Manga a Go Go

Book review: Cruising the Anime City
By: Patrick Macias and Tomohiro Machiyama

While looking at my library’s collection of books on Japan, I found this gem. I didn’t know how much I needed this book until I saw it sitting there, nestled amongst tomes on more serious topics like cherry blossoms and photography of Mount Fuji . The title explains it pretty clearly: this is the nerd’s guide to the anime capital, detailing everything from the Gundam museum to where to get Morning Masume goods. If those names don’t ring a bell, then this book might not be for you. While the authors do a pretty good job of giving background info (for example, the back story of how Morning Masume came to be and how they exploded onto the music scene) but for the most part they expect you to know what they’re talking about. This book is for people who have already gotten their nerd degree, not folks still in Geek 101.

The breadth of topics is pretty amazing. While most of it is anime related, there’s also fascinating chapters on the different movie houses in Tokyo and the weird fast food choices available. It also gives some insight on aspects of anime fandom, such as the definition of terms such as “Moe” and “Otaku,” or giving brief history lessons on things like dating sims. While the books is a fantastic find if you’re planning a trip to Japan, it’s also a great read even if you’re not.

Another point in the book’s favour is that it’s funny. When visiting a cosplay cafe (the waitresses are all dressed up as anime characters) the author takes in the anti-social, male otaku who patronize the place and describes it as “an otaku version of Taxi Driver.” Yet while the authors might poke fun at some aspects of the city and fandom, it’s done with an obvious amount of affection and self-deprecation. There are a few interviews in the books with people who have taken their fandom to the extreme, such as the ‘King of Model Kits’, Chimatsuri, and rather than talking down or ridiculing the subjects the authors approach them as fellow fans. Of course, they’re still objective enough that when things get weird, they notice (the Chimatsuri interview is a great example of this. Even if you’re not interested in models, it’s still a fun and surreal read). In the introduction both authors pony up their nerd cred (Tomohiro Machiyama is even partly responsible for coining the term ‘otaku’) and it’s clear this is a book written by fans for fans.

Not to say it’s a perfect book. For one, it seems pretty squarely aimed at male anime fans. There are stories about maid cafes and ‘little sister’ cafes, but nothing about butler cafes. And if “Moe” (a phenomenon aimed at men) can get a whole section, why not yaoi or slash? While the book is filled to the brim with great info, it’s missing some of the more girly aspects of anime fandom.

Also, with something as jam-packed as this book, and index would have been a godsend. Still, it’s not so bad just flipping through the book: you don’t always find what you’re looking for, but you do end up somewhere pretty neat. Metaphor for Tokyo? I’ll know once I get there.