Culture

ANIME IS LIFE

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Ever felt like you wanted to start an anime but find yourself not having enough time for it? Or do you have a friend who you would like to get started on an anime, but they’re unable to relate to it? The writers for these anime have managed to take a concept, present their thoughts in a short amount of time, and create relatable anime. No more excuses about long runtimes or concepts that are too difficult to relate to.

Words: Charlene Lim

The “slice-of-life” genre of anime picks up on various aspects of day-to-day tasks and interactions. It exaggerates one particular concept and builds a story from there with some light hearted comic relief for good measure.

The average length of an episode of anime is approximately 23 minutes long. This is a considerable amount of time in one’s day, which is perhaps the reason why animators have chosen to produce short clips between 2 to 8 minutes long — the perfect length for break time enjoyment.

To bring this guide together, some points to note are the episode length and the “Real-life Relatability Rating”. This is scored out of 10 and is based on how often we find ourselves in situations similar to what is described in the anime. Some universes may be outside our scope of imagination, but each story line covers topics such as work or school life in situations we may have experienced before.I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying

I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying

Real-life Relatability Rating: 7/10

Studio: Seven Produced
by: Dream Creation Theme: Otaku Culture
Episode Length: 3 1/3 minutes

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This anime focuses on the married life of Kaoru, an office lady, and Takashi, her otaku obsessed husband. What’s unique about this series is the number of anime references it touches on per episode. The creators’ ability to adapt both verbal and illustration styles from different genres is impressive.

I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying ran for 2 full seasons and, despite the short individual episode length, the writers have managed to introduce a large amount of characters and have allowed viewers to experience and grow with the 2 protagonists over the course of time. This is a good introduction to the lifestyle of an otaku from an outsider’s perspective.

This light-hearted anime is shown from Kaoru and her friends’ perspective of a lifestyle that is quite foreign to their own. If you are an otaku, you will enjoy trying to catch as many different references as you can while watching this anime.

Meeting people from all walks of life is an integral part of social interaction. It does not matter if the networking aspect is in real life or online as it helps to develop a deeper sense of individuality and understanding. The people that we meet in our lives may have drastically different views and lifestyles in comparison to our own and that is what makes our lives vibrant and fulfilling.

Tonari no Seki-kun

Real-life Relatability Rating: 3/10

Studio: Shin-El Animation
Theme: School Episode
Length: 8 minutes

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This anime is depicted from the viewpoint of Rumi Yokoi, the main character, who sits next to Toshinari Seki in class. Yokoi is often distracted by the activities that Seki is involved in during class and often narrates the on goings in her head while observing the scene.

Seki has the ability to transform regular objects such as stationery into complex games during class time, and more often than not, despite Yokoi’s continuous attempts to concentrate in class or getting Seki to focus on class, Yokoi often finds herself an unwilling participant in those games.

Despite Seki’s large scale creations and the entertainment he provides, it seems that Yokoi is the only person in the whole class that notices what is going on. In such short episodes, the writers are still able to involve other classmates and build them into Yokoi and Seki’s life outside of Seki’s creative imagination and games.

During the more boring parts of school life, there are times where we would consider entertaining ourselves with what is available to us. This anime seems more likely to exist in our imaginations as carrying out the activities described in this anime would probably be a logistical nightmare.

Wakakozake

Real-life Relatability Rating: 9/10

Studio: Office DCI
Themes: Food Episode
Length: 2 minutes

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Wakakozake revolves around Wakako, an office lady who spends her time alone after work enjoying food with sake. Each episode is only 2 minutes long, and focuses on a Japanese dish and with an alcohol pairing.

Despite the short running time, the amount of expression and delight that is conveyed is wonderful. With Wakako’s first bite of food, sip of alcohol and sigh of enjoyment, you can feel her stresses wash away, taking your troubles along with them. A word of warning — this anime may bring on extreme food cravings.

The best part about this anime is its attention to detail in illustrating the dishes served up. From the onset, you will notice that the focus is mainly on the food and alcohol pairing. For example, seafood is usually served with hot sake, whilst fried food with beer.

I would consider this a highly relatable anime with great tips on how to enjoy food with alcoholic beverages. This anime may make you want to head out to the closest izakaya (Japanese pub) to start trying some of the more traditional Japanese dishes.

WakakozakeHozuki no Reitetsu

Real-life Relatability Rating: 6/10

Studio: Wit Studio
Theme: Office Life/Work Politics Episode
Length: 23minutes; 2 segments per episode

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The protagonist in this series is a high level administrative officer in Hell named Hozuki, who supports Enma, the king of Hell. The relationship between both characters is similar to that of an operations manager with a company director. Each episode is generally split into 2 stories that covers topics involving situations at work such as: personal relationships between superiors and subordinates, hiring processes, and the work/life balance. The idea that hell is run like a large corporation with multiple departments is a novel concept which the writers have done a great job with.

One of the many topics this anime illustrates is international company exchange programs. This can be seen when satan from European Hell visits and discusses the cultural differences between Eastern and Western worlds. Exchange programs between administrative managers happens frequently throughout the series, often resulting in cultural shock due to their differences.

Training is also depicted in this anime. This is provided to the staff by subject matter experts, and allows for skill development of current employees to provide better service and success in various job fields.

We may often find ourselves living a real-life version of this universe and many aspects of this anime are quite relatable. In the workplace, we may be met with familiar situations such as understaffing and attempts to keep a good work/life balance. This anime manages to touch on subjects in a light hearted and comical manner that is close to our hearts.

WHY I LOVE AKIHABARA

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Words: Charlene Lim

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Akihabara, a district full of bright lights and culture. On the surface it looks like a busy city full of life and adventure, with its own culture and social group. Underneath it all, it has a history so deep it took over a century to develop into the place it is today.

This is one of the top cities to visit when in Tokyo. Located in central Tokyo, it is most accessible by train as the district has its own station where several lines converge. For tourists, Akihabara has many sights and wonders that are uniquely Japanese. The experience is quite unlike any other city, some may love it whilst others may not. It is quite a strange and unique city. To truly grasp the Akihabara experience may take a few good days.

Looking around, you will be sure to notice a large number of electronic goods stores. If you have a penchant for gadgets, be it the latest and greatest or just something cute or practical, there is something in store for everyone.

Akihabara houses many shops that offer a wide variety of otaku goods. On top of anime and manga offerings, there are also stores that specialise in action figures and other collectibles. There are also shops that specialise in gachapon vending machines – vending machines that dispense capsules containing memorabilia and trinkets that may make unique gifts and are collectible as well.

Fancy being treated to a unique café experience? There are many maid and cosplay cafés unique to Akihabara. At these cafés, you will be treated to adorably decorated meals and served by staff dressed in French maid outfits or your favourite anime character. If you are looking for a quick snack instead, like most of Japan, Akihabara is no stranger to the vending machine. In Akihabara, you may find vending machines that dispense ramen noodles and oden in a can as well!

We also must not forget the history of Akihabara. Another unique experience is a visit to a shrine. The Kanda Myojin shrine is a short walk from the electronics district. It is a beautiful Shinto shrine that has been rebuilt and restored many times due to fire and earthquake damage. Being located so close to Akihabara Electric Town, it has become the shrine where blessing ceremonies are held particularly for technology ventures. The shrine also sells omamori (take-home charms) in the shape of a computer chip to protect the user from harm.

Akihabara has managed to give its own twist to commonplace Japanese culture and items, making it one of the more unique places to visit in Japan. It’s a must-go spot!

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AKIHABARA HAS MANAGED TO GIVE ITS OWN TWIST TO COMMONPLACE JAPANESE CULTURE AND ITEMS, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE PLACES TO VISIT IN JAPAN. IT’S A MUST-GO SPOT!

A SHORT HISTORY OF AKIHABARA

The Akihabara we know today is nothing like how it was in the 1800s. It was not always fancy lights and maid cafés. What we see today is a direct result of everything it has gone through.

Back in 1869, a massive fire broke out in the city, reducing the land to nothing. To prevent further mishaps, the Meiji government erected a small shrine named “Chinka-Sha”, also known as the “Extinguisher Shrine”, as a ward. The citizens at that time mistook the structure as a shrine for a fire-quelling deity named Akiba, and thus, the area became known as Akiba no Hara.

Sometime in the early 1900s, a careless typing mistake resulted in the name of the town we know and love today, Akihabara.

By 1935, this area had become a fruit and vegetable market. Other merchandise such as lumber also made its way here. This resulted in an influx of people. The technology also brought in the first otaku – train enthusiasts.

In the 1940s after the war, the area became popular for the trade of electronic parts. It was frequented by students from the nearby Tokyo Denki University who specialised in radio parts. Second hand goods and electronics can be found in abundance in Akihabara.

By 1962, the iconic seven story building, Radio Kaikan, was ready and it historically housed various popular items in Akihabara and, more recently, a large variety of otaku goods. During this time, there was a boom in electronic sales for household white goods resulting in the sale of various such items as well.

In the 1980s, the move from consumer white goods to computer products can be seen in Akihabara. White goods were now readily available from suburban chain stores, leading to the change in the demographics in the area. During this time, Radio Kaikan carried computers, parts and games, including doujinshi (self-published manga) and doujin-sofuto (selfpublished video games).

By 1994, sales of computers over took consumer white goods. With computers, came video games and manga, and this movement started building the foundations of the otaku subculture in Akihabara.

In 1996, Toranoana Inc was established. This store originally started off specialising in used doujinshi. However, due to the anime boom at the time, it started extending its range of products to include character goods as well. Today, it is the centre for manga and related merchandise.

“Okaerinasaimase, goshujinsama!” – “Welcome home, master!”, a typical welcoming phrase that you will hear upon entering a maid café, a type of establishment that started in the early 2000s and gained popularity over the years. This style of café features “maids” – waitresses dressed in French maid outfits, serving cute themed food in a café setting. Akihabara still boasts a wide variety of maid and cosplay cafés with various themes.

Today, Akihabara is a mecca for otaku. What is an otaku? An otaku is someone with a strong interest (to the point of obsession) in their chosen subject. In modern terms, it is mostly associated with anime and manga fandom. Akihabara has developed over the years to cater for the growing and evolving otaku lifestyle. It is a place where you can get computer parts and collectibles to build your hobby, or just sit back and enjoy what the city has to offer.

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【Living in Japan】FINDING A PLACE TO STAY IN JAPAN

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Whether you’re staying long or short-term, finding somewhere to stay in Japan can be a daunting challenge especially if you don’t speak the language and have just arrived. For travellers coming to Japan, hotels are one obvious option, but if you’re staying for more than a few nights, you’ll be burning through your travel budget pretty quickly.

Although I haven’t tried it myself, Airbnb, where people rent out their rooms and apartments, seems to be a popular choice nowadays. It’s usually cheaper than most hotels and depending on the option you choose, you could have an entire apartment where you can cook, use wireless Internet and perhaps even get some travel advice from your hosts.

Another website called couchsurfing.com connects you with hosts around the world on the condition that you also offer your place to other couchsurfers. This can be a great way to connect
with other travelers and organise trips together and basically allows you to stay for free anywhere.

Then of course there are hostels. Hostels alsooffer the ability to cook, but can often be noisy and sometimes rough or dirty. You also have to be careful about having your things stolen if you’re staying ina room with several strangers. On the positive side, they’re also a great place to meet people and canbe really memorable experiences. I once stayed in a really ratty hostel in Kyoto with about eight people in one room. People came in at all hours of the night and we all had to sleep in bunk beds. There was also a big communal shower room with no place to change. It was a rough couple of nights to say the least. But I’ve also stayed in some really nice ones as well, so make sure you do your research and read the reviews.

For those looking at a long-term stay, a guesthouse is probably the best option. There are several companies in Japan with English-speaking staff and websites where you can book a room by the month

ahead of your arrival. There’s a deposit of 20,000 to 30,000 yen, but you get most of it back when you leave, as long as you don’t trash the room. The rooms are usually furnished with a bed with new sheets and a desk. The kitchen and bathrooms are shared with your housemates. I’ve actually lived in a guesthouse for the past two years. It’s convenient and it’s fun to meet the people from all over who come and go.

Another advantage is that a lot of guesthouses are conveniently located near big train stations so you can live relatively cheaply in a convenient area where rent would typically be very expensive. Paying rentis also easy because all the utilities are included in one price. Learning to live with other people can be a challenge, but it’s a good experience.

Another viable option is doing a homestay. I spent my first two months in Tokyo doing a homestay with
a young couple who had two spare rooms. At first it was great having someone to talk to and dinner on the table every night. It was a great chance to see how Japanese people live and they organised a lot
of activities every weekend. I would say that for a two- week stay, a homestay would be perfect. Any longer than that, in my experience, seems to be wearing out your welcome. It became uncomfortable trying to be home on time for dinner and I always felt like I had to be careful about making noise or using the shower.

Homestays can also be quite expensive in the long term, but I would say it was a great experience for someone arriving in Japan for the first time. Also, both homestays and guesthouses are ideal places to use as a base while you’re searching for your own apartment.

Finding your own apartment presents its own set of pitfalls and challenges. First of all, you’ll need a bank account. But in order to get a bank account, you need an identification card and of course to stay in Japan you need some type of visa, for example a work visa sponsored by your employer. They’ll want to see proof of your income or employment such as a pay stub or a work contract. Even if you have a job lined up before you come, getting everything in order takes time, so I recommend staying in a guesthouse for a month or two so you can take your time to find a good apartment.

Most apartments in Japan require at least a two-year contract as well as up to the equivalent of one or two months rent or so in deposits and fees.

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“ Decide what’simportant for you depending on your budget and make sure to have ample time and money for your research and application. Then you should have tons of options.”

Choosing the right apartment in Tokyo is usually
a compromise between price, size or location. Rarely will you find a place that is ideal in all three. You have to decide what’s more important for you depending on your own budget. For me, living in a central convenient location, close to a station and my job is important but I also don’t want to pay a lot for rent. So I decided to sacrifice on space and privacy by just staying in my guesthouse.
Basically, the further the apartment is away from a train station, (i.e. less convenient) the more spacious or cheaper it will be. Some people decide to live outside of Tokyo altogether and commute into the city to save money on rent. For me though, not having to ride the crowded morning trains and being able to ride my bike to work is worth the extra cost of living in the city. I’m also able to stop home for lunch or go back if I forget something and I don’t have to worry about catching the last train at night on the weekends.

Hopefully, someone from your company or a friend will help you with the process at the realtor’s office. You might be shocked to hear that some or many of the landlords will reject you right off the
bat simply because you’re a foreigner. The most common reason is that they don’t want to deal with the language barrier, although in most cases you’ll never have to interact with them personally or even meet them. Most likely they’re worried you will have poor Japanese etiquette such as making too much noise or not disposing of your trash properly. Some foreigners also leave Japan suddenly without paying all of their last bills. Whatever the reason, this is one of the most frustrating parts about finding an apartment in Japan. However, they do seem to be more open if you tell them you can speak some Japanese.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you won’t have Internet for the first two or three weeks after you move into an apartment, while the telecommunications company changes the phone lines to your name. With proper research and planning, you may be able to shorten the waiting time by telling them ahead of time to get started on the process.

Make sure you budget ample time and money in your search for a place to stay. There are tons of options, and with a little planning and research, it doesn’t have to be a headache.