Vivências e percepções da cultura oriental por jovens “Otaku” de Santarém-Pa

Abstract

This research is not intended to exhaust attempts to define the term Otaku, which would be a difficult task, as it would be necessary to talk and live with people who identify themselves as Otaku, to understand the aspects and prisms involved. In its Japanese origin the term Otaku designated people fond of items from Eastern pop culture to the point of being antisocial, today the term has much more to do with consumption patterns and unites individuals in social groups. Considering the context that is presented, the study aims to understand the experiences and perceptions of young Otaku about practices related to oriental culture in Santarém-PA, for that, semi-structured interviews were applied with 20 young people between 18 and 40 years old, the interviews were recorded and transcribed in full to undergo content analysis. With the interviews, it was noticed that Animes (Japanese cartoons) play a central role in Otaku experiences, both as a routine practice and as a way of approaching most of them with this context, an approach that today is also due to the consumption of items koreans. It is noteworthy that many of the interviewees delved into Otaku culture because they noticed that the productions of oriental pop culture, especially the Japanese ones, carry strong teachings and values, with emphasis on the persistence seen in the main characters of the Animes, being another attractive factor to the self-identification as an Otaku, the feeling that she brought them closer to other individuals with the same affinities. In the interviewees' perception, Santarém does not present physical spaces of constant contact with oriental culture, but in this sense, related enterprises stand out, with emphasis on Japanese restaurants, and not constantly, the places where the main Otaku events took place, such as Paraíso Shopping Center. The presence of the Otaku in Santarém is expressive, which can be seen in the events held in the municipality, but the attention of the social sciences to this group still needs to be advanced, as proposed here.