While all of us here in the U.S. are whining about how expensive anime DVDs are, let’s take a moment to feel pity for our Japanese brethren. Not only do they have to pay through the nose for anime DVDs (because yes, for the last time, DVDs are really expensive there)– they also are stuck paying money to get a girl to slap them.
Danny Choo reports on a new kind of maid cafe called the Akiba Girls Dormitory. Instead of sitting in a cafe being served by girls in maid or cosplay costumes, you get to hang out with a cute girl wearing pajamas in a “bedroom” (notably lacking an actual bed). You know, for those otaku who have never seen / will never see the inside of a girls’ bedroom. (Otaku who have sisters need not apply?)
Now the base prices aren’t too expensive– if you just wanna hang out and chat for a half hour, it’s ¥1680, about $15.72 USD. But the add-ons are COMEDY GOLD. Another ¥1000 ($9.35) to get her to change into a costume; ¥1000 to get her to read you a romance manga; and the best one? ¥1000 for “binta,” where she slaps you across the face.
You know, I’m willing to bet that I could get a cute girl in Japan to slap me across the face for free. (It just might also involve getting arrested.)
It’s also worth noting that if you’re female and wish to enjoy the “dorm”’s services, it costs less– only ¥1000 for the ‘normal’ course. I guess maybe it’s less effort to hang out with another girl? (Or maybe they secretly charge guys to watch these “girls-love” sessions?)
Anyway, if you’re curious, definitely check out Choo’s post about the place, complete with pictures. I do have to admit, “Sola-chan” is pretty damn cute.
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!
“Serge the Concierge” spotlights Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan, a book which tries to narrow down “kawaii culture” a bit and figure out where the heck it came from in the first damn place.
I think I just want it for Toilet Paper-chan.
The Mainichi reports that a taxi service staffed by hot maids intended for the physically impaired has had to close– due to otaku pretending to be disabled to get access.
…Nikkan Gendai notes that maid-obsessed otaku came from all over the country to ride in the taxis, swathing themselves in bandages or pretending to have broken bones to circumvent the Road Traffic Law’s ban on the able-bodied using vehicles designed for the disabled.
How depressing is that? I mean, c’mon, you “able-bodied charlatans” (as the Mainichi puts it) are perfectly capable of marching your fully-functional selves to a maid cafe any ol’ time. Yeesh.
Gunota Headlines spotted posts on Akiba Souken and Akiba Blog about a pair of Gundam cosplay bars that are going to open in Akihabara later this month.
They’re called Mobile Suit Bar Zeon and Mobile Suit Bar Federal Forces, and they are based on the original Gundam series, plus Z and ZZ. The food and drinks are themed and they’re currently seeking female staff.
Which I guess means you won’t be able to have Kira Yamamoto wait on you. How silly.
Original Source: Akiba Souken, AkibaBlog
Secondary Source: Gunota Headlines
Okay, Gurren Lagann news + Eddie Izzard reference + truth = like OVER NINE THOUSAND! bonus points, right?
Original Source: Telegraph.co.uk
Secondary Source: BlueDragoon, #japanator@irc.irchighway.net
You know, I kinda figured that the west would like maid cafes, but “Jenny” at BlogTO reports that the iMaid Cafe in Toronto, the first Japanese-style maid cafe (or maid cafe at all, I think) has now closed after only a year in business. And I didn’t even manage to get there…
It’s a battle of the cities between Washinomiya and Satte, who are duking it out over Lucky Star fans. Washinomiya has the advantage of already having attracted visitors prior to announcing that they would try to, and now they’re stepping things up with a “Lucky Star’s Brunch” event at a local restaurant.
The seiyuu who play Lucky Channel’s Minoru and Akira will be in attendance, as well as Kagami and Tsukasa’s seiyuu.
I wanna go. They better be serving chocolate cornets.
Remember how Washinomiya gave in to the Lucky Star fandom and started selling cell phone charms? Well, now the city of Satte, which is where Lucky Star lead Konata lives, is apparently proposing to do the same thing.
You may recall the story of the city that was so concerned about all the otaku making pilgrimages to the town because some of the Lucky Star locations were based on spots in the town? Washinomiya, it was called.
Well, the town has woken up to the joy of otaku– and the money that otaku are willing to spend –and is now selling cell phone straps from the series to draw in more visitors.