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!!!!