げんしけん（１） (アフタヌーンコミックス)

Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture #1

by Shimoku Kio, Shimoku Kio

――春、笹原完士(ササハラカンジ)は意気込んでいた。『ある種』のサークルに入ると決意していたからである。サークル部屋から広がる楽しい大学生活を等身大で描く、アキバ系青春物語!!

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Seinen, Fiction, Slice Of Life, Comedy

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2002

About the author

Shimoku Kio (木尾士目) is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga Genshiken, which was originally serialized in the Afternoon Magazine. It was later published in Japan by Kodansha, which produces Afternoon Magazine, and by Del Rey in the United States. Genshiken is an anime, manga, and light novel series about a college otaku club and its members.

Reviews

[Mir]

This reminded me a bit of Bakuman, in that it was objectively well-done (accurate, detailed, well-drawn) but the characters were so boring to me that I just couldn't be bothered to keep reading. Of the two I preferred Bakuman because it at least had a sense of telos, with the two budding mangaka pursuing their dream and striving to improve their skills.

[Sarah]

I really disliked this book. The characters were boring and hard to differentiate, and a story that is basically about pervy otaku and the women who don't understand them holds no appeal to me. The guys were all pretty sexist and the one female character is a moron. It also seemed to be operating on a level of fandom that I just can't keep up with. There were too many references that went over my head and combined with the sexism and the lack of interesting characters, it was a massive fail for me. For a fun story about nerdy otaku, I prefer MegaTokyo.

[Laura (ローラ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genshiken is brilliant. And, one of my favourite manga indulgences. The artwork is beautiful and obsessively detailed -- and the story is hugely character driven. I'm impressed with Kio Shimoku's sense and understanding of human nature; an expression of this group of outsiders and their interactions with the world around them.

I'm always sad when I get to the last volume. Of all the manga I read, I feel this one most closely matches the world that I want to live in. When it's over, I miss it. And at the end when the graduating members of Genshiken are moving on... I hate that it reminds me I have to move on and live my life again.

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was just okay.

Mildly funny. No truly compelling characters. No steady plot points yet. I guess it can be relatable for some young otaku guys, but I'm not one. So didn't really strike me as anything special.

[Eressea · Rating 5 out of 5]

受不了不知所云的幸運女神
換換口味看這部，沒想到有相見恨晚的感覺
現在主角年紀也是我年紀除二了Orzzzzz

從大學開始接觸日系ACG到現在也快二十年了
但要是剛上大學時看這部，應該只會當搞笑作品吧
現在看才會有懷舊的感覺
不過與其說自己大學也走過一樣的路
不如說是漫畫情節重合念書的時代吧~
雖然我念大學的時候還是比這部晚一點就是

就算看了這麼多年動畫漫畫
這集捏他的許多作品還是沒看過
難道作者自己就有看過嗎?
還是哽是跟責編一起討論出來的呢?

看了起頭就會想一口氣看完全部
該刻意控制一下進度了Orzz

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wanted to read this as a kid but never did because it was more expensive than the jump titles I read (Jump stuff was typically 7.95, Del Rey was 10.95, and I only got 10 bucks for allowance). Anyway, now that I utilize Inter-Library Loans, I can experience all the manga my teen self never could.

Anyway this series has its moral failings(though not as many as I expected from a series about an anime club) but it allows me to put on nostalgia glasses and teleport back to crt tvs, attending anime cons, and talking about your lame interests with fellow losers. The art is very lovely and the backgrounds are dense with detail. The club room in particular is so stuffed with posters and shelves of figures, it feels very authentic. There’s just a nice grime and grit to it all.

All that to say, kind of like if Megatokyo had swag.

[Meepelous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the fact that I'm certain a lot of this went straight over my head, I still enjoyed reading this and will likely continue reading the series. It's only nine volumes long and was a pretty quick fun read. The writing was really good and the main characters were all really interesting.

As far as gender representation goes, while I am not over the moon about it, writing out this review I actually realized that it's pretty gosh darn awesome - so far. While it's easy to miss on a surface level, credit should be given for how effortlessly it is so very accepting on a deeper more fundamental world view level. +1 star!

Maybe I'm just choosing to be naive, but Kanji's sexual/otaku awakening was actually kind of cute. It would have been really easy for the Otaku to be portrayed as really resenting women since they both find them attractive and are generally rejected by them. But they all seem pretty content with their lives and are more amused and intrigued by Saki then anything else. Male sexuality and even porn is not in and of itself problematic or evil. Personally, it's all about objectification and hatred towards women.a

While I can see why some people are turned off by Saki's character, I don't think she's your typical "normal girl" hanging out with the geeks sort of type (for lack of a better word). She's never really portrayed in a negative light (even though she's pretty physically and sexually aggressive) and so far she's never been drawn in weird poses or costumes just for the male gaze. Her cluelessnes about all things Otaku is pretty well balanced out by Makoto's sexual cluelessness - although their relationship did feel like it developed in a rather jumpy fashion. With the addition of Kanako the series is definitely going in a positive direction.

[Kendra Strand · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a manga that apparently sets out to dispel incorrect assumptions that the "normal" general public has about people who identify as otaku, this manga seems to fall back on a lot of problematic stereotypes, both of otaku and of "normal people", mostly revolving around the notion that otaku are simultaneously sexless (unattractive and incapable/uninterested in dating IRL) and constantly horny (obsessed with porn and hyper-conscious of the sex lives of others, especially how much sex other men are having). Still it could be productive to use in class for deconstructing the stereotypes that come up-- the organization in which each chapter focuses on a specific theme or aspect of otaku culture/identity makes it almost function like a textbook, although a really biased and clunky one at that.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shimoku Kio. It centers on a college club for otaku and the lifestyle its members pursue. Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Vol. 1 collects the first six chapters with a bonus story.

The tankōbon opens with freshman orientation where Kanji Sasahara and Makoto Kōsaka want to join the manga club, but both ended up joining Genshiken. Saki Kasukabe – a normal tends to hang around the club mainly to be around Makoto Kōsaka, because she is in love with him. It takes some time for Kanji Sasahara to come to terms with his otaku nature, because he is embarrassed by it, but thanks to the seniors in the club, he eventually embraces it. The last chapter introduces a female character to join the club – Kanako Ohno, who was a student abroad transfer into the school.

Genshiken introduces through Kanji Sasahara to Akihabara to purchase fanzines, which he has never done before and later to Comic-Fest Convention for more fanzine craziness.

This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Shimoku Kio. For the most part, it is written and illustrated rather well. Kio has quickly established the seven main protagonists and their personalities rather well and quickly establishes what sort of otaku each person excels at: Makoto Kōsaka (video games), Harunobu Madarame (models), Souichirou Tanaka (costume designer), Mitsunori Kugayama (magna artist), and Kanako Ohno (cosplay) with Kanji Sasahara trying to find himself and Saki Kasukabe trying, but mostly failing, to understand the otaku culture.

All in all, Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Vol. 1 is a wonderful beginning to a new series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more.

[Elvizius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un catalogo de otakus,"frikis japoneses", protagonizan una comedia coral que esta muy bien como escaparate de sus aficiones. Sin embargo,si no te pilla de nuevas ese mundillo,como me pasa a mi,tal vez se te haga entretenida sin mas pues sus personajes,tan estereotipados como planos,no llegan a ser interesantes.

[Whitney (The Cover Collector) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too bad the incident with Madarame breaking his arm didn’t happen in the manga. That was the funniest episode ever.

Edit: It’s in the next volume!

[Jacobmartin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, which of the works of fiction will stand out in Western consciousness, let alone Japanese consciousness?

What makes Genshiken stand out as one of the greater examples of serialised fiction in this decade? It's simple, the characters are well fleshed out and there's real drama here when exploring a subculture that is essentially one of being a pariah in the eyes of your fellow Japanese if you were born in the land of the Rising Sun.

I'm a big fan of Welcome to the NHK - a far more obscure Japanese light novel which is a bit like Notes from the Underground by Dostoevsky only with creepy-ass Japanese shut ins as protagonists. Genshiken is the opposite end of the spectrum from the unknowable horror that is Welcome to the NHK, Genshiken and NHK are God and the Devil of Japanese seinen series which evaluate the whole new otaku lifestyle, especially in how the subculture is seen by the Western world in countries like America.

The series really makes me feel nostalgic for magazines, because really manga is a sort of pictorial magazine that takes you back to the era where you read comics on the train and the like. Japanese college as represented here has a very unique look to it, and the effort in rendering the setting in the art is remarkable. If the art sucked the story wouldn't have come through as well as it did.

It's no Akira, but not every manga has to be. To quote a Youtube reviewer I saw, it's a bit like the TV show The Big Bang Theory, whereas previously I would have compared it to the films of Kevin Smith.

A good read for those interested in Japanese college life, as such series are few and far between in favour of more high school orientated plots.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this slice-of-life comedy. The translator did an excellent job with introducing the otaku culture along with the related terms. Underneath all that geekiness is a surprisingly human story.

Edit: I forgot about what a guy's comic this is. But seeing their lifestyles clash with Kousaka, Saki, and the main character is sort of why it's fun. And the guys never get too self-depreciating or pathetic, as you'd expect from a nerd story. They seem pretty comfortable being the people that they are.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shimoku Kion "Genshikenin" (Del Rey, 2005) avausosassa tutustutaan japanilaisen koulun harrastekerhoon, jonka jäsenet ovat animen, mangan, cosplayn ja muun vastaavan populaarikulttuurin suurkuluttajia - otakuja - niin hyvässä kuin ehkä myös pahassa.

Ei tämä mitenkään tajuntaaräjäyttävän kiinnostava avausosa ollut, mutta taidanpa jatkaa lukemista vielä ainakin seuraavan osan verran. Luullakseni olisin innostunut tästä aikaisemmin enemmänkin, mutta nykyisin parhaat pahimmat suurimmat nörttivuoteni taitavat olla jo takana.

[kimberly]

Wins 'Best Writing in a Series Focused on Pornography.'

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things that are awesome about DelRey's 1st print run - the cover pages!

Ok, all of 2 opening pages are in color. Shut up, in early 2000s manga that was a gift

[Kite · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Otaku” is a term that I’ve labeled myself with in the past, when I’d eagerly watch new episodes of seasonal anime that come out weekly as a getaway from hours of tedious class lectures. Fully professing as one at the peak of my teenage years, I rejected most of the reality around me and got absorbed at the 2D world in front of my laptop screen. I had friends who would identify as one and we’d chatter away during school breaks about the latest developments in the anime world. I’d start obsessing over the latest doujins and video games which caused me to neglect real life priorities. This hobby persisted up until college, where I slowly lost interest due to academic stress. I’d still come back to its comfort frequently but it’s often short-lived. Now that I’m at the end of my college days, Genshiken came at the right time and reminded me that the days I’ve spent living the otaku life wasn’t time wasted.

One striking aspect of the manga is that it holds well a sense of realism. The Genshiken members act like what an otaku would act like in real life. They are hopeless and degenerate, but the story shows the embracement of it rather than shaming it. It is self-aware about the negative perceptions about otakus, but it addresses them in a mature manner. The eccentricities are present, but they are not overbearing to the point of being annoying. Rather, the manga uses it to its advantage to present a healthy group dynamic among the cast which results to very enjoyable and hilarious moments. The manga is split into two generations: the old and the new generation.

The old Genshiken members include the enthusiastic Madarame, the timid Sasahara, the cosplay otaku Tanaka, the artist Kugayama, the normal Kasukabe, the BL-loving Ohno, the flawless Kousaka, and the otaku-hating Oguie. It’s worth noting that the manga doesn’t have an actual main character, even though we are fooled to believe that it’s Sasahara at the start of the story. What I really loved with this generation is that it manages to develop and flesh out almost all its characters. The narrative shows how the Genshiken members warm up to each other over time, even leading to romantic developments. Every activity that they bond over with builds up their friendship over time, leading to a fulfilling closure as they separate paths in the future.

The new cast for Genshiken Nidaime sees most of the old members graduating and some of the side characters in the previous generation gaining more relevance to the story. The new addition to the mix includes the crossdresser Hato and the fujoshis Yoshitaka and Yajima. There’s an observable shift in the tone of the series, as most of the gags revolve around BL. It’s also used to progress the plot as there are some immense romantic developments that are handled in a way that is not forced. It might alienate the fans of the old Genshiken gang but it’s a refreshing way to continue the story. What I also like about the reserialization of the manga is that the mangaka came back with a really improved artwork.

There are some issues I have with the manga but most of them are just nitpicks. One of which is that we didn’t see much of the campus life outside the clubroom. It could’ve help put that realism up a notch. Another one is that it derails to certain romance subplots, detours with no conclusion, and then the manga picks it up again later. There are also some characters that could’ve used more of the spotlight to make the readers more invested in them. But then again, it could complicate the plot that was already at the brink of collapsing near the end, only to be saved by a well-executed conclusion.

Overall, this is a must read for anyone who has the slightest idea what it means to be an “otaku”. It’s a well-written story that throws in typical otaku clichés and stereotypes and makes it an enjoyable and emotional reading experience. If Welcome to the NHK displays the dark side of being an otaku, Genshiken shows the fun side of it while not neglecting its drawbacks. Don’t miss out on this amazing manga.

9/10

[Oscar Camacho · Rating 3 out of 5]

En general esta clase de manga tipo "slice of life" me gusta mucho. Genshinken va sobre la etapa universitaria de un grupo de Otakus que crean su propio club al no encajar en los clubes de anime o videojuegos y van construyendo una dinámica de amistad y familiaridad, además de tener como tema principal (al menos de este primer volumen) la aceptación de uno mismo.

En si su defecto es que tiene un inicio muy lento, incluso para este género de manga, así que necesita algo de paciencia ya que este primer volumen es más que nada para establecer el tema de la serie y presentarte a los personajes. Yo llegué a él por el anime y creo que por eso le di la oportunidad, si hubiera llegado en blanco probablemente no lo habría leído hasta el final.

Recomendado si te gusta este tipo de manga pero requiere de tu paciencia e interés.

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars for Vol. 1 - 9

This series is all about releasing one's inhibitions in order to find a community that will help nurture one's growth. Nice enough message.

The biggest problem I have with this manga is that there's just too much porn talk. It's fine for the characters to be perverted, but a good 60% of this is them playing porn games, reading hentai, or just being freaks.

Sasahara is used to hiding his idiosyncrasies from others, but the Genshiken members inspire him to come out of his shell. I really enjoyed the way Kasukabe tagged along solely to be with Kousaka, her boyfriend, and eventually grew to like the club and its members. Ohno being a fan of old man yaoi creates a good dynamic with Ogiue, as she is the typical fujoshi.

The rest of the cast doesn't get to do much. Tanaka is Ohno's boyfriend, and the go-to cosplay guy. Madarame is very insecure and his character arc doesn't really go anywhere. Kugayama is shown to be a competent artist, but that's about it. Kuchii was a completely pointless addition to the cast. I assume Sue will have more time to shine in Part 2, but I won't be reading that!

[David Doel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this may have been the first manga volume I ever read (nearly 20 years ago). It was recommended by NewType magazine and I read the nine volumes as they came out. I am rereading it now to prepare for reading Genshiken Season 2, which I bought but have not read.

I had forgotten how good this is! This manga creates some characters and details them enough to make them seem like real people. They are in a college setting (something I almost never see in manga). The story follows a group of Otaku and one normal person to provide a perspective. There are anecdotes in the life of these people; some folks will find them to be dull, but not I.

[Matt Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

(review of the whole series)

The thing that drew me in to this series when I was first exposed to it was the sense of a created community, that dissimilar people could create a sense of family by focusing on a common goal. Even if it's a weird one. We're all a little weird, so setting aside the specifics of that weirdness, this is a relatable story about finding community and the phases of newfound independence in college.

[Marta · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off: yes, without a lot of knowledge about manga and anime, it's easy to get lost. But with even just a basic knowledge of otakuness, I found myself interested enough in the characters. They're a bit barebone now, but I could see them become quite interesting (never to say... NANA levels, but you can't expect perfection,,,).
The art is good, I think! I loved the early 2000s, late 90s feel of it. Something of the past sneaks into the atmosphere, and I just appreciate it.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kanji decides to join the Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual culture (a combo of video games, anime, and manga)

This series is a big Not For Me. It's about male otaku (with one female hanger-on) whose idea of a perfect day is to travel an hour, stand in a long line, and buy some porn fanzines. Yep, I'm a geek, but not this kind of geek. I'll give this series a hard pass.

[Anthony Wendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series that you back to your college years when you joined the anime club, found a bunch of others who were into the same things you, and you started to get a better sense of where you were going. If you enjoy series that look at anime and gamer culture you owe it to yourself to check out this series.

[Galatea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice, chill slice of life. The characters and the nuances of weeb culture are portrayed realistically but still entertainingly.

The fact that this was published 20 years ago is apparent, but it's aged gracefully as a period piece of sorts.

[Josée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Série qui explore la sous-culture japonaise : manga, anime, cosplay, etc. Tous les tomes sont très intéressants, et on apprend beaucoup. (Quoique la saison 2 soit moins bonne que la première...)

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alright manga, A bit boring... The story wasn’t that great and the characters were boring, not much going on in this 👌📖😁💕

[Ivo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really loses the plot in the final chapters of the second "season." The first iteration is pretty solid and fun to re-read, but the writing's all over the place in the second half.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember watching the anime a while back and the manga is just as enjoyable.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting...