The Japanese OTAKUs´ One Month Activity Just after the 3.11 Earthquake

This paper examines tweets and blogs posted by Japanese otaku immediately following the Great East Japan Earthquake. It elucidates on their state of mind and their activities for the period of about 30 days following it. In these days just after the earthquake, they entered into a mutual understanding that they must try to maintain their usual lifestyle. However, in this particular crisis situation, which also includes an accident at a nuclear power plant, every action they took was immediately labelled as "fukinshin" (imprudent or injudicious) among their own kind of entertainment cliques. To protect their otaku culture, they began trying to overcome the climate characterised by the use of the word fukinshin. They believed that continuing their habitual otaku activities, despite the current climate, would be beneficial to their country. They mutually provided support to one another and gradually became united for the purpose of protecting their otaku culture. However, their solidarity efforts eventually led to a drift toward the right, which has been noted by some of the people involved.