Genshiken

Reviewer: Alan Hogue
Rating (out of 5): ****

Genshiken (full series review)

A mild but sharply observed comedy about a college manga/anime ("otaku") club known as "The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture," Genshiken is an absolute delight for those with even remotely geek-ish tendencies. It is a gentle show with an eye for everyday details, but as its seemingly minor, personal stories unfold, Genshiken begins to take on an almost achingly nostalgic feel without ever becoming sappy or cheap.

One thing which makes Genshiken so funny – even, I suspect, for those not particularly geek-inclined – is the way it plays on a jarring contrast which really does exist in these subcultures: such people are far more obsessive and driven than any normal person – but strictly for things which normal people consider trivial, childish, utterly lowbrow, even embarrassing. In Genshiken's case, that includes advanced methods of proper model robot construction, skill in seemingly mindless video games and a vast knowledge of quasi-pornographic fan comics. The members of Genshiken are dedicated scholars, researching every detail of every manga they have ever read. They are sophisticated literary critics, debating the merits of anime with a depth that would be impressive if its subject were not a show about three super girls with magical powers, funny hats, and short skirts battling mirthless aliens with outrageously phallic antennae. But as far as anything normally considered important in life, they are consummate slackers, utterly unable to see the point of it all and therefore virtually innocent of the world.

They also find it nearly impossible to communicate with outsiders, particularly those of the opposite sex. Some of the funniest moments in Genshiken revolve around Saki, a pretty, fierce, worldly girl with nothing but contempt for otaku culture. Unfortunately, she is forced to endure the unrestrained geekery of Genshiken due to her decision to make one of its members her boyfriend (one gets the impression that she didn't need to consult him on the matter). In one particularly telling scene, a member of Genshiken, left alone with her for an afternoon, experiences a near mental breakdown trying to figure out what to say to her. Saki, of course, remains completely unaware of his inner torment.

Although it is most obviously an insightful parody of anime/manga fan culture, Genshiken does have a wider appeal because it is also about something much more general; in the end, it's about the closing of that period in life in which one can be a resolute, principled slacker; a time when one’s most serious conflicts are likely to be over favorite episodes of a TV show or debating at what point R.E.M. sold out. Genshiken is not just for fandom’s fellow travelers; anyone who can appreciate a smart, quiet, honest comedy will enjoy it.