What is an
Otaku? Is it a negative stereotype of an anime fan? Is it a
badge of honor for those who love Japanimation? Perhaps it's the
name of a person that embraces the style of a different culture.
What ever your definition, "Otaku Unite" will show you the
way to true Otakudom. From the early days of anime, to it's gradual
acceptance into popular culture, this documentary covers the entire
spectrum of Otaku in an informative and interesting way.
There is no need to fear Otaku. Chances are, you are one of us!
REVIEW
Many times it
seems that documentaries are geared to convince you that their view of a
particular subject is the right one. With the title of "Otaku
Unite", I honestly expected it to be a rather "hard core"
view of fandom. I expected the producers to show that Otaku was not
a negative term, and that if you thought that Robotech was "pretty
cool", then you were a servant of the antichrist (no, the antichrist is
not Carl Macek).
Boy, was I way off base on this one.
"Otaku Unite" is nothing like that. It is a well done
documentary, that kept me interested and entertained through out it's 90
minute run time.
Starting out with the many definitions of an Otaku, the
documentary moved on to the history of anime in America. Then, it seamlessly
transitions into the rise of fandom in American, the evolution of
conventions, and introduce us to some of the key players in the U.S. Anime
industry. We are also treated to interviews with anime fans, self
proclaimed Otaku, and you even get to see the wedding of artist Robert
DeJesus to fellow anime fan Emily Brown!
Having
been a fan of anime since the days of "Star Blazers" and
"Robotech", I found myself smiling and chuckling at some of the
views and opinions expressed in this film. Many of the comments made
by the interview subjects I agree with. I also got a kick seeing
many of the people I have met in the last two years as interview subjects
or in brief "cameos". They even got a bit from adult film
star, Asia Carrera, who has done voice work on several hentai titles
(lucky Otaku).
One subject I would have liked to see covered was the
darker side of Otakudom. Carl Macek of "Robotech" fame
briefly touched on the subject, as did "Johnny Otaku", but for
the most part, it was not covered. As unsettling as I find some of
the more "extremist Otaku", I think that a few minutes more on
the subject would have been educational.
The look of "Otaku
Unite" was very professional. There were no real jerky camera
movements, most of the interviews were framed well, and the titles were
easy to read. They did very well, despite the rather small
budget. I think that once they transfer it to DVD, the digital video
will look better than it did on the VHS screener.
In
many ways, "Otaku Unite" is a "So, you want to be an
Otaku?" training film. With it's wide breadth of subjects,
informative interviews, and plenty of film clips, this should be watched
by anyone who is interested in anime, new or Otaku. If you are at a
con that is showing this documentary, you really should take a look.
That is, if you want to be a true Otaku!
To get the Japanese view of an
Otaku, check out our review of Otaku No Video,
released by AnimEigo.
What is an
Otaku? Is it a negative stereotype of an anime fan? Is it a
badge of honor for those who love Japanimation? Perhaps it's the
name of a person that embraces the style of a different culture.
Many times it
seems that documentaries are geared to convince you that their view of a
particular subject is the right one. With the title of "Otaku
Unite", I honestly expected it to be a rather "hard core"
view of fandom. I expected the producers to show that Otaku was not
a negative term, and that if you thought that Robotech was "pretty
cool", then you were a servant of the antichrist (no, the antichrist is
not Carl Macek).
Having
been a fan of anime since the days of "Star Blazers" and
"Robotech", I found myself smiling and chuckling at some of the
views and opinions expressed in this film. Many of the comments made
by the interview subjects I agree with. I also got a kick seeing
many of the people I have met in the last two years as interview subjects
or in brief "cameos". They even got a bit from adult film
star, Asia Carrera, who has done voice work on several hentai titles
(lucky Otaku).
The look of "Otaku
Unite" was very professional. There were no real jerky camera
movements, most of the interviews were framed well, and the titles were
easy to read. They did very well, despite the rather small
budget. I think that once they transfer it to DVD, the digital video
will look better than it did on the VHS screener.