Through Otaku Eyes: Otaku and those around them need to keep cool heads

September 18, 2008 by Dennis Amith

In a recent column for “Through Otaku Eyes” for the Daily Yomiuri, Fukuda Makoto wrote about otaku politicians. Fukuda wrote, “The nation’s politics are currently dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election, which will be held on Monday. Ballots will be cast and counted on that day.”

“The five contestants for the LDP presidency–former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Nobuteru Ishihara; former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike; former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba; Kaoru Yosano, state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy; and LDP Secretary General Taro Aso–are campaigning around the nation. But many believe Aso has already secured enough votes to win the election.”

“This is the fourth time for Aso to run in an LDP presidential race. Aso, who openly admits he is a fan of manga, is believed to enjoy popularity among otaku, too.”

“The popularity is believed to have been ignited partly by a stump speech he gave in Akihabara, the so-called otaku paradise, when running for the LDP presidency in September 2006. His speech began with a call, “You self-described otaku people out here in Akihabara!” He was welcomed with great applause and became widely referred to as “Mr. Aso, popular among otaku.”

“Aso’s favorite read is said to be the manga Golgo 13, a classic series about the adventures of a professional assassin. He set up the International Manga Award when he was the foreign minister. Because of rumors that he was reading Rozen Maiden, a manga in which many beautiful girl dolls appear, he was even nicknamed “Rozen Aso” or “Rozen Kakka [Mr. Rozen].” There is even a shop in Akihabara now handling Aso character items for the presidential race, making him something like a universally recognized pro-otaku politician.”