Idolise
Ferrari decorated with manga idols near Akihabara in Tokyo
You shouldn’t do this to a Ferrari.
Am I right?
Working a few other stories at the moment, just something fun to keep you entertained while I shoot and scribble away.
Later
Damon
Idolness
There is, believe it or not, an AKB-48 cafe and shop in Akihabara.
Actually that’s not too unbelievable when you think about it.
In the long queues for the cafe (above) were a lot of the young otaku men that love this and other teenage idol groups.
Indeed the whole Akiba weirdness is big business now (the Nomura Institute, in 2004, estimated the spending power of Japan 2.85 million otaku as 290 billion yen) and also a source of soft power that pushes Japanese popular culture and exports abroad, a cause that was championed by the unashamedly geeky ex-prime-minister, Taro Aso.
Don’t get it myself, though some of it undeniably attractive, it is would be hard to freely admit that anywhere else than Japan. Though by many accounts the Otaku’s love of cute, erotic and animated alternative realties is increasingly becoming popular in other countries too.
The myriad and multi-level stores of Akihabara can be difficult to navigate for the uninitiated and it is difficult to know exactly what is and isn’t there. So about 50 business got together at the Belle Salle Akihabara event hall over the 8th and 9th of January as a sort of one-stop-see-it-all festival to all the place has to offer. (above) Electronic stores, that first gave the areas it obsessive character, set up shop next to toy, and hobby stores selling everything from remote-controlled helicopters to bikini-clad figurines and Roman armour. Visitors could also drive model trains, race scaletrix cars, shoot replica guns or watch robots fight. Downstairs idol groups performed on a small stage and a couple of maid cafes set up shop around a square of folding tables serving bottled drinks.
It was tacky, cheap and terrible yet I imagine if you’re into the the Otaku culture and the whole Akiba thing it must have been heaven there. Myself I couldn’t really join in as manga, animation and idol groups don’t do much for me. Photographically it was also a little dull, and a little crowded to take pictures, more of a trade show that hid all the good stuff behind the backs of lots of unattractive men. Couldn’t get close to the idol groups as the fan were dancing and wasn’t allowed to take pictures of the maids (as is always the case though did sneak the one above). I stayed a short while and then left to walk around the streets a bit more. There is more of the same outside and though it is equally hidden away when you go looking it looks better.
Anyway all for now, too tired to write better.
Later
Damon
Need A New Computer?
Think twice if there is still some life in the old one as this is what happens to a lot of old computers. No not above but though this is bad what is linked is worse.
Came across some of the pictures in this essay on Geographical Magazine’s photo stories page.
Been dipping into this great magazine’s archive a lot recently for study and inspiration. Good to see Andrew’s work there.
I met him a few years ago at the Wanderlust travel photographer of the year awards where we were both finalists. Been a fan ever since but you know how it is, can’t always check the websites of people you like and I’ve missed some good stuff going up there recently. Have a look on the links above. Some shocking and beautiful images.
Got to rush
Damon
I`ve got the power…or rather not
Sorry not been here for a while, been busy with family, revamping website (stay tuned) and general work sorting, scanning, playing with my new digital camera and a whole host of other things.
Talking of my camera. I seem to have the worst luck with rechargable batteries. My laptop lasts about 2 hours and seems to be getting less day by day; and as for my camera well I get less than 200 pictures from the thing before the low battery sign comes on. And this is with a battery pack on. I mean reading reports I should be getting over 1,200 pictures on that arrangement apparently which means I either have a duff camera, which really pisses me off, or I have duff batteries, which is slightly less annoying but is an extra expense I don`t really need.
I trust the man who sold me the camera so I guess some new batteries are in order.
No shortage of electricity in Akihabara (Japan`s electric town in the abstract above). Wish the same was true in my life.
More coming soon
Damon
Pink
There is an interesting quote by a customer of a sex club in Japan in Pink Box
Did they ever! I had a walk around Akihabara the other Sunday. It was my first time there on a Sunday and the experience was very different to the other times I`d been there. Aki as it is affectionately known is famous as Japan`s `electric town` where any and all electronics items can be bought. But it is also the centre of Otaku culture in Japan. Otaku are those people who become obsessive about a particular hobby to the exclusion of all other things. Mostly men they are particularly enamoured of manga comics, fantasy video games and teenage girl idol groups. There is a huge industry catering to the needs of this section of the population which is worth, by some accounts, upwards of two billion Pounds. Not all of it is harmless fun however: maid cafes may serve coffee and cake to paunchy shy guys in flannel shirts at inflated prices just to inflate an ego or two but Japan`s second largest and the world`s oldest industry is also making inroads into the area.
Prostitution is technically illegal in Japan but that doesn`t seem to stop it flourishing. Because basically anything goes for the frustrated Japanese male and anything except actual intercoarse is not illegal. So want your cake served on a maid rather than by one – that`s okay or if taking a few photographs of a cartoon character`s underwear does it for you, as had been happening in the photograph above, that`s okay too Akihabara is the place you can do these things quite freely and unashamedly. Create a crowd that blocks other people on the street however and that is not allowed, which appeared to be the only reason the police were moving these “girls” on.
Under the masks were probably junior high school or high school students. Such work could be a Saturday job for her and surely such sexual exploitation shouldn`t be allowed. I saw another girl in school uniform guiding a group of extremely worrisome men around. They all had cameras, they were all hanging on her every word as she flirted with phallic objects in shops. Yet she must have only been fifteen and was very much in control and that is not healthy either. For both parties.
Strange place, Akihabara quite unlike the rest of Japan.
Damon
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