/Summary

A normie into tennis named Kubo runs into an old classmate, Tanaka. Tanaka ropes Kubo into the Otaku life, this cause Kubo's social life to crash and being rejected by society. He then proclaims if everyone hates Otaku he'll go deeper into it and become the "Otaking".

/Review

Otaku /ōˈtäko͞o/ n. A person obsessed with a specific culture, primarily used in Japan

Being an Otaku is an lifestyle, it's a dangerous and treacherous path that only the strong shall take. Your social life will be shit, you will not fit in, you may even...gain Weight. Otaku no Video shows the aspects of said lifestyle in extremely realistic detail, a cautionary tale in-fact.

Otaku no Video is a mockumentary mixed with a semi retelling of how Gainax was created. The animated sections focus of the retelling with the "Portrait of the Otaku" sprinkled into the middle.

Without the context of the animated sections being a retelling I thought they where pretty boring honestly. The animation was fine, the characters where fine, the plot was fine, everything was fine within them. I did laugh at times, especially at some of the references but other than that I was sitting there confused. After reading up on it I then realized it was about Gainax itself so it cleared up some of that fog.

The thing that really kept me watching was the "Portrait of the Otaku" sections. They're meant to be fake news interviews about different kind of Otaku. I did go into it knowing they're faked, I even saw the one with the "American Missionary" being dubbed over wrong. But they are making fun of real types of Otaku that I've personally met.

One trying to larp as a norman, a porn addict, a military Otaku, etc. It was really fun watching and going, hey my good friend is like that. It was kinda depressing to see myself in some of the people being "interviewed", especially in the segment with the ero fan talking to himself and the garage kit dude. It's a good contrast to the happy side of Otaku being shown in the animated portions.

I doubt this would appeal to anyone outside of Otaku circles. A lot of the humor are based on references and in jokes that people who aren't some what knowledgeable would understand. Maybe it can give them a better understanding? I recommend it to pre established fans that are deep into this stuff, especially the AnimeEigo Bluray.

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