Feedback on the presentation: "Japanese Music" & "Otaku"

A. Japanese Music

After the introduction given by Yuri san and Joeie san , I get to know more about the music preferences of the Japanese. The followings are something that I have found out after the presentation:

1. Ayumi Hamasaki is not so popular in Japan.

I seldom listen to Japanese pop music, but then it is very often that I hear people talking about Ayumi Hamasaki when it comes to the discussion on Japanese music, therefore I originally think that Ayumi Hamasaki is a representative of Japanese pop singer. However, after the presentation, it is surprising that Ayumi Hamasaki is not that popular in Japan. I guess most of the Hong Kongers (including me) may be mislead by the media that Ayumi Hamasaki is the most popular female singer in Japan! Anyway, I have never listened to the songs of Ayumi Hamasaki before, so I can’t really give any comments on her singing skills and figure out why she is not popular in Japan.

2. The Japanese listen to large variety of music.

Before time, I just thought that the Japanese preferred to hear some pop music or rock music. But out of my expectation, the Japanese love listening to a large variety of music, not just pop and rock music, but also jazz, classical, hip-pop, Japanese hip-pop etc. Most surprisingly, the Japanese seem like listening to traditional Japanese music such as ‘enka’. I don’t know much about enka, but I really appreciate the Japanese about the way that they are so interested in and love their own culture. This is one thing that the Hong Kongers can never do!

B. Otoku

Thank you Kumo san, Blue san and Philip san’s clarification on Otoku! If I didn’t listen to this presentation, I think I may continue misunderstanding this group of people! I remembered that I have watched the movie ‘Densha Otoku’, and ever since then I have stereotyped boys who are obsessed with animation, computers and comics as ‘Otoku’.

However, this may not be the true meaning of ‘Otoku’. ‘Otoku’ are just like other ordinary people, it’s just that they have some special interests in animation, comics and computers, but this does not necessarily mean that they are ‘weird’, ‘geeks’, ’abnormal’. The media (especially in Hong Kong) has mislead the public towards ‘Otoku’, thus many people may discriminate or look down upon them.