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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.

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Otaku Unite!

Review by Matthew Anderson

VHS Preview Screener

Company: Movies of My Dreams Productions

Documentary

Run Time: 90 Min

Rating: O (All Otaku)

EXTERNAL EXAM

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!

FINAL EXAM

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.

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