Anime Hajime Review: Genshiken

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Genshiken. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

To generalize, an otaku is an over obsessed fan. Though applied to many fandoms, the most associated focuses are manga, anime, and games. Often, it's a combination of the three. The only way to understand this type of otaku is for you to be one yourself.

So, where does someone turn to find like-minded people?  At Tokyo's Shiiou University, look no further than the Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyukai (The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture); better known as the Genshiken.

The Genshiken is the place one goes when the anime or manga clubs just don’t feel right. The group isn't big on formal activities. Instead, they spend most of their time discussing a variety of both retro and new visual mediums. It can be about the latest anime. Or it can be the current (often erotic) game they happen to be playing. It doesn't matter, the club doesn’t judge.

Anyone with an interest is welcome to come by. Yet, the Genshiken isn’t for everyone. The mind of an otaku isn’t the easiest thing to decipher. To comprehend this level of nerddom requires a special kind of patience. If you don’t have that, then it takes a special kind of tolerance. And if you don’t have that, well then it comes down to a pure endurance test.

The Genshiken is a gateway into the heart of and some might say the strangest part of the visual subculture.

Series Positives

Well to begin, this series started off as a massive troll. I almost didn’t continue because I thought I was watching a different show. Annoying for sure, but after a moment it was pretty funny. A rather ballsy way to kick off a series if you ask me.

But in one motion, Genshiken told you everything you needed to know. This would not be your typical slice of life comedy. Come hell or high water, it was going to do its own thing. A gamble to say the least. Yet it was a gamble that paid off.

Humor and Tone

Genshiken is an anime for anime fans. Unlike Binbougami ga which referenced shows, this one centered on fans themselves.

Whether it was model building, convention touring, or anime viewing, the club was all for it. All members had their own specialized areas and fandoms. It didn’t matter how strange, or perverse, those fandoms were. Nobody held it against each other. They all respected and accepted each other’s interests. There wasn’t a person who was the outlandish one.

Genshiken took it a step further. To enjoy Binbougami ga to the fullest, it would be best if you understood the references. From an outsider’s perspective, the show would be hilarious but jokes would be out of context. The same is true for Genshiken. But instead, a person who’s not familiar with anime or otaku culture can find their own enjoyment.

Part of the show’s charm was the mixing of two worlds. First, there were the hardcore members of the Genshiken. Then there was Saki Kasukabe (voiced by Satsuki Yukino). She was sort of strong-armed into joining. She may have been dating the otaku, Makoto Kousaka (voiced by Mitsuki Saiga), but Saki didn’t have any interest in becoming an otaku herself. Saki’s handling of what was happening was night and day compared to the rest of the group.

Backgrounds might not have been the same, but the show covered them all. People can have fun with this series for their own separate reasons. The source of the humor may differ, but it's the execution which makes this show fantastic.

In most other slice-of-life series, such as Binbougami ga, the action never stops. It’s always moving, stuff is always happening. Even shows without supernatural elements, such as Nichijou, the comedy's still over the top. This is what separates Genshiken.

This show doesn’t go off the rails. It doesn’t go insane. Or at least, it doesn’t rely on that. Genshiken is more grounded. It takes a much more realistic approach. Reactions and interactions weren’t as extravagant. The series wasn’t void of these moments. But an annoyed look was more common than a full-on freakout.

Jokes took their time to build. There was more effort placed on the payoff rather than the setup. And it worked. Genshiken was funny and at times downright hilarious. I was so interested in events that were inherently uninteresting. Perhaps it's because, and who are we kidding, I’m part of this circle.

The Characters

The members of the Genshiken were all great. As I said, they never did anything all that fascinating. Yet they themselves were a fascinating group to watch.

I’ve already mentioned Saki as the outsider. She was a little hard to deal with at times, but given her situation it made sense. She was from a different circle, so she wasn’t sure how to always handle herself. Saki never went out of her way to cross a line. When she did, she realized when she screwed up.

Makoto was funny because he didn’t fit the stereotypical otaku look, but he was the biggest otaku of them all. His level of cluelessness was off the charts. Saki was doing everything she could to have a “normal” relationship with this guy. Makoto couldn't get the hint. Or so it seemed. When he needed to be it the most, Makoto was a supportive boyfriend.

Kanji Sasahara (voiced by Takanori Oyama) was the main character; question mark. I’ll get more into that in a bit. He was also the most neutral of the group. Unlike Saki who wasn't an otaku, Sasahara was but he didn’t realize it before he joined. The Genshiken didn’t turn him into one, but it did allow his true nature to come forth.

Harunobu Madarame (voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama) was the president of the Genshiken. He looked the part of the creepy manga freak. He was that, but the show’s toned back nature affected him as well. There was a chance he could go off on you. Yet there was also an equal chance you could have a casual conversation with him.

Souichirou Tanaka (voiced by Tomokazu Seki) got the least development of the core group. But he was still fun in his own way. He was the most laid back. You could argue that title is more for Makoto, but at least Tanaka was aware of what was going on around him. Plus, if you did trigger him, he wouldn’t take it lying down.

Mitsunori Kugayama (voiced by Kenji Nomura) was kind of like a big teddy bear. His calm nature placed him more in a supportive role. I won’t say he was a coward, just shy. But in the group, he added a lot to the conversation.

Finally, there was Kanako Ohno (voiced by Ayako Kawasumi). She was adorable, I loved her to death. She was the cosplay otaku and tried to get the group to join her whenever she could. Saki may have been the only other female, but Ohno fit with everyone else more. She was an anime fan in every shape and form.

No one in the club was baggage. No one was irrelevant. They were the Genshiken. If something affected one of them, it affected them all. They made a comfortable place to share opinions without judgment or ridicule. It would make sense that my favorite aspect of Genshiken would turn out to be the members of the Genshiken.

Sitting at the table left to right; Tanaka, Makoto, Saki, Ohno, Madarame, Kugayama, Sasahara

Series Negatives

I don't have much to say here. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It’s exciting to know that there are a few more installments to this series. I want to see where this goes.

With that said, there are a handful of things I noticed.

The first was the pacing. We’ve established that this is a toned-down series. There weren’t a hundred things happening at once. Yes, it worked and was funny. Yet, it was still slow at parts. Not a lot happened.

There was one episode where it was just Saki and Madarame alone in the club room. The premise of the episode did lead to some hilarious moments. But that was all it was. It was only them. And by them, I mean it was Madarame monologuing in his head. Saki’s contribution only involved her reacting to Madarame’s occasional nonsense. It got a tad dull at parts.

This was the most extreme example, but it wasn’t the only one.

The other issue I had was with the lead character. I was okay with the idea of there not being one. There were times where that seemed like the case. Yet the show did tend to center around a single candidate. This one person was the focus for many of the things that happened. That person was Saki. So, fine, Saki’s our lead.

Except she wasn’t? Saki may have been the catalyst for much of what went on. The weird thing was, she didn’t become important until like episode three.

Alright, then who is the lead? Sasahara…okay, but why? He was the first person we met. He was front and center in the opening song. The first two episodes dealt with his introduction to the group. But after that, he backed off and Saki came forward.

Sasahara didn’t become the main focus again until the end. There were other characters who were more established. And to be honest, Sasahara was fine, but he was the least interesting. I found it strange that a lot of importance was given to him, but it never ended up paying off.

Maybe this changes in the future.

Final Thoughts

The slice-of-life comedy is a hard genre to make a name in. A show can do everything right, but it's still one of hundreds. So just being good isn’t good enough. A series needs to separate itself. That’s what Genshiken did.

This one took many elements of what made others in the genre great but left out a key factor; the high energy. The toned back natured worked wonders with the story and with the characters. This show was able to make itself stand out.

Genshiken is shoulder to shoulder with some of the best. It's proof that not all slice-of-life anime have to behave the same way. Don’t believe me, watch and see for yourself.

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