Shelf Life

Between the Lines

A new era has come to Genshiken. Most of the old club members are gone, although many of them still hang around or make appearances in this season—Madarame has a place near campus, Sasahara is a manga editor who's going out with ex-Manga Society member/current Genshiken club pres Chika Ogiue, Ohno is in her last year of college, and many of the others still pop by for occasional club parties and Comifes trips. Even Kousaka and Saki (Kasukabe) make appearances, with the latter playing a slightly more pivotal role in helping Madarame find the catharsis he needs.

But it's more than just a personnel shift that marks this season of Genshiken. The club, once dominated by male otaku, is now largely occupied by fujoshi. That it mirrors the explosive growth of the fujoshi market in recent years is likely not a coincidence—the stereotype of the male otaku has given way to a more mixed image, one where women comb the aisles of Comiket for BL, play otome games, and have the purchasing power to buy anime goods. It's not without its own subset of negative stereotypes—the self-mocking term "rotten girl" is not an inherently positive one, and there are otaku (like Genshiken's Ogiue) who look down on the fandom. But it's here to stay, and it's entirely appropriate that a new Genshiken should reflect that new trend.

Beyond BL jokes, though, and the constant slashing of Genshiken characters, this season does try to be a little more ambitious with its characters. It doesn't always execute it perfectly, but it certainly tries. We see this the most with Hato, a self-proclaimed fudanshi who cross-dresses to fit in better with fujoshi. His sexuality is intentionally left a little ambiguous, despite his profession that he's straight when he's not dressed as a woman. His friends doubt the statement often, but they don't press too much. Mostly, it doesn't really matter.

What's notable about Genshiken: Second Generation is not that there's a character who can't be easily slotted into any preset label (the opening theme is a little too on the nose about it, singing about how labels like "man or woman" don't apply). It's that it's not entirely played for laughs, like it is in many anime. And it allows the other characters to react openly and honestly about it. We see this in the way that various characters choose which pronouns to use when talking about Hato. We see this in the way that some characters embrace her too fetishistically, or express disgust and anger. Others are just excited to shove her into cosplay, while some default to harassment, insisting on seeking proof. Some accept her for who she is, no questions asked. And while some of the responses seem more progressive than others, the series doesn't cast judgments. Rather, it provides the platform for what it believes is a realistic set of (otaku-minded) responses to something that people may not initially understand.

It's certainly not easy for Hato. Even the matter of where she'll change clothing is an important issue, with characters pointing out that if a man is spotted entering a woman's bathroom, it'll become a police matter. Even these logistical issues are indicative of the characters' acceptance. They are more consumed with trying to figure out where Hato can change, than the act itself. Even Yajima, who can't understand why Hato doesn't just dress as a man to make things more convenient, doesn't really press the issue beyond that. It feeds into one of Genshiken's central theses, that no matter who you are, or what you're into, there's a place for you in the otakusphere.

Madarame also gets a lot of good screen time this season, although the writing is often a little clunky. He's matured a lot since the first season, and even cooks a mean seafood pasta. But he has a job close to campus, so he often still loiters around the club. He eventually realizes that he needs to let go, but there are past memories that are holding him back. When he finally has a chance to let his emotions be known, I can't help but be a little irritated at the writers for making the other characters too pushy, though I suppose otaku aren't exactly known for their social grace. But all's well that ends well, and Madarame firmly cements himself as one of the best characters the franchise has ever known.

It's hard to wrap up a review about a series as thoughtful and charming as Genshiken, especially after a season as great as this one. There is just so much to talk about, like Ohno's relatable feelings of despair in a bad job market, Ogiue's search to rekindle passion in a job she once thought would be perfect, or even Yajima's feelings of insecurity that cause her to lash out at Hato. It's a series that has matured over the years, although the ideas are sometimes a little more ambitious than the writers can handle. The school culture festival in particular felt rushed and awkward, with everything tying up a little too cleanly.

On a closing note, those who loved the first two seasons for all their otaku references will enjoy the nerd nods in this one as well. From pixelated Evangelion plugsuits, to Flowers of Evil references, to offhand comments about Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, to the mountains of cosplay from properties like Madoka Magica, Princess Jellyfish, Bayonetta, One Piece, and more, it doesn't skimp on the otaku side of things. Because at the end of the day, what's Genshiken without otaku.
- Bamboo[TOP]