PM Taro Aso: Too Busy To Read Manga
As scheduled, Japan’s Prime Minister delivered his speech in Akihabara on Sunday and he shows a lighter side of him when he talks about reading manga and how he feels about Akiba.
He shares with the crowd that after being PM, he cannot find enough time to read his favorite manga. He mentions that he finished reading two weekly magazines last week but has yet to find time to read two others.
“It’s hard to read comic books as my time is now restricted”.
He goes on to talk about how manga is a key export from the country.
“Japan’s subculture of animation has been overwhelmingly accepted in the world. Japan’s culture is not only kabuki. Comic books, our subculture power, have been widely read in not only Asia but Europe, the United States, Latin America.”
Lastly, he talks shares about how he feels whenever he comes to Akihabara:
“I can cheer up when I come to Akihabara”
Of course that made the otaku crowd really happy and they cheered his name on in chorus: “Aso, Aso, Aso.”
Source: AFP
This is definitely a positive step in improving the image of otakus. Now I can tell my children next time, who says otaku cannot make it, they can be Prime Minister!!
this is brilliant! he has recognised the booming market for anime and manga in europe! this is a step in the right direction!
Awesome. It’s a good thing he’s Prime Minister
Let the Otaku Revolution begin!
[...] visit to Akihabara to share a few sentiments and show his appreciation of the anime/manga culture. Alafista.com has a more detailed article about the visit. Here are a few quotes from the [...]
In the end, Miyazaki tells Aso to stfu about being an otaku and keep it a secret.
Maybe a little story…
In the 2020s, gundams, space battleship yamato will become military prototypes for better weapons in Japan. And maybe soldiers cosplaying anime characters carrying weapons XD