[Categories: OAVs, Movies and Full Series]
Genshiken series #1
This was one of those shows I’d heard a lot about and languished on my ‘to buy’ list for ages. What with the second season on its way and my viewing leaning more to comedy and drama in recent months I thought that I might as well go ahead and pick it up. Fortunately, there’s an Economy Edition of the full series box set, which contains the whole series along with the Kujibiki Unbalance bonus episodes, but at a measly £20 (that’s around US$40 for you stateside folk). Okay, so the box is regular cardboard, but hey, when the contents are all there, who cares about that?
Before launching into my characteristically heavy analytical mode I should point out that Genshiken is first and foremost a comedy-drama: the antics of the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture are touching, true-to-life and very funny. It’s another shining example of how realistic fiction (the alternative definition of ’slice of life’ that I have grown to prefer) can portray the day-to-day events of the protagonists in a way that makes them endearing, easy to relate to and for better and for worse, human. It also made me laugh. A lot.
Just hangin’ out together
The realistic fiction genre is pretty well catered for if you’re actively looking out for shows of that type; Only Yesterday, Beck and Honey and Clover appeal to viewers such as myself because they’re often centred around young adults whose experiences reflect those of the target audience. There’s no shortage of comedies concerning otaku culture either, from Gainax’s Otaku No Video to Comic Party and Welcome to the NHK!. Combining the two is therefore a pretty good recipe for success: many viewers are likely to be anime fans themselves, and if they’re not currently university- or college-attending anime fans, the memories of those days aren’t particularly distant memories.It’s no surprise that Genshiken struck a chord with me really. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the assorted bunch of the Genshiken remind me of people I know personally and, as much as I don’t want to admit it, there’s a bit of each of them in me too. While the series relies on the quirks and peculiarities of otaku culture for much of its humour, it is as much celebrating the lifestyle as it is poking fun at it.
Hardcore manga shopping: watch and learn, my friends. WATCH AND LEARN.
The ‘everyday’ realism that gives the drama its power goes hand-in-hand with its comedy because, in many cases, the humour is observational and draws on a lot of home truths. It also relies heavily on parodying and referencing, an approach which in many such shows is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is topical so is sharp and fresh; on the other hand many gags don’t stand the test of time. Genshiken sidesteps this by referencing anime, manga and computer games old and new alike (take for example the building of a Cagliostro-shaped sandcastle on the beach) so it is still funny a number of years down the line, and will continue to be so for many years more.Of course, such a specialised choice of subject matter can alienate all but its most knowledgeable fanbase because it’s so insular - a potential pitfall that Genshiken turns to its advantage. The references and jargon are amusing to those of us who ‘get’ their meaning but for those who don’t, the apparent meaningless-ness of the words and customs is in itself funny. Take for instance the scenes in which the gang talk at length about the artistic merits of Kujibiki Unbalance (which is to anime what Spinal Tap are to rock music): these moments are funny not only because Madarame and co are taking a mere TV show so seriously(!), but also because Sasahara and Kasukabe are looking on in utter bemusement.
1337 gaming skillz: it’s all in the thumbs
Another aspect in which this series is a winner is that it sits on the fence in terms of judging the characters in their obsessions, leaving the viewer to make up his or her own mind up about them. Anime, manga and gaming can be art forms, social commentary and much else besides; as a diversion from our daily grind of work and/or studying though they are above all meant to be FUN. The cast of Genshiken are happy in what they’re doing, which makes for real feelgood TV; perhaps too hardcore in their interests at times, but then, who are we to judge? We don’t learn what impact their club has on their finances or grades (perhaps it’s better that way) but for all intents and purposes the time spent reading doujinshi, playing computer games and watching anime is harmless: it’s time spent hanging out with friends and having a laugh.
Model making: serious business.
The bottom line as to why Genshiken is so enjoyable for fellow otaku is because the viewing experience is not a snapshot into another world; it’s not a ‘them’, it’s ‘us’. The Genshiken are the people who we bump into in comic book stores and gaming arcades, the people we queue up with at conventions and cimema screenings, chat with online and add to our blogrolls. Their humdrum lives and concerns are just like our own but crucially the series skillfully paints them in an occasionally embarrassing but utterly realistic light. Everyone has their own hobbies: the mind-boggling variety of which in today’s world can inevitably divide us into our own little cliques, each with its own slang, social politics and so on. The finer details of the otaku lifestyle, which give it particular relevance and entertainment value to fellow fans, will be lost on a casual viewer but the way in which it portrays the hopes, fears, joy and sadness experienced by this eternally likable and fun-loving group of friends should be evident to any of us. It’s not afraid to show us as the over-enthusiastic fools that we can sometimes be but at the same time reminds us that often in life, you have to laugh. And if you can’t laugh at yourself…
Posted on October 9th, 2007 @ 5:16 am
Three years ago a coworker turned me onto anime, and Genshiken was one of the shows he had me watch first.
It might be worth your while to track down the three OVAs that came out in the past year, since they introduce an important new character.
Judging from the manga (and the first season stayed loyal to it) the attention will shift more toward character development in the second season. I’ve heard people complain that the manga became too soap-opera, but I didn’t see it that way, and I still loved it. I can’t wait for the final volume to come out!
Posted on October 9th, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
@Peter S: It’s an interesting but strangely fitting way to get into anime! Point taken on the OAVs though - I think the character in question makes a cameo appearance during the closing credits of the last episode iirc.
In terms of Genshiken 2, the more I hear the more I’m looking forward to it. My only real criticism of series #1 was that although the characters are introduced well, there’s not much time to see them develop. Hopefully the second season will set this right!