B
PROCESS
First, I distinguished nine types of contemporary otaku with distinctive characteristics and extracted their figurative features to form a collection.
In this process the representative colors, materials, and objects of each type become apparent (and create the basis for the subsequent installation).
The figurative representations are then distilled into simple moving shapes, made even more mysterious by the flow of ink and the symmetry of origami, and finally overlaid with corresponding colors to form unique symbols.
Type No.1 — Military Otaku
People passionate about the military field and related ACGs, often showing a high level of passion for politics on the internet.
Graphic extracts: guns, ammunition, keyboards.
Type No.2 — Occult Otaku
People passionate about metaphysics such as tarot cards, astrology, or I Ching Bagua.
Graphic extracts: eyes, hexagrams, reptiles.
Type No.3 — ACG Otaku
The most typical otaku, obsessed with games, anime, and manga.
Graphics extracted: from books and pen and paper.
Type No.4 — Transportation Otaku
People obsessed with collecting models and information about transportation, including buses and plane tickets.
Graphic extraction: wheels and triangles representing roadblocks.
Type No.5 — Pop Culture Otaku
People obsessed with popular online culture, covering a wide range of media platforms.
Image extraction: morphing of logos from various social media.
Type No.6 — Earthy Culture Otaku
A special group reflecting poverty and hardship, often creating their own circle in marginalized markets.
Graphic extraction: cigarette butts and wine bottles.
Type No.7 — Phantom Concept Otaku
People passionate about studying speculative and post-apocalyptic worldviews such as cyberpunk and steampunk.
Graphic extraction: red and blue pills, scattered data from The Matrix.
Type No.8 — Alien Pet Otaku
People who breed special plants and animals such as lizards, snakes, and spiders.
Graphic extraction: snakes and alien flowers.
Type No.9 — Clothing Otaku
Mostly women passionate about culturally specific clothing, inspired by European Rococo, Japanese school uniforms, and punk fashion.
Image extraction: Rococo corset, ribbon bow.