The popularisation of geek culture, and the marginalisation of Otaku culture

This paper aims to provide a comparison between the West’s apparent popularisation of “geek culture” into the mainstream and Japan’s distancing of “otaku culture” from the general public. By looking at the major factors and origins within the early period of the otaku, the 1970s and 80s, and then contrasting the situation with that of America’s rapid commercialisation and integration of children’s media, we will analyze the gap between subcultures and the mainstream. I will attempt to describe these while bringing up the examples of Hollywood films such as Transformers – a “nostalgic” brand newly remade for general mass audiences – within various contexts.