, cosplay, conventions, ethnography Introduction Japan’s global and exotic identity is historically rooted. In the nineteenth century, Euro- Americans performed their fascination for the island through ‘Orientalism’ in Western impressionist art, Zen gardens and architecture (Napier, 2007; Said, 1978). When World War II penetrated this culturally rich image, the fascination for Japan became more ambivalent, characterized by both fear and curiosity. By now, the country’s global identity, which lingers between East and West, inspires Western corporate businesses, art and media as it represents a mixture of spiritual traditions, strong labour and family morals, as well as an advanced technocapitalist model (Ivy, 1995; Wolferen, 1995).
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