Genshiken
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Genshiken | |
|---|---|
 |
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| げんしけん (Genshiken) |
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| Genre | Comedy, Seinen, Slice-of-life |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Kio Shimoku |
| Publisher |  Kodansha  Del Rey Manga Heyne |
| Serialized in | Afternoon |
| Original run | June 2002 – June2006 |
| No. of volumes | 9 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Takashi Ikehata |
| Studio | Genco / Palm Studio |
| Network | Kids Station |
| Original run | 10 October 2004 – 26 December 2004 |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| OVA | |
| Directed by | Tsutomu Mizushima |
| Studio | Ajia-do |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Released | 22 December 2006 – 25 April 2007 |
| Related Series | |
Genshiken (げんしけん?) is a manga series by Kio Shimoku about a college otaku club and the lifestyle its members pursue which has been adapted into an anime series by director Tsutomu Mizushima. The manga originally ran in Kodansha's monthly manga anthology Afternoon from June 2002 to June 2006, and has been reprinted in 9 tankōbon volumes. The ninth and final volume, which was also available in a limited edition with an audio drama featuring the original seiyū from the TV show, was released in Japan on December 2006.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
Genshiken follows the lives of several college students and the trials and adventures associated with being otaku. The story begins with the introduction of Kanji Sasahara, a shy, confidence-lacking freshman who on club day at university, decides to join a club he would actually enjoy, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, or "Genshiken" for short. Over time Sasahara comes to accept himself for who he is and loses the inhibitions and guilt he once felt and associated with otaku culture. As the story of Genshiken continues, focus is also placed on Saki Kasukabe, an emphatic non-otaku who initially struggles to drag her boyfriend out of the club, and Chika Ogiue, a self-professed otaku-hater who feels a deep-seated shame and self-loathing toward her own interests and hobbies.
[edit] Characters
- Kanji Sasahara (笹原 完士 Sasahara Kanji?)
- At the beginning of the series, Sasahara is just coming to terms with his otaku nature and much of the beginning of the series focuses on introducing him to the otaku lifestyle. He is the most balanced member of Genshiken, with no real focus on any perticular aspect.
- Makoto Kousaka (高坂 真琴 Kōsaka Makoto?)
- Kousaka is the character who most focuses on video games, particularly fighters. He also does not fit the otaku stereotype in that he is much more handsome than would be expected.
- Saki Kasukabe (春日部 咲 Kasukabe Saki?)
- The only "normal" main character, Saki hates otaku and their culture, but is forced to hang around Genshiken in order to be with her lover Kousaka.
- Harunobu Madarame (斑目 晴信 Madarame Harunobu?)
- Madarame is the most hardcore otaku of the Genshiken members. His obsession is to an almost dangerous degree, such as how he spends almost all of his money on dōjinshi, which leaves little money for food or other living expenses.
- Souichiro Tanaka (田中 総市郎 Tanaka Sōichirō?)
- Tanaka focuses on designing costumes for cosplay, and thus has a strong connection with Ohno. He also has a strong focus on plamo, or plastic models.
- Mitsunori Kugayama (久我山 光紀 Kugayama Mitsunori?)
- Kugayama is a stuttering, overweight member who is Genshiken's only artist until Ogiue's arrival. However, he lacks the motivation and commitment to create a full-fledged dōjinshi.
- Kanako Ohno (大野 加奈子 Ōno Kanako?)
- The first female to join Genshiken, Ohno is a soft-spoken, large-breasted girl who enjoys cosplaying.
- Chika Ogiue (荻上 千佳 Ogiue Chika?)
- Not introduced until later in the manga series, and only introduced in the OVA for the anime, Ogiue reads and creates female-oriented, yaoi dōjinshi. She resists her otaku nature, but gradually comes to accept it as the series progresses.
- Manabu Kuchiki (朽木学 Kuchiki Manabu?)
- Also not introduced until later in the series, Kuchiki is a loud and annoying member that is disliked by the rest of Genshiken, especially by the girls.
[edit] Cultural references
The series, being focused on the otaku lifestyle, contain numerous references to other manga, anime, video games, and other aspects of otaku culture. Common plot points include such otaku-centric activities as the buying and creation of dōjinshi, fan-made manga usually of erotic content; convincing a character to try cosplay, the dressing up as characters from manga, anime, or video games; the creation of plamo figures, plastic figures that must be assembled; and visiting Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics shopping district, or Comic-Fest, an otaku convention.
In the anime, the Guilty Gear video game series is heavily referenced, with actual gameplay sequences from Guilty Gear Isuka being shown multiple times (including in the opening credits), Ohno cosplaying as Kuradoberi Jam, and various other minor references. The puzzle game Puyo Pop Fever also serves as an important plot point as Saki tries to gain Kousaka's attention. These are also two of the few direct references made in the series, as many references change the title into a pun, such as The King of Fighters '95 being alluded to as 'COF 95'. Discussion of eroge, erotic video games usually of the visual novel genre, also occurs often.
These cultural references have remained intact for the English adaption of the manga, which include a section for translation notes. However, due to the number of allusions made and the inability for a translator to always know what is being referred to, many explanations of otaku references are still absent. The anime however, has been criticized for having "excessive script variances" with its English dub translations, such as injecting English specific references like "talk to the hand", and for inconsistently including liner notes.[2]
[edit] Kujibiki Unbalance
The majority of manga and anime references made in Genshiken are on the then fictitious series known as Kujibiki Unbalance, a stereotypical romantic comedy. Kujikibi Unbalance was likely originally conceived (at least partially) to avoid potential copyright problems from referencing another series too heavily, but has since spun off into its own full fledged manga and anime series.
[edit] Anime adaptation
- See also: List of Genshiken episodes
The manga was brought to television by Genco in 2004 as a 12-episode anime and in 2006 and 2007 as a 3-episode OVA, adapting the first 5 volumes of the manga. The TV series was licensed for North American release by Media Blasters.
The anime adaptation is very faithful to the original work, with few revisions being made, with the exception that many references to specific anime, manga, and video games are changed or removed. The previously fictional Kujibiki Unbalance manga series was also turned into an anime series to match the medium, with 3 complete episodes being created for sampling in the anime version of Genshiken. The three Kujibuki Unbalance episodes are provided as bonus OVAs with the purchase of the Genshiken DVDs.
It was originally announced by Media Factory Inc. at Comiket 69 that the second season of Genshiken would premiere in October of 2006.[3] However, Media Factory clarified their statement in May 2006, saying that the series airing in the fall would be a full-fledged Kujibiki Unbalance series, rather than Genshiken season 2.[4] Nevertheless, the DVD releases of the new Kujibiki Unbalance series will each include an OVA episode of Genshiken, for a total of 3 new episodes. The first new episode was released with Kujibiki Unbalance DVD Box 1 on 22 December 2006, with the two subsequent installments to appear on 23 February and 25 April 2007, respectively.[5]
[edit] Critical response
Genshiken has been praised for its execution of the slice-of-life genre, in that it is able to be funny while still maintaining a strong sense of reality. Anime News Network reviewer Bamboo Dong's review of the first manga volume called Genshiken "one of the best manga series out this year", praising Shimoku Kio's attention to detail and David Ury's translation work.[6] Genshiken was also a 2005 Japan Media Art's Festival jury recommended manga.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Genshiken: The Saga Continues. Heisei Democracy (August 29, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
- ^ Theron Martin (October 13, 2005). Genshiken DVD 2 review. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2007-03-15.
- ^ NEWS FLASH: Genshiken Anime Season 2 Announced. Heisei Democracy (January 10, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
- ^ New Kujian Anime. Anime News Network (May 24, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-05-24.
- ^ ("Goods" page on the official Genshiken website) (October, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-10-12.
- ^ Bamboo Dong (June 21, 2005). Genshiken G.novel 1: Society for Study of Modern Visual Culture. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2007-03-15.
- ^ Jury recommended works: manga division. Japan Media Art's Plaza. Retrieved on 2007-03-15.
[edit] External links
- (Japanese) The official Genshiken web site
- Genshiken : A fansite/fanlisting dedicated to the series
- Insert Credit article on fighting game based on Kujibiki Unbalance released with the complete Genshiken DVD collection
