Otaku Pop Up in the Weirdest Places
I got a google alert for “otaku” that led me to this article at MediaPost about a couple of guys who are working to make mobile phones in the US more like the ones in Japan (i.e. awesome and useful). They specifically talk about the QR codes– you’ve probably seen them on websites; they look kinda like barcodes? Japanese phones can scan them to get you more information or content about the product/site/etc.
They say that they’re banking on “otaku,” as in obsessives, not as in anime and manga fans. They also say that “Hello Kitty became the original importation of Japanese pop culture,” which is an absolute lie; Speed Racer came to the US in 1967; Hello Kitty was created in ‘74. The fools!
Tags: hello-kitty, mainstream-media, Otaku, Speed-Racer
December 31st, 2007 at 8:30 am
Awesome, I want a Sharp Softbank phone, but they’re unusuable here!! (well some are but theyre like models from 2 years ago XD)
Also love the new layout.
December 31st, 2007 at 8:45 am
@Hinano: Thanks!
Yeah, what’s up with Japan having a different mobile phone network than the entire rest of the galaxy? Boo!
December 31st, 2007 at 9:42 am
Astroboy came in 1964.
January 1st, 2008 at 8:15 am
Happy new year Gia.