Just before the end of the year 2021, we’ve seen specific posts being shared on Facebook. These posts contain the following information, which I will share to you guys outside the Philippines:
King of Anime Groups
This first copypasta I’m going to share was shared around two years ago, I believe. The copypasta is about a boastful “King of Anime Groups” who warned his “poor innocent” fellow to move it.
“King of Anime Groups, speaking. Excuse me? Before you duke it on me, beh, I just want to inform you that I’m famous in anime groups. How about you? Ohhh. Just a poor innocent otaku.
One more, huh? I’m a prince in these anime groups. You can’t just talk to me or make friends with me because I’m the God of Weebs!
Well, you otaku are poor and worthless. Me? I have Anime Figurines, I have two Crunchyroll Premium accounts, I have my own Anime Cinema Room. I have watched over 500 animes. Well, you don’t have them. Also, I read manga every day, I eat junk good.
I’m the only one rich in this whole Anime Group Community of the Philippines. And you guys? You pirate anime, you don’t even have Netflix or Crunchyroll, you are poorer than hobos. So please, don’t me. Kneel down to your overlords, you ugly and poor otakus!”
I call hubris on this joke. Hubris, meaning “excessive pride and self-confidence” (Oxford). Also, is it technically illegal to have two Crunchyroll Premium accounts?
Otaku Rankings
This one, which just appeared at the end of the year, explains the different levels of being an otaku. It starts with a question: “Can you please explain every stages of ‘otaku’?”
First stage: Newbie. Just new to anime. What they watch mostly are Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball and/or mainstream anime
Second Stage: Group Joiner. These are the ones who join anime groups to find anime recommendations and to make friends with other otaku.
Third Stage: Anime Addict. On this stage, it’s uncommon to eat.
Fourth Stage: Otaku Competitor. This stage, meanwhile, is the part where you watch a lot of episodes in one day to flex on social media your anime addiction.
Sixth Stage: Hachiman (Hikigaya). The lead character in My Teenage Romcom SNAFU. This stage on the other hand is where will be emo. On this stage, you will feel that “Our World is Rotten, Everyone [is] Your Enemy. You will feel this if you realize the difference between our world and the world of anime.
Seventh Stage: Veteran Otaku. This is the last stage because you can only watch around two to three episodes of anime every day.
Don’t hurry to reach the seventh stage, enjoy the [emotions] you will feel while watching anime. You need experience to reach the end. These stages are also not 100% accurate, I removed some stages because it can trigger you.
Did I mention there was a follow-up comment on this?:
And just a reminder, Veteran Otaku here.
Watching a lot of anime episodes is not a basis to call you an otaku. Once you understand the culture and real beauty of anime/manga/light novels, you’re automatically an otaku.
If you become a veteran otaku, that’s the time in which you can only watch around two to three episodes per day.
In short, veteran otaku [is] the last part of otaku rankings.
Call this biased, but there are points where he’s kind of right. Almost. Let me explain in the next section.
Aside: Story Time
Allow me to share my experience, taking into consideration that I’ve been here for a long time:
- We are all introduced into anime because of TV networks broadcasting mainstream anime such as Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Slam Dunk, Ghost Fighter (Yu Yu Hakusho), Doraemon and the like.
- At the advent of internet, we learned how to use Friendster and other social media platforms. This is before Facebook stepped in and dominated social media.
- Bulletin Board Forums were the hype back then. I frequent this forum called “Zen Otaku Honbu” wherein they post anime schedules, and share thoughts on anime being broadcast locally. Zen Otaku Honbu is the foundation of what will be known today as Anime Pilipinas. Bulletin (Another sidenote: Boards die with the rise of Facebook Groups.)
- My first anime event was Anime Overload Festival 2009, a one-shot event. This is also my first time entering SMX Convention Center Manila, which will then be a home for a lot of major anime conventions.
- I started blogging about anime around 2009 as well, staying long hours in the internet cafe watching anime. I tried anime reviewing at a time where anime blogging was the thing. I’m happy that we as an anime blog became part of the one-shot Aniblog Tourney, where we lost to an eroge blog.
- Fast forward, I made sure that I get to as many anime events as possible. In the 2010s, anime events, cosplay conventions and the like are starting to gain mainstream attraction, and by the end of 2019 they are being held almost every month. This has been my life before the pandemic struck.
- Pandemic-wise, I can safely say that the discussion about anime has fully moved from the mainstream to online. There’s little to no news about anime in the local context, so I resort to reaching out to other active communities in Southeast Asia, like in Indonesia where they have a steady release of light novels thanks to the pioneers in distribution there.
- After immersing myself into anime, I got into idols thanks to MNL48 and competing idol groups. I got burned out with the fandom though, so I went on to VTubers, from Hololive to Nijisanji. I have never left since.
I don’t have stages, I just grow up getting more immersed. Being immersed, I find myself in communities where I felt I belong, such as Twitter. I can safely say that stages one to four from the earlier otaku rankings relate to me, while the latter part is downright hikikomori and deprived of romance.
Sustainable Otaku Goals
This year, someone from Japan released this very helpful inforgaphic derived from United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- No Health, No Life.
- Compatibility with Social Life
- Take a Bath
- Circulate the Economy
- Support your Oshi While you can
- Appropriate contribution
- Enjoy and continue
- Good relationship
- I am me, others are others
- Correct Information
- Comply with Law, Observe Manners
- Take Care of Belongings
- Not only consume, But also Provide
- Calm View to Self and Others
- Nurture the Next Generation
- Courage to Change, Courage to Rest
- Prepare for Unexpected
I like this infographic for one reason: Sustainability. The buzzword in which developing nations are prodded to take care of. This infographic points out that while you are enjoying life your way, you need to take care of yourself and your surroundings. A happy life is a life worth taking care of.
Here’s how I understand each of these Goals:
- Goals 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 talk about how we should deal with others.
- Goals 4 and 6 talk about contributing to the community’s economy. Without merchandise, you can’t make a collection and the community can’t earn something.
- Goal 10 makes sure that we don’t get swayed with rumors unless confirmed.
- Goal 12 is there to make sure we don’t forget something of any value.
Of course, I’m going to follow the Sustainable Otaku Goals. Looking forward, this should help me change my outlook in life. Looking forward to the success of this year with this in mind.