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INTEREST: K-On! Fans Spend 13 Million+ Yen on Mugi's Birthday


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Beatdigga



Joined: 26 Oct 2003
Posts: 4352
Location: New York
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:50 am Reply with quote
My disgust is not capable of being expressed by mere words.
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DmonHiro





PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:52 am Reply with quote
That Mugi plushy is adorable.

@ Beatdigga: What are you disgusted at? People spanding money on what they like?
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JohnnySake



Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 582
Location: Auburn Hills, MI
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:56 am Reply with quote
Beatdigga wrote:
My disgust is not capable of being expressed by mere words.


I agree, that much money should be spent on Ritsu's birthday...

(and she would agree with me)
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Goggen



Joined: 08 Feb 2011
Posts: 88
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 8:13 am Reply with quote
Beatdigga wrote:
My disgust is not capable of being expressed by mere words.

Likewise... though my disgust is directed elsewhere.
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Barachem



Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 8:26 am Reply with quote
I'm not surprised at the level of worship certain otaku in Japan give to these kinds of characters.
It looks like this is a modern and otaku version of shintoism, worshiping anime/game/manga characters complete with shrines, etc. instead of centuries old local spirits.
Shows like Kamichu!, Kannagi didn't pave the way to this kind of worship, beacuse that already started in 70s and 80s of last century with idols being pushed, but they do illustrate that shinto worship has taken on new forms.
Celebrating the birthdays of anime/game/manga characters by otaku is one new form shintoism has adapted among young people.
I'm not disgusted, merely sadly shaking my head how these people don't see they only worship creation instead of the Creator.
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egoist



Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 7762
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:05 am Reply with quote
Oh my god that's just hilarious. Laughing
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Metanomaly



Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 107
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:08 am Reply with quote
Barachem wrote:
I'm not surprised at the level of worship certain otaku in Japan give to these kinds of characters.
It looks like this is a modern and otaku version of shintoism, worshiping anime/game/manga characters complete with shrines, etc. instead of centuries old local spirits.
Shows like Kamichu!, Kannagi didn't pave the way to this kind of worship, beacuse that already started in 70s and 80s of last century with idols being pushed, but they do illustrate that shinto worship has taken on new forms.
Celebrating the birthdays of anime/game/manga characters by otaku is one new form shintoism has adapted among young people.
I'm not disgusted, merely sadly shaking my head how these people don't see they only worship creation instead of the Creator.


And here, class, we see an example of Poe's Law
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Nemo_N



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 272
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:35 am Reply with quote
160K? Such a small amount for Tsumugi-ojousama.
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Metanomaly



Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 107
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:46 am Reply with quote
Nemo_N wrote:
160K? Such a small amount for Tsumugi-ojousama.


She told them it wasn't really necessary at all.

But no one listens.
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Barachem



Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:48 am Reply with quote
Metanomaly wrote:
And here, class, we see an example of Poe's Law


In what sense do you think this is a case of Poe's law?

I rationalize what i observe in the case of the celebration of Mugi's supposed birthday, which is a light novel and anime character and dy definition fictitious.
I compare that celebration in general to that of shinto deities and come to a logical conclusion that this is a new form of shinto worship, be it with e new kind of deities.
That i give my own personal opinion afterwards is my own comment on what i perceive.
Even if one doesn't believe in a Creator, it is quite saddening to see thousands of otaku, if not more, devote their time to worship such fictitious creations like Mugi.

PS: Due to past experiences on the internet, i do expect nasty/trolling/bashing/ridiculing comments on me voicing my analysis and subsequent opinion, as me voicing my opinion with regards to the Creator is such a big red flag that it makes the people who post such comments forget the previous analysis.
But anyway, please prove my prediction wrong/right.
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Spotlesseden



Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: earth
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:56 am Reply with quote
Japanese otaku has money to burn. why should you care on how they spent their money. I read an article on many Japanese otaku are super rich. 100k is probably just like $200 to some of you guys.
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ommadon



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 55
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:19 am Reply with quote
Barachem wrote:
I'm not surprised at the level of worship certain otaku in Japan give to these kinds of characters.
It looks like this is a modern and otaku version of shintoism, worshiping anime/game/manga characters complete with shrines, etc. instead of centuries old local spirits.
Shows like Kamichu!, Kannagi didn't pave the way to this kind of worship, beacuse that already started in 70s and 80s of last century with idols being pushed, but they do illustrate that shinto worship has taken on new forms.
Celebrating the birthdays of anime/game/manga characters by otaku is one new form shintoism has adapted among young people.
I'm not disgusted, merely sadly shaking my head how these people don't see they only worship creation instead of the Creator.


If they are buying merchandise are they not supporting the creators of the show? Obviously we don't know what kind of deals are going on but you could imagine the original creator: kakifly gets a little something. Your comparison seems very disrespectful. Its like saying anyone who buys christmas gifts is a christian.
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Barachem



Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:01 am Reply with quote
ommadon wrote:
If they are buying merchandise are they not supporting the creators of the show?


Have i said that that wasn't the case?
Thanks for shifting the issue at hand.

ommadon wrote:
Obviously we don't know what kind of deals are going on but you could imagine the original creator: kakifly gets a little something. Your comparison seems very disrespectful.


Again you are shifting the issue here.
There is a difference between buying K-On! merchandise because you like the show or one of the characters and buying merchandise of a character because it's her birthday.
Of course one can do the latter in jest or because one just thinks it's nice to do, but there are many K-on! fans that are fans of Mugi to such an extent that one can reasonably assume that these otaku love her so much that they worship her.
That is what i am addressing here and that is what this store is exploiting as well.
While some casual fans of K-On! or Mugi will buy her paraphernalia, the store most likely celebrates Mugi's birthday because the hardcore Mugi fans will come and spend quite much, because they're that devoted to her.
Note that i am not judging here, i am merely giving the facts as i know them.

Now, based on the behaviour of these hardcore Mugi otaku, which is the behaviour of any hardcore anime/game/manga character otaku, i make a comparison to shinto worship, which is more than warranted, especially with light novels/manga/anime like Kamichu! and Kannagi show-casing that shintoism can be experienced in a certain modern way, the worship of idols.
And with some certain fictional characters being idolized and elevated like they are by a certain group of hardcore otaku, it is easy to see that they might be observing a certain modernized form of shinto worship, where i do not mean any disrespect, but am seeing certain trends coming about and trying to discuss them.

I'm not certain if i remember correctly, but i do think that i have read a serious discussion about modern worship of (fictional) idols by otaku being akin to shinto worship, though very modernized and quite different in style.
Yet it seems a bit natural for the japanese to repackage their old traditions in new forms, thus keeping their past alive in some form.
And again, i'm just speculating here on a link between traditional shintoism, which is diminishing, just like traditional buddhism, and modern (fictional) idol worship, which i see as modern and revised form of shintoism, at least among the hardcore japanese otaku.

ommadon wrote:
Its like saying anyone who buys christmas gifts is a christian.


LOL, honestly, sometimes fellow humans amaze me in how they use false analogies.
If hardcore otaku are buying things because they celebrate the birthday of Mugi, that can in some sense be seen as worshiping Mugi.
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:04 am Reply with quote
So when I buy a gift in celebration of my friend's birthday, it can in some sense be seen as worshipping my friend?

I get your point, of course. But your reasoning isn't particularly sound.
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firedragon54738



Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 3113
Location: wisconsin
PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:17 am Reply with quote
Wow but I wounder if Mio is going to get the same a mount of her birthday
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