Overview and Analysis
Spoilers in paragraph 9
Genshiken is a story that is really about its characters than anything else, among all the, otaku humor, witty references, comedic relief, or romance, the characters are the epicenters. The plot of Genshiken revolves an otaku club in college which is known in English as “The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture”. As you gleam from overly pretentious sounding English title, Genshiken has a lot to do with itself, anime, manga, video games, cosplaying, and the otaku lifestyle (Hell, it even has its own anime inside Genshiken), both good and bad. Oddly enough however, I never really felt a specific emphasis on otaku culture asides from the occasional references of the characters doing otaku things. Not really once did the "otaku culture" progress the plot in a meaningful way. It seems as though it was a backdrop or setting for the characters to do their thing, unlike in other mangas such as say "Bakuman", which is specifically about making manga. I will talk about why later and in short I believe because it is a character driven story, therefore it seems as though the "otaku culture" isn't used so as much as vehicle for moving the plot but rather all it's other reasons.
The exposition of the manga brings us in the focus of a freshman college student Sasahara, who seeks friends with similar interests and so decides to join the Genshiken club. In beginning, we are introduced to several un-outstanding otaku club members, The president of the club (he's not important), Madarame, Kugayama, Tanaka, and Kousaka. What surprised me in retrospect is how at first, I didn't think any of them; they seemed boring and just a shell of nerds and otakus one would imagine in normal life, plastered into a manga. However after the long duration with all the characters, reading, watching and following them on their journey and also the subsequent addition of new club members, I find that I have come to love them all.
After their first encounter, the plot follows relatively smoothly. They do their university work, engaging in their hobbies, go on trips, most notably the biannual Comiket, and interact with each other, and often in hilarious and touching ways. I don't think Genshiken is particularly special in this regard, with the exception of the cast being college students. Being college students is slightly different from say high school students. Obviously high schoolers in anime are overly saturated. Being in college however frees up the author to do other things that one normally doesn’t see a high school based series, such as going out drinking, working on their senior thesis', working on their careers and so on. I think the fact they are in university does not make a terribly large difference in the grand scheme of things, in which I'm sure most of the plot could've existed much the same in a high school setting. Just that college in manga and anime is less common and adds a bit of variety and maturity to an already comedic and easy going series.
To segway on the maturity point, I believe the age maturity of the characters adds some nuance to the atmosphere of the series that one doesn't get to see play out often in other series that do not have their cast as young adults. Being a young college person means a lot of things, they independent, living their own lives, pursuing their own dreams, and completing each of their goals. We, as the viewer can see this play out through the series, and those who have been through it themselves could find it easily relate. We could relate by fearing about graduating and working right afterwards, we fear of the spite of social interactions between friends and or partners, we fear graduating a year late and being left behind by all your friends. All theses things from a young person's life experiences can make one very relatable to Genshiken's struggle, so that we enjoy their triumph with them and wallow with them in their despair or sadness.
Interestingly, I would say there is no main character in this series. It would seem like the characters tend to phase into and out of the protagonist spotlight. In an arc, one character may be the focus for many chapters while later they become a minor character in following chapters. If I had to guess, Sasahara would be the main character given how he was introduced, but Sasahara doesn't play much of a role in the later chapters. This is both good and bad. On the one hand since there is no main character, I feel as those it is easier to focus on all the cast rather than receiving the perspective from one character throughout the series. On the other hand, it feels as though the main character’s focus moves around too much and or that one gets stuck reading or seeing the point of view of a side character perhaps too often (I will talk about this later with Hato). For example, there is a clear shift of focus from the original cast second half of the manga, where new characters are introduced, however even so certain older characters seem to linger for much too long, hogging up the plot from the rest characters. Directionless or the collective direction of the genshiken group is vague which makes me feel like the series is going nowhere in particular, I feel that is a slightly bad thing. This detail arguably creates flaws that I see in the series.
As with my initial premise, I believe that character interaction and relation is the cornerstone of this series. It is with the characters that one gets to experience the hardships and also see the funny moments as they plays out. It is not really the plot itself that makes you interested to read or watch (come on let's be real, this is not a high quality action series or something) , but rather what these characters would do or say in a situation and the consequences of that. Because of, or rather maybe as the result, there is depth to the characters where one may or not be surprised to find them. For example, Sasahara, you get to know as a relatively nice guy and uninterestingly average, and sometimes as the lead character. But through development one can see how there is an ever so veneer of character depth and personality that lives and grows within the character. This is showcased when Sasahara decides to make a Doujin and gets into conflict with the artist, Kuguyama. He lashes out at Kuguyama, uncharacteristically up until this point. Later on Sasahara comes to the club with an untaken care of beard, and gets lectured by Kasukabe for being lazy (If I recall correctly). This is interesting because the show itself never really shows the cast doing class work and the view assumes everyone is doing well or working hard. This episode shows Sasahara's academic incompetence and anger seeping into their Doujin project. Of course by the end of their ordeal, Sasahara redeems himself, by taking responsibility, produces what he wanted to make, and makes up with everyone in the group.
Another club member that receives quite a bit of character of growth treatment is Ogiue. Ogiue joined the club subsequently since she was kick out of the Manga club. She is a sensitive and unapproachable character at first and we find that her propensity to hate otakus is from her past experience of BL and how it jeopardized her high school days. Her love for drawing manga is however cultivated by the other Genshiken members as she later helps Sasahara make his Doujinshi. We see her develop out of her shell as she agree to go with the group to Comiket and work to hand out the Doujin. The consequence of her development can be see towards the beginning of Genshiken Nidaime, in which she takes presidential role of Genshiken, loses her childish contempt for other members found in the early parts, and also find the courage to accept Sasahara as a love interest. Hell, she even loses her dorky, but ever so cute, hair style she started with the second half which shows her sincerity in growth as a character by the author taking her person seriously and not just as a purely eccentric or petulant character that was crafted to hold the viewer's attention.
Clearly the most interesting character in which their depth was thoroughly portrayed is with Madarame. Early on, we get to see a flashback of Madarame in his junior high years, in which he makes a wrong call in bad mouthing on a female classmate which causes another classmate to slap him so hard that he stays still in the classroom for hours. But in all honesty, this event was a watershed moment for Madarame. Previously he acted like a jerk to other people without consideration for their feelings, and once he received punishment for his actions, it hits him and is traumatized by it. We can see this trauma, if so subtly, in the way he interacts with girls or the deliberate lack of interaction rather. In the early parts of the story, Madarame claims he doesn't want a girlfriend and explains that he prefers 2D women over 3D ones. One can see this as a witty otaku response to brush off the other member's questioning, or rather more cynically or psychoanalytically as a self-defense mechanism to protect himself by avoiding the question.
Perhaps where this attribute of Madarame's characters comes into most importance is with his unrequited love and crush with Kasukabe. His love for her develops as they sit in the club room together alone. We see how Madarame develops feelings for Kasukabe, but is unable to confront her about it until much later. Madarame and Kasukabe's interactions are important, since it is through her that he is able to break his own shell and hopefully become more than just a “loser otaku” so to speak. Madarame grows confidence by forcing himself to go out buy new clothes, even in the disinterest of his otaku hobby, wear new glasses, in order to gain the approval of Kasukabe who is more or less impressed by his new fashionable endeavor.
Feelings for Kabusake never ceased, and it showed that Madarame still enjoys her company whenever they all go out in groups or when they competed in that one specific cosplay event. It is not until way later into the series, four years in their time, as they both graduated, that they finally confronted one another. For me, this moment was the penultimate moment in the whole story, Madarame building up the courage to finally tell Kasukabe his true feelings. The whole scenario is extremely heart tugging, and once Kasukabe finally turns Madarame down, it feels like a weight has been lifted from Madarame's shoulders and ours as well. Kasukabe poignantly remarks about how they could have been together in another “world”, referencing to how a visual novel game deals with possibilities of multiple endings or routes of love interests. I find this to be funny since throughout the series, characters often break the fourth wall and announce how the world they are in is real and it's not like some manga or anime. It also shows that Kasukabe knew all along that Madarame had feelings for her, and so does the rest of the cast apparently.
The real flaw of this situation with Kasukabe and Madarame is that of Kousaka, Kasukabe's boyfriend. Madarame seems to give little judgment, if any at all, to Kousaka even if he is formally Kasukabe's boyfriend. This inconsistency describe by the story in which Kousaka announces that he does in fact want Kasukabe and Madarame happy. At first I believe this was meant by him breaking up with Kasukabe so that Madarame can hook up with her, but that was clearly not the case. It comes off feeling that Kousaka is by far the least developed character, and that his personality seems to just conforms to everyone else's will so there is little conflict or drama as possible. One can see this fact since Kousaka's inner dialogue is never revealed to the viewer unlike other characters, and that he is personality always docile and neutral, which is nothing wrong in and of itself, however he lacks the interestingness and development time other cast members get. Perhaps Kousaka was just cool with Madarame having feelings for Kasukabe and Madarame wasn’t too worried about Kousaka’s reaction? Maybe so, it is clear that common sense was relaxed for the events for Madarame's plot to proceed smoothly.
Speaking of this show choosing to be not very dramatic, it does have it fair amount drama, gossip scattered throughout, with more towards the middle and end. This lack of 'overbearing drama' ties into what I believe as the show having a lighthearted tone. It is not very serious, unlike a similar series called "Welcome to the NHK" but it does have moments of seriousness. Another reason to why the series is lighthearted is that most of the cast are otaku, and that otaku tend to lack that vigorous personality that is required to act upon and create compelling and dramatic scenes. This is a generalized observation, but I see it rather that the interactions devolve into humor with the otaku, or rather shall I say, the socially inept characters acting as they would, rather then something event that entails drama; which is would argue that series is striving going for. The series tends to favor comedy and light-heartedness over the pure realism of how organic characters would actually play out in particular situation which is pragmatic and understandable enough. With that being said, the character interactions overall feel natural given their personality and proclivity to do certain things in a situation most of the time.
Genshiken is informally, but formally (in the anime) broken into two series, the second being called Genshiken Nidaime. This break in continuation does make a bit of sense since the change in characters and character focus is fairly significant to warrant a name change. In the second half up to now, we see most of the main cast graduated and continuing on with their own lives, having less time to come to hang out with Genshiken. The rest of the characters mostly take their leave in the story in exchange for a set of next generation of mostly female freshman members who join the club. I feel that this newly formed cast is mostly geared to female audiences, as most of the cast are female with exception of Hato who is quickly revealed as a male who crossdresses as a girl coupled with the only other forgettable concurrent male member, Kuchiki. What I find as the most noticeable change is that most of Nidame is focused on one character perspective, Hato. Which in and of itself is not a problem but that one get the perception that he sucks up too much attention, and I feel that it was out of whim to have Hato interwoven into the plot concerning the older Genshiken members.
With the addition of the new cast members, the plot is more layered since there are more possible interactions with characters that weren't there or possible before. The prime example Madarame receiving a harem, I personally wasn't really sure how to think about this. On the one hand, it is pretty funny to see a Harem with a male character, but the how it developed in accordance to Madarame person and how he is. I don't see it as all that convincing that he would get all these bitches! But I digress, it does create a problem since this plot device at least at the very moment of this review is dragged on too long in my opinion.
Which then brings us to the character of Hato. I think it is interesting that the author decided on which an edgy main character for his second half. Hato is a cross-dresser, but is not gay. He makes that clear very much through the instances in which he has a chance defend his sexual orientation when questioned. If I recall, he says "I don't like men but I like you" or something like to that regard. I don't know how true this statement is even though the statement was made by him. He clearly develops the most feelings for Madarame in story so it makes one believe he does like men, but only Madarame. I question his sexuality since it seems as though he is literally struggling with his gender. There is one point in which there is female version of him, floating around him, telling him to commit gay actions. If one looks at this in another way, this could be seen as pretty unsettling viewed as a sexual "Christian demon" apparition, hovering over him tempting him to do things he doesn't necessarily agree with. Sorry for that sinful interpretation (most of it was I'm sure purely comical intention, and not supposed to be seen as a twisted psychological insight) of Hato. He seems to at least suffer from some sort of gender identity or transgender issue that may well be address later on. My other more placid and less over-thinking theory to this ruse is that, what may the cause to Hato's instinctual tendency to crossdress emerged from his affection to Kaminaga, a high-school senpai, who he dresses in model of.
Also on a random note, Hato sort of reminded me of another manga/anime called Hourou Musuko, look it up if you're interested. It may seem like that I don't like Hato, but I do, I love me some gender bender, but I feel like it's hard to make a cross-dressing guy that likes one guy a main character without doing it with tender care like Hourou Musuko. Otherwise Hato's ordeal being in Genshiken does feel a bit unnecessarily out of place, or at least the issue was drawn out for too long.
Other things that were caveats but not really such a big problems were the "fake characters" of Sue and Angela. They exist, and play a role in the story but don't seem realistic at all and serve as purely fanservice or comedic relief, especially with Sue. The author even goes out of his way to point out they weren't (at least sue) genuine characters. Besides that point, I think they are fine (I don't dislike them), they spice up the series with some comedic relief and add variety to a rather tame and ordinary story.
Touching quickly on the ending, it ends as well it could end at the point where it did. In my opinion, the plot dragged far too a duration in the wrong direction to recover any semblance of a truly satisfying end such as Madarame’s confession, which I view as the real culmination and resolution. Despite all the criticism I spoke about throughout, Genshiken is not perfect, but it is a wonderful story of characters and their experiences of young adulthood that many of us otakus can relate and find humor, love and joy in.
