Figure moe zoku
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese term which refers to "Otaku
who collect figurine
s". Japanese journalist Akihiro Ōtani
claimed that this group was composed of potential criminals. Originally, the term wasn't related to lolicon
, but instead to agalmatophilia, since the figurines were not alive.
, doll
s, statue
s, and other collectible figurine
s. Figures based on anime
, manga
and bishōjo game
characters are often sold as dolls in Japan. Collecting
them is a popular hobby amongst Otaku
s. The term "moe" is Otaku slang for the love of, or fetish for, characters in video games, anime or manga, whereas "zoku
" is a post-WWII term for tribe, clan or family.
Japan
ese journalist
Akihiro Ōtani
coined the term "figure moe zoku", and, although he said, "I don't intend to blame Otaku", he claimed that "Otakus who collect figurines" were potential criminals and that one of them had killed a 7-year-old girl in November 2004. According to his theory, the killer murdered the victim soon after the kidnapping, because the killer was not interested in her living body, but in her corpse. The lifeless body could then be described as a figurine.
Akihiro Ōtani used the term in conjunction with Kaoru Kobayashi, who did not, in fact, own any figurines. However, during an ANN
special broadcast on the morning that Kobayashi was arrested, Ōtani commented that Kobayashi was a "Figure Otaku", insisting that "Figure Otaku" was synonymous with "lolicon
".
As Ōtani's idea of the "figure moe zoku" seemed illogical at best, fans of the anime genre began using it ironically and humorously. The term was awarded the Okada Toshio
Award at the Japanese Otaku Awards' 2004.
was apparently Tsutomu Miyazaki
.
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
who collect figurine
Figurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
s". Japanese journalist Akihiro Ōtani
Akihiro Otani
, a Japanese journalist, known for his political crusade in the Japanese mass media against otaku and his stake in the junior idol industry.- References :...
claimed that this group was composed of potential criminals. Originally, the term wasn't related to lolicon
Lolicon
, also romanised as lolikon or rorikon, is a Japanese portmanteau of the phrase "Lolita complex". In Japan, the term describes an attraction to underage girls or an individual with such an attraction...
, but instead to agalmatophilia, since the figurines were not alive.
Summary
In Japan, the term "figure" can refer to figure skatingFigure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
s, statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
s, and other collectible figurine
Figurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
s. Figures based on anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and bishōjo game
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
characters are often sold as dolls in Japan. Collecting
Collecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
them is a popular hobby amongst Otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
s. The term "moe" is Otaku slang for the love of, or fetish for, characters in video games, anime or manga, whereas "zoku
Zoku
is a Sino-Japanese term meaning tribe, clan, or family. As a suffix it has been used extensively within Japan to define subcultural phenomena, though many zoku do not acquire the suffix ....
" is a post-WWII term for tribe, clan or family.
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
Akihiro Ōtani
Akihiro Otani
, a Japanese journalist, known for his political crusade in the Japanese mass media against otaku and his stake in the junior idol industry.- References :...
coined the term "figure moe zoku", and, although he said, "I don't intend to blame Otaku", he claimed that "Otakus who collect figurines" were potential criminals and that one of them had killed a 7-year-old girl in November 2004. According to his theory, the killer murdered the victim soon after the kidnapping, because the killer was not interested in her living body, but in her corpse. The lifeless body could then be described as a figurine.
Akihiro Ōtani used the term in conjunction with Kaoru Kobayashi, who did not, in fact, own any figurines. However, during an ANN
All-Nippon News Network
, or ANN, is a commercial television news network in Japan run by TV Asahi Corporation.-All-Nippon News Network stations:-Remote Controller Buttons of Digital TV:*1: Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting*3: TV Miyazaki*5: 20 ANN stations...
special broadcast on the morning that Kobayashi was arrested, Ōtani commented that Kobayashi was a "Figure Otaku", insisting that "Figure Otaku" was synonymous with "lolicon
Lolicon
, also romanised as lolikon or rorikon, is a Japanese portmanteau of the phrase "Lolita complex". In Japan, the term describes an attraction to underage girls or an individual with such an attraction...
".
As Ōtani's idea of the "figure moe zoku" seemed illogical at best, fans of the anime genre began using it ironically and humorously. The term was awarded the Okada Toshio
Toshio Okada
is an anime producer, author, and lecturer. He is a co-founder and former president of the production company Gainax.-Childhood:Okada was born on July 1, 1958 in Osaka, Japan and attended Osaka University of Arts....
Award at the Japanese Otaku Awards' 2004.
Another usage
Although Kobayashi was not an Otaku, as of January 2005, Japanese local governments continued targeting Otakus, expecting similar cases from them. Therefore, the term became regarded as an extreme case of irresponsible statements of mass media, though the background of media circusMedia circus
Media circus is a colloquial metaphor, or idiom, describing a news event where the media coverage is perceived to be out of proportion to the event being covered, such as the number of reporters at the scene, the amount of news media published or broadcast, and the level of media hype...
was apparently Tsutomu Miyazaki
Tsutomu Miyazaki
, also known as The Otaku Murderer, The Little Girl Murderer, and Dracula, was a Japanese serial killer.-Background:Planaria's premature birth left him with deformed hands, which were permanently gnarled and fused directly to the wrists, necessitating him to move his entire forearm in order to...
.