Hello otaku community! I'm looking for information, so I hope I got the forum right.

I'm preparing to enter an art show/auction at an anime convention, and realized that I've been somewhat out of touch with the otaku community for the past year or two. And since I want to appeal to potential buyers, I want an idea of what they like. So, what do otaku like these days?

(Other than Bleach and One Piece and Naruto and Reborn and those obvious ones.) What I'm looking for can range from anime to manga to airbenders to ponies to video games to memes.

Thank you for your help.

If you mean a convention in the western world (USA, Canada, Britain, that kind of thing) otaku nowadays are into Puella Magi Madoka Magica (really major one), Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt has really passionate fans, so does K-ON! Another BIG fandom is Hetalia Axis Powers.

Also, these aren't anime, but anime conventions also have a lot of people who are really into Adventure Time, Legend of Korra, and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Any anime convention will have a lot of people selling that kind of stuff.

The Japanese otaku community, from recent comiket popularity would be:
1. Touhou
2. Tiger & Bunny
3. Hetalia
4. Sengoku Basara
5. Vocaloid
6. Prince of tennis
7. Reborn
8. Gintama
9. Blue Exorcist
10. Idolm@ster
11. Inazuma Eleven
12. Madoka
13. Tomadachi ga sukunai
14. Nintama
15. Arashi
16. Durarara
17. Lyrical Nanoha
18. One Piece
19. Naruto
20. Magi

But this is just comiket attendance. The otaku stuff you see in the mainstream is typically Madoka, Touhou, Inazuma Eleven and IB right now. But there is always otaku obsessed with the Precure, K-ON!, and Ore no imouto out there.

I was at a convention in March, and judging from what was cosplayed, otaku love their games. Final Fantasy, Halo, Assassin's Creed, Legend of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, etc. The tops for anime remained Bleach, Naruto, and Fullmetal Alchemist. Hetalia has been big the last couple years, also Soul Eater, Black Butler, Ouran. Finally I'm starting to see more Reborn! cosplayers; new this year Durarara!!, Blue Exorcist, and lots of Fairy Tale. Still Death Note fans. Fair number of steampunk cosplayers. I expected Tiger & Bunny, but saw only one group - expecting that to take off.

Second what spikebaby said. Everyone loves Avatar. Guys now are into My Little Ponies - they are called "bronies." Pokemon is still represented. The fandom that took me by surprise was Homestuck. I'd never heard of it (webcomic), and the costumes are aggressively ugly, but the fandom is devoted. I'd look into that one.

I don't know what was actually selling, but this was what I saw people wearing.

Thanks for the responses!

I've indeed heard a lot about Magica Madoka. I never got around to finishing it, so maybe I'll do that and see if I come up with anything.

I don't particularly favor any characters in The Legend of Korra yet, but I'm considering using The Last Airbender.

I might do something for My Little Pony, but I don't have any ideas for it yet.

Tiger & Bunny sounds good! I'll have to think of an idea...

I already have a Vocaloid idea planned. ^^

I unfortunately don't know many games, so I can't do much for those. v.v

I've heard about Homestuck too, I'll take a look when I get the time.

I like Hetalia, but there aren't too many interesting concepts I could try out...What about HetaOni? I love it, and it has great ideas to bring out. I know there are a ton of Hetalia fans, but I have no idea what percentage of them know HetaOni.

Bump! So far, I've got Vocaloid, Detective Conan and Durarara planned. Possibly Tiger & Bunny and The Last Airbender. I have two or three slots still open for ideas. Anymore help?

Also, still very interested in how many people know about HetaOni.

Bummmp. I got Baccano added to my list. Conan might've gotten kicked off.

If you take to the newest manga then....lots and lots of ecchi/fanservice >>
Not really my type though.
So mainly speaking - To-love-ru

I fail to understand that stupid "bronies" crap but w/e. The only solid assurance for mass popularity is ecchi/blood for guys, yaoi/bishounen/fantasy for girls, and protagonist that always stands/gives up for kids. Other than that otaku are fricken weird, and randomly develop interests in craptons of random stuff(my little ponies) at seemingly random intervals. So its really impossible to know what the biggest seller will be because the general tastes are too widespread and fluctuate too much too predict outside of general age old categories...... from my experience at least.

________________
Few favs
Comedy:
Kyou kara ore wa!!, Mx0, Angel Densetsu, Skip Beat, Ai Kora, The Devil King is Bored

Romance:
Hana to Akuma, No bra, Shinigami Trilogy, kindan no koi de ikou, Usagi Drop, Threads of Time, Girl Friends

Most under rated:
Kindan no koi de ikou, kyou kara ore wa!.
m0r l83r... maybe >_>

I know some one already said my Little Pony but I know that it has been popping up at cons now despite the fact it isn't an anime. I haven't been to a con myself but my sister goes to anime con Milwaukee every year. This year according to her there were legions of Pony cosplayers and three panels despite that fact that there were none the year before. Hope I helps at least a little.

I highly dislike senseless ecchi. I must admit though, the opening theme to To Love-Ru is pretty good, both in art and music. I think the overload of ecchi is why I switched from anime to manga...


People like My Little Pony because aside from its high quality animation, plot, character depth, character relations, music and storytelling, its morals are very admirable and has thus become a symbol of friendship and tolerance. There are sites like broniesforgood.org that organize charity projects and encourage others to donate to their local schools, hospitals, etc.

What's more incomprehensible is why people think ponies are for little girlies. o_0 In today's vampire/shinigami/zombie-loving society, I don't think horses are a valid excuse for "It's weird".

...Suddenly I realize society loves dead things. ._. Then I guess I should mention my favorite character design belongs to Queen Chrysalis.

...who I will now consider sculpting.

Homestuck's actually a pretty big thing. It's not just a webcomic--it's kind of really incredible how much work goes into it, and that's coming from a technical standpoint.

Just a little thing: I wouldn't recommend doing anything for Homestuck without e-mailing the creator Hussie first, because he has requested for people not to sell any MSPA-related without his permission.
(http://www.mspaforums.com/showthread.php?39382-ANNOUNCE MENT-REGARDING-THE-SELLING-OF-MSPA-STUFF)

If you go further down to the second post, you can get his official statement and stance on it.

Then again, it's up to you whether or not you do use Homestuck. If you do, be prepared for a lot of Homestuck fans to bring up the issue with you even if you do have permission.

That being said (so that this doesn't turn into a "this person didn't contribute" kind of thing on my end), I'd second Vocaloid and Pokemon. I also recommend Digimon, Fairy Tail, Ao no Exorcist, and maybe Hunter x Hunter.

Last edited by NightAir at 8:00 pm, Jun 15 2012

Sry to disappoint, but my lack of understanding has nothing to do with the age/gender aims of the show. If I had a problem with stuff like that i(male) wouldn't spend tons of my time reading shoujo romance manga. My lack of understanding stems from the fact that, after watching the show, I didn't find one single aspect that would justify such a huge response. IMHO "bronies" hyped that show up more than sauce gay fanboys hyped naruto.
So yeah that's my general displeasure with that, and why I think mass otaku appeal is hard to predict... on a side note your revelation about the otaku populations necrophelia is extremely true, and made me laugh xD

Btw idk if its just my area(eastern USA) or widespread, but I've noticed an increase in people hounding for the golden oldies. Aka yuyu, cowboy bebop, trigun, evangelion, gundam, etc. Recently quite a large portion went on some stupid Hipster wannabe stuff, and stayed away cuz it was too mainstream, but the last few times I looked it seems more and more were drifting back to being open fanboys/fangirls about them.

Last edited by SAimNE at 8:36 pm, Jun 15 2012

________________
Few favs
Comedy:
Kyou kara ore wa!!, Mx0, Angel Densetsu, Skip Beat, Ai Kora, The Devil King is Bored

Romance:
Hana to Akuma, No bra, Shinigami Trilogy, kindan no koi de ikou, Usagi Drop, Threads of Time, Girl Friends

Most under rated:
Kindan no koi de ikou, kyou kara ore wa!.
m0r l83r... maybe >_>

@NightAir:
Yeah, I decided against Homestuck when I heard about that, not to mention I just can't find the time to read it in time for the convention. Pokemon sounds good...no ideas yet, but I'll keep it in mind. I unfortunately don't read/watch the rest of your recommendations, other than Hunter x Hunter...Again, no ideas jump out at me, but I'll keep it in mind. =w=; Thanks!

@SAimNE:
Glad I could make you laugh. ^^ I think the big response is due to its morals. The general "childish" atmosphere of the show makes it all the more surprising when the characters act mature enough to accept new ways of life, do what they think is right even when surrounded by others' doubt, and own up to their own mistakes; things even adults have trouble doing.

It has a much different storytelling from other shows that teach morals. For example, in a usual show, a character would do something bad, then it keeps getting worse until it catches up to them and knocks them off their pedestal. Then they learn their moral.

But with MLP, when they do something bad, it's not clear that it's bad. For example, in episode 45, Fluttershy is always pushed around, and is taught to become assertive. It works well, but she takes it too far and hurts the feelings of people around her. Instead of it catching up to her, she realizes the problem herself and is distraught by what she's done. On her own, she thinks about what to do, and decides she can still be assertive without being aggressive. And it works even better.

I think that conveys a much better message - that not everything is black and white, and the way to get out of trouble isn't to run headfirst into a wall; it's to rethink what you're doing, realize what's most important to you, and have the determination to carry out what you think is best.

Anime, manga...they're often well made, well written and everything, but a lot of them don't have good, strong morals. They often thrive off of characters doing the wrong things, because it's more interesting. They have morals here and there, but they're often bittersweet and lack the power of simple optimism that children have. It's something that people lose as they grow up, and it's what keeps them from advancing as fast as children do, with no fear of what can happen.

MLP reminds bronies of these morals and childlike optimism, and though I can't speak for all of them, it's definitely the part that keeps me watching.

That ended up long. Anyhow. Yu Yu Hakusho~ Man I gotta finish reading the manga; I finished the anime, but the manga looks much better. Maybe the current generation is going through their nostalgia phase; I've been feeling the same way. XD Maybe it's because bookstores are stocking up on oldies like Sailor Moon lately?

^guess the reason I didn't sync with mlp is the fact that my idea of morals is veeeeeryt loose overall lol. I.e. a few of my favorite manga chars can kill 20 with the same amount of routine lethargy that most people have brushing their teeth in the morning xp

Also one thing I forgot to mention in the last post. From what I've seen more and more people have been paying special attention to fantasy type stories(possibly an influence from mlp now that I think about it) anyway stuff that has a whole new world and featuring a race other than human seems to be on the uprise for the most part. This unfortunately doesn't change the fact that most of that genre has a story similar to the end of an oh great! Manga. So thanks to that little fact I'm guessing the surge on this has probably already died down, but decided I'd mention it anyway.(one of the titles I remember popping up repeatedly was kyou kara maou. Unfortunately I forgot the others cuz this was the only one mentioned that I actually liked )

Last edited by SAimNE at 10:33 pm, Jun 15 2012

________________
Few favs
Comedy:
Kyou kara ore wa!!, Mx0, Angel Densetsu, Skip Beat, Ai Kora, The Devil King is Bored

Romance:
Hana to Akuma, No bra, Shinigami Trilogy, kindan no koi de ikou, Usagi Drop, Threads of Time, Girl Friends

Most under rated:
Kindan no koi de ikou, kyou kara ore wa!.
m0r l83r... maybe >_>