- Akiba-kei
nihongo|Akiba-kei|秋葉系 or nihongo|Akiba-chan|秋葉ちゃん is a Japanese
slang term similar in meaning to "otaku "."Akiba-kei" literally means "
Akihabara style," referring to a district inTokyo filled with stores selling electronics,manga , anime merchandise, and other products designed to appeal to the otaku subculture.Akiba-kei particularly refers to men in their 20's and 30's who live in or around Tokyo and spend their leisure time in Akihabara. Their interests are particularly focused upon idols, erotic PC games, model figurines and
manga . However, occasionally this also refers to young people (often including women) who look like a geek (otaku), even if he or she is not actually one or has never been to either Akihabara or any other 'geek-chic' place.It may be used self-mockingly by Akiba-kei themselves or their friends, neutrally by Akiba-kei amongst themselves, or negatively similar to the English term
geek ; although in wider Japanese culture the term "otaku" is in more common use.The term was popularized in mainstream Japanese culture as a result of the 2005 movie, and subsequent television series, "Densha-otoko".
Akiba in Popculture
* "Akiba" is the nickname of the 'RAT PT. 01' team's electronics expert,
Johnny Sasaki , from thePlaystation 3 gameMetal Gear Solid 4 .
* Frequent use of this word is made in the first episode ofNogizaka Haruka no Himitsu when referring to Nogizaka Haruka and Nobunaga Asakura.See also
*
Shibuya-kei (Other youth culture stream in Tokyo around 1990's, influenced by Western cultures)
*Geek chic
* [http://smt.blogs.com/mari_diary/2006/05/otaku_fashion_h.html Akiba-kei Fashion] .- [http://smt.blogs.com/mari_diary/ Watashi to Tokyo] (Blog)
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
