Anime and Manga Fandom in the 21st Century: A Close-Up View

Authors

Chiquan Guo, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Chengyan Zeng

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

Anime (animated films) and manga (comic books) fans are easily misunderstood and can even face prejudice. In fact, they are considered nerds or weirdoes in the eye of many people. This is an unfortunate happenstance for two simple reasons. First, it is a gross misperception of fans, which is fundamentally unfair to them. Second, with a growing fan base, this ever-expansive population presents ample opportunities for businesses. However, any biased view toward those fans may likely hinder marketers' efforts to serve them in an effective manner. We would like to show people what anime and manga fans are all about. This chapter aims to introduce readers to the world of anime and manga fandom and to its fans, in particular. It will present and explain specific terms such as weeaboo, otaku, waifu, husbando, fujoshi, and critic. We will also describe the different characters of anime and manga fans and explain how these characters can affect marketing.

Comments

Copyright © 2020, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited

Recommended Citation

Guo, Chiquan, and Chengyan Zeng. "Anime and Manga Fandom in the 21st Century: A Close-Up View." Handbook of Research on the Impact of Fandom in Society and Consumerism, edited by Cheng Lu Wang, IGI Global, 2020, pp. 480-496. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1048-3.ch023

Publication Title

Handbook of Research on the Impact of Fandom in Society and Consumerism

DOI

10.4018/978-1-7998-1048-3.ch023