Affective otaku labor: The circulation and modulation of affect in the anime industry
Item
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Title
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Affective otaku labor: The circulation and modulation of affect in the anime industry
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:0ecb319f11ce:10694
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identifier
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10910
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Creator
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Wang, Pei-Ti,
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Contributor
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Patricia Ticineto Clough
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Date
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2010
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social research | Mass communication | affect | anime | manga | otaku
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Abstract
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This dissertation investigates the devoted anime fans -- otaku, in Taiwan and in the U.S., focusing particularly on their fandom activities and relationships with the anime industry. Data sources include archival research, ethnographic observations, and in-depth interviews. Beginning with tracing the traditions of Marxist cultural criticism, I based my theoretical framework on the theory of affect, focusing on the affective labor of otaku and their affective responses to anime images. Drawing from theorists Tiziana Terranova, Maurizio Lazzarato, Michael Hardt, Antonio Negri, Nigel Thrift, Brian Massumi, and Patricia T. Clough, I argue that the transformation of the forms of labor into immeasurable, voluntary, communicative, and affective labor is significantly reflected in the labor of otaku. Assisted by digital technologies, otaku are not simply passive consumers -- they are able to interact with commodities, play with cultural contents, and easily become producers or distributors by using digital devices and the Internet. According to my ethnographic observations and interviews, the fandom activities of otaku -- including surfing the Internet, networking, cosplaying, making doujinshi and other multi-media artwork -- demonstrate that otaku labor is emotionally involved, voluntary and affective, and has potential monetary value in the market.;Moreover, I discuss the concept of "moe" which is commonly used among anime fans to describe their "bursting" or "burning" affections toward certain anime characters. By analyzing otaku's feelings of moe, I argue that moe are affective responses in the body that precede feelings and emotions. In the era of digital technology, otaku's reception of images is turning more and more visual, sensational, and affective -- without deep thoughts and without consciousness. The digital technologies allow the modulation of the moe/affective responses upon otaku's reception of images. Moe responses are bodily movements without consciousness -- but with the potentiality and capacity to become emotions and provide new meanings. It is such affective responses -- "powers to act" -- that motivate otaku to do something voluntarily.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Sociology
