'Otacool' in Akihabara

31.10.2009 by Patrick W. Galbraith

Danny Choo and Amano Ai appeared in front of Kotobukiya in Akihabara today to promote the new book "Otacool: Worldwide Otaku Rooms."

"The book is doing really well," said Choo, 37, who was available to sign books and pose for pictures throughout the afternoon. "It sold out on Amazon."

Despite it being Halloween, Choo, a London native and son of noted fashion designer Jimmy Choo, was not in his trademark Stormtrooper armor. However, gravure idol Amano came dressed as Mirai-chan, the mascot for Danny Choo.com, and changed outfits several times for the many cameramen who came to see her.
















"Otacool" is a collection of photos of otaku rooms submitted by the estimated two million users of Danny Choo.com (voted the Best Japan Blog by "Forbes" magazine). The scope is impressive: 109 rooms from 17 countries, and 56 interviews. It is English-Japanese bilingual. Choo initiated the project, and both he and Amano contributed shots of their unique rooms.

Another contributor is Pam-san, a 37-year-old Japanese system engineer.

"It's a little embarrassing that people are looking at my room, but I'm glad I did it," he said. "I wanted to show Japanese otaku that there is nothing strange about us or our hobbies, and to show otaku outside Japan what we are like. Now my friends all say they wish they had contributed photos, too."

Pam-san recalls that when he first posted a picture of his room, people responded "What store is this?" Indeed, his room is stocked with some 2,000 figures and toys inspired by the seminal anime "Mobile Suit Gundam." The total value of his collection is estimated at six million yen; his human-sized Gundam and Zaku robot models cost a combined 380,000 yen. Pam-san lives in Saitama with his wife and comes to Akihabara once a week. His friends work in stores in the area, and inform him when items are discounted.

"I watched 'Gundam' during my adolescence, so it had a huge impact on me," Pam explains of his compulsion to collect. "I buy all this because that was a good time in my life. Also, if I keep buying figures and limited-edition DVDs, Bandai will have to make another series."

Choo will also be promoting "Otacool" at Anime Festival Asia from November 21 to 22 in Singapore.

"Otacool" is the first publication released by figure company Kotobukiya and is expected to be distributed internationally. The suggested retail price is 1,500 yen.