Tunisian Otaku: A growing cultural phenomenon

Here I am with fervent enthusiasm writing about a phenomenon I, till recently,  have though impossible or at best possible no sooner than some 100 years. 10 years ago, when Internet connection was a luxury only 7% of the population in Tunisia enjoyed, my brother and I were the only two in our village and prep-school who knew that the “cartoons” or  “الاصدقاء الصغار” in Tunisian appellation, were Anime that were primarily drawn in a kind of booklet called Manga.

This “knowledge” was by virtue of a channel called “Manga” and a dictionary (MDR as simple as that). It was with unequaled joy that I found in the Pioneer School other Anime lovers! Imagine the impact! And here we are in 2014 witnessing the rise of the otaku kingdom (I know certainly it’s too melodramatic but I’ve always wanted to say such stuff =D). I noticed graually the rising number of those who could recognize the anime genres, who knew Japanese words, and who could acknowledge the “Grandeur” of this art. However, what made me certain that the Otaku culture has become a TRUE palpable phenomenon in Tunisia was the tremendous work done by and within the group of التوانسة الي يحبوا الانمي “Tunisians who love anime” and the due fame and success it has among those who at least “know anime” and want to learn more about it. 

one of the activities on the group aiming at widening the fans' anime knowledge

The least one can say about the page and the group (having the same name), which are backed up with a YouTube channel, is that the administrators and many of the members are trying their best to enrich the participants’ knowledge about and interest in this rising field. I fully encourage anyone to just have a look at the YouTube channel of التوانسة الي يحبو الانمي: You won’t regret it! I love the reports on the different events as well as the debates and discussions. Another important detail is that the quality of the posts (content, amount of work provided) are better in the page that in the group. The use of the Tunisian language and the funny aspect of the videos, represent also things the participants are to be praised for.

The activity on the group is livelier than that on the page. Games, debates, questionnaires, discussions, news … are coupled with a passionate mixed (age, sex, studies…) “audience” to create an “animated” atmosphere. Yet the audience is sometimes too passionate and too mixed (Hello generation gap!) that the atmosphere shifts from “animated” to “agitated”: “virtual fights”, mutual disrespect, public humiliation …. This is quite revelatory of the major feature of the otaku in Tunisia (with some exceptions of course, still it is the salient feature): immaturity. This shouldn’t be taken as an offense for it is quite understandable and normal for a second generation anime and manga lovers: Greeks were the “venerated” second generation philosophers though they believed fire went up for it desires to join its original place. 

What I want to say is that since the Tunisian otaku is still at the beginning of its exploratory journey towards anime/ Manga discovery, over passionate clinging to one’s own choices, dogmatism and superficiality (in some cases) is understandable though it must be vanquished. This is the war many people are waging in the group التوانسة الي يحبوا الانمي . However what many  blame the group for is its focus on mainstreams, the simplistic way of dealing with anime, and its “alienated clinging to another foreign culture” -_-  (yep such people exist here). 

 

On the other hand, (I forsake now the role of the bad guy) the roaring echoes of the anime lovers, the manga oriented events, Cosplay festivals, celebrations of Asian culture … fill many Tunisians with pleasure and pride. Generally, the amazing phenomenon quenches the thirst of many for cultural diversity and ensures to all that Tunisia will never deviate from the optimistic, open, diverse and tolerant model. Here I cannot but thank and acknowledged the role played by JET (Japanese Events in Tunisia Organization) in nurturing the Japan and anime related events (to which I should consecrate a whole article).

ALL HAIL THE OTAKU KINGDOM  IN TUNISIA!!!!

X (1999) The Beauty of complexity

X (1999) or X Clamp is a 23-episode anime that, surprisingly, is not that famous. Personally I think It didn’t get its due attention and fame. What first drew my attention to the anime (In France2 around 17.00, several years ago) were the beauty and the new technique it uses in its “drawings”. It has an extremely charming and even mystic touch embellishing the general anime: it is central European style mixed with Japanese modern and traditional cultural features and some pastiche from the oriental mode.

Another colossal aesthetic point is the characters’ profiles, and chiefly the intricate links between all of them that oscillate between love and hatred, pity and destruction … philosophy, theology, pure aesthetic ism, sociology, psychology… the anime incarnates all in a general harmonious pleasurable whole. If such a combination was made possible it was owing to the ingenious battle- plot: each mini “chapter” centers around the pivot of a fight between members of the two teams; the dragons of the Earth and the dragons of Heaven. Both parties fight over a decisive act to be inflicted or not on earth. I leave for you the pleasure of discovering the epic but fatal decision each camp adopts.

The impossibility of judging the motives of characters or classing them to categories of good and evil makes this anime perplexing while at the same time alluring. It clothes it with a highly complex mesh of themes, motifs and symbols … the audience finds itself smoothly indulging in a game of interpretation with the anime, its characters, its events and motives. 

However, (there must be always a however, HAHA, till now it seems perfect) the ending is unfortunately … hmmm … euphemistically, catastrophic. That Ending, Man!!! They spoiled a tremendous work done on such a perfect anime (till we reach the ending). It seems that the group wanted to close the anime and finish with it (since X 1999 was meant to be the crowing of other animes by the same Studio): this led to a hasty conclusion that ruined in a way the anime.

But, still, the anime is worth watching! Even with the abrupt ending it s still one of the most amazing ones: plot, characterization, animation, graphics … I ardently recommend it; you won’t regret it!

 waiting for your comments! 

Kateikyoshi Hitman Reborn!: An anime our era needs

The anime Ichose to introduce you to today is a wonderfully “childish” anime. Some wouldcertainly object on the use of the word “childish”, thus some clarification isprobably called for here. Reborn is an anime that brings the audienceback to an earlier stage of childhood: fascination with a simple plot, some admirable characters that hide in their plainness a deep illustration of human kind and a light sense of tension and suspense that is enough to fuel one’s curiosity and love for the anime.

The story is mainly about Mafia; and what a picture of mafia it depicts! Tsuna, a low achiever, coward but loving and docile teenager, is compelled to become the tenth leader of the Mafia organization. The story starts as an episodic one: each episode of almost 25 minutes narrates a different adventure and where each time new characters are introduced. However, the story shifts to become more chained and the sense of suspense grows more intense. I won’t spoil the ending, but I can promise that it will be …. (no spoil, you see), not in the way of the mainstream endings (irrational, sad stupidly complicated ..no non none of that!!) but it will be a sweet, not 100% joyful ending.

If Reborn is childish it is for it restores in a way our sense of innocence: it is obvious that the majority of anime lovers would love an anime with a philosophical, mysterious, mind-stirring and even stressing plot, such as Psycho-Pass, the famous Death Note or Code Geass; an anime for adults, after all! When I watched the first episode of Reborn, it felt like more or less confused: it was funny but it looked so cliché-like: the dummy who is going to become a hero, themes of friendship and devotion … However with every new episode and every new unfolding sub-story I was more and more in love with the feeling it generated. It was the same old admiration we felt when we watched Pokemon, Yu Yu Hakusho, or Juliette je t’aime (my generation would recognize the causes of the use of French appellations). It is great in its simplicity. To be more “professional”: it is fabulous in the new – old aesthetic experience towards which it leads us. 

This experience wouldn’t be felt by a child watching the anime, for it is the usual way it reacts to anime in particular and to life in general. The charm of the anime will be activated only on “grownups” (it depends on how grownup one considers himself/herself to be), who in the midst of the new century anime industry, with its too deep and too dense plots and material and its over-commercial quality, forgot about how to be truly fond of an anime with a simple plot, sweet characters, no deaths, no murders, ethics of love and justice…