• <-- Return to /japan/
• --- Japanese otaku want to escape into...? ---
• Anonymous Otaku (2026-01-14 00:20 ID:3BC++f52 )
• Japanese otaku who don't have friends at school or maybe get bullied use media for escapism just like any other nerd type person anywhere in the world. What's interesting to me is that some of the media they watch is about high school. They probably don't like school, so why would they watch this?
• Now, I understand why American high school weaboo types would want to watch anime that takes place in Japanese high school. It allows them to simulate friendship and high school life but in a slightly foreign way, so it still feels like escapism. But would that American teenager watch a TV show that takes place in an American high school? Probably not. He wants to get away from the thought of his life and school. \n\n So why do Japanese otaku watch high school anime?
• And when they do watch it, is it a completely different experience for them (for them it feels like how it would feel for us to watch a high school themed TV show)?
• Or maybe high school anime feels the same for everyone across the world, so they like it just as we like it. \n\n
• Anonymous Otaku (2026-01-17 13:11 ID:pONEEgbJ )
• It's a fair question to ask. I think there are a number of obvious differences between anime set in schools and otaku's likely school experiences: \n\n Anime most often follows schoolgirls, whereas otaku are usually male. Anime usually has a strong focus on friendships and relationships, whereas otaku tend to be socially isolated.Anime rarely has any focus on actual schoolwork, exams, bullying, overbearing parents, etc.; that is, the stressful parts of school life. Possibly otaku watch these things as a kind of cathartic ideal of what their school life could/should have been, or possibly it's sufficiently different to reality that they can compartmentalise it separately. I've also seen someone, in response to the question of why so many anime are set in high school, put forward the argument that given Japanese work culture, school is the only setting that could really be carefree and fun, outside of completely fantastical settings. At least, until they make an anime about cute girls in the retirement home (I'd watch it!) \n\n
• Anonymous Otaku (2026-01-21 09:11 ID:3BC++f52 )
• I really like your answer. Thanks >>2 \n\n
• Anonymous Otaku (2026-01-24 18:37 ID:NSgao9Qy )
• In plenty of otaku media, there are male protagonists who are surrounded by girls. These characters are otaku adjacent and boyish but have an inner strength that otaku's typically lack. Often, these characters turn the otaku's personal failures into strengths e.g. in Muv Luv the MC's obsession with gaming is why he becomes a skilled combat pilot. Irl an otaku's skills go underappreciated or aren't valued by society at all. You have fantasy worlds where your skills and talents are appreciated or valued rather than dismissed as detrimental. Otaku's fantasize about being good at something and this skill making them valued. \n\n The fixation with girls probably has to do with them being less threatening. Females are stereotypically weaker, caring, more emotionally attentive and can't physically hurt or bully a guy. In otaku media there's a contrast between female characters who are sexualized and others that are held up as symbols of pure femininity and innocence. They say that all people have masculine and feminine sides, so this male femininity can be expressed and explored safely in stories with all girl casts. You'll notice that female friendships are depicted as more intimate then men's ones, they'll bathe together, comb each other's hair etc. whereas guys drink and rough house which otaku's probably don't find appealing. So socially isolated males can explore this kind of female intimacy in a non-sexual ways, and of course this can be sexuaized in media too for those into that. \n\n I'd say that otaku media can increase a person's sense of despair by feeding isolated men fantasies like this, the gap between a person's sense of self and what they want to be gets much bigger. \n\n
• Anonymous Otaku (2026-01-27 06:36 ID:3BC++f52 )
• Interesting thoughts, was nice to read. I think everything you said is true. \n\n
• <-- Return to /japan/