Otaku Stores: Actually Popular Among Women!
When you think of an otaku store, what comes to mind? A place filled with socially awkward male otakus buying their anime products? What if I told you that what’s reported online is that these stores are actually bustling with women?
Otaku Stores: Actually Popular Among Women!
A Twitter post went viral in July, garnering 17 million views. The image essentially portrays how people imagine otaku stores, with various men, sporting the typical otaku look, purchasing their anime merchandise.
However, the bottom part of the image shows what otaku stores are really like – packed with female customers buying anime goods, products featuring their favorite characters (husbandos), BL (Boys Love), and much more.
This image caught the attention of many, and even a user claimed to have worked part-time at an Animate, a retail chain specializing in otaku merchandise.
According to this person, based on what they observed while working there, male otakus tend to buy official products like manga and games but aren’t keen on purchasing merchandise.
On the other hand, women frequently buy merchandise, resulting in larger purchases compared to men, leading to higher overall spending. Furthermore, female customers visit the stores more often than men.
Another person commented that this has been the case for at least 40 years and shared photos from a show that visited a manga store filled with women.
This is something many people have remarked upon: the anime and manga industry is “dominated” by women, both in production and consumption, including adult content (R18). Many women are involved in producing and buying such content.
In summary, it seems quite clear, doesn’t it? In fact, earlier this week, we published the results of a survey showing what women spend the most money on. In first place were products related to their “oshis” (idols), so spending on otaku-related items is perfectly normal.
via YARAON
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