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    The Obsessed is a book by Irwin Wong about otaku, tribes, and subcultures of Japan.
    Otaku. The meaning may seem obvious enough. But it’s worthwhile reflecting on what exactly it is we think we know. The assumption of knowledge tends to close down critical inquiry and reinforce stereotypes, after all, and this is particularly problematic when it comes to otaku because the media has played such an important role in setting the parameters of discussion. With its dense web of popular print publications and television shows, Japan is extremely adept at creating media events and phenomena.
    On the outskirts of Akihabara is an inter- esting cafe with a unique staff. Monster Party is a monster-themed cafe, but not in the traditional sense of Japan’s most famous kaiju, namely Godzilla. These monsters are cute kigurumi girls with one defining feature: Their masks are dominated by one gigantic eye in the center. These hitotsumemen (one-eyed masks) were created by the artist Ozawa Dango.
    DJ Sumirock, who originally liked chanson and jazz, now lists her inspirations as Deadmau5, David Guetta, and Kraftwerk. As her fame spreads, she has found herself playing gigs overseas: “My New Zealand show sold out in 14 minutes.” Although she sometimes feels tired, Sumirock says she has many years left in her. “I was a child during the war,” she says. “My goal is to spread love and peace whether it be through food or music
    One of the rarest sightings one can have in the jungle of Tokyo is a silver-bearded old man dressed in a schoolgirl’s sailor uniform. Tourists lucky enough to sight him can brag that they have seen the legendary Grow Hair, or Sailor Uniform Grandpa, a mythical figure in the kawaii fashion world. Meet this iconic character in The Obsessed by Irwin Wong.
    The meaning of Lolita fashion, as it is known in Japan, has diverged quite far from the original connotations of the word “Lolita” in Nabokov’s 1955 book. Following the publication of that novel, the term began to be used to refer to a young girl who was unassumingly seductive despite her innocence. In Japan, however, it has come to encapsulate a style of dress that, while girlish in the extreme, is decidedly not intended to be attractive to the opposite sex.
    In the college district of Takadanobaba, there is a hole-in-the-wall gyoza restaurant called Muro, which was founded in 1954. If you visit, you might see an elderly woman stir-frying vegetables behind the counter, a common sight in such family-owned businesses. What you might not expect, however, is that same old woman heading out to the clubs in the evening to spin tracks for partygoers until sunrise. This is DJ Sumirock, a Tokyo club icon and, as of 2021, the oldest DJ in the world at 86 years old.
    Yamazaki Isao’s collection of video-game- related memorabilia numbers into the thousands. An avid collector of all things Nintendo, he also has a huge array of vintage, discontinued consoles from other makers too. Neither his parents’ home nor his own home in Tokyo has enough space to store it all. “Most of my collection is in long-term storage or on loan to various museums,” he says. “It would be madness to keep it in the house.”
    Ozawa Dango debuted the character in 2012 at Design Festa, an event for indie artists and crafters, and was surprised by the positive reception, especially amongst women. “A lot of people wanted to buy one, so in 2014 I started selling them,” she says.
    At the forefront of the chiptune music scene in Japan is the artist known as Toriena. Chiptune is electronic music typically composed by using the sound chips in vintage video-game consoles, and Toriena’s music stands apart in its dizzying complexity and depth. Born in Sapporo, she gained an appreciation of electronic music in high school and began dabbling in composing in university. Find out more about Toriena in The Obsessed by Irwin Wong.
    It is said that otaku know no limit to expressing their passion, and the itasha is certainly proof of that. This car-modding phenomenon involves an owner plastering their car with decorations, decals, quotes, and every other imaginable thing related to their favorite character or anime. How much area should be covered? Every square inch if you can afford it. The result is eye-catching, sometimes even eye-watering.
    Latex is usually associated with fetish fashion, but Kurage turns it into art. Kid’O, the creator of latex brand Kurage, has an interesting perspective on his label. “Kurage is like a spaceship going out to uncharted territories,” he says. “Every now and then, however, we have to take a detour to fix our ship or get supplies. Once that’s done, our journey begins anew.”
    Design & Fashion

    The Obsessed

    Otaku, Tribes, and Subcultures of Japan

    Whether it be Cosplay, Rockabilly, HipHop or Gothic: when the Japanese immerse a subculture, they do it like no other.

    $60.00 Price incl. VAT

    Free shipping in the U.S.
    The otaku’s passion is all-consuming. Whether it be cosplay, gothic, or rockabilly, when the Japanese embrace a subculture, they do it like no other. From Lolita fashion and latex couture to neon-drenched big-rigs, anime-plastered vans, and chrome-heavy hot rods, subcultures in Japan are as varied as they are fascinating.

    Delving into these worlds, The Obsessed reveals the extraordinary passion devotees have for their hobbies and lifestyles. With dazzling photography, on-the-ground interviews, and cultural essays, this book showcases a kaleidoscope of scenes and individuals drawn from Japan’s many countercultural groups.



    Design & Fashion
    Editors: gestalten & Irwin Wong
    Release date: May 2022
    Format: 8¼× 10¼ inches
    Features: Full color, hardcover, stitch bound, 240 pages
    ISBN: 978-3-96704-008-1

    Irwin Wong is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Tokyo. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he moved to Japan in 2005. He was Co-editor of gestalten’s Handmade in Japan, published in 2020.

    SHIPPING COSTS

      SHIPPING WITHIN THE US:

      SHIPPING WITHIN THE UK:

      SHIPPING WITHIN GERMANY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION:

      SHIPPING TO ALL OTHER COUNTRIES:

      • €0.00 for orders above €60.00 EUR (value of goods) placed via our EU  online shop
      • €40.00 for orders below €60.00 EUR (value of goods) placed via our EU  online shop

      Additional customs charges, taxes, and fees may be charged for shipments to countries outside the EU and the US.

       

      SHIPMENT TRACKING

      Once your order is ready to be shipped, you receive a confirmation email with the delivery details and a tracking link. Please note, that it can take some days before the tracking information is uploaded. You will also be able to track your order when you log into your account.

       

      DELIVERY TIMES

      Unless otherwise specified, 

      • deliveries within the US usually take 5–10 working days,
      • deliveries within Germany usually take 2–5 working days, 
      • deliveries within the European Union, to Switzerland and Norway usually take 3–7 working days, 
      • deliveries within the UK, usually take 3–7 working days,
      • deliveries to all other countries may take 3–8 weeks

      from the date you receive your order confirmation (or, if advance payment  is agreed, from the date payment is instructed).

      Please note that we don’t ship on weekends and public holidays and that there will be no deliveries on Sundays and public holidays.

      If you have ordered items with different delivery times, we will send the goods in one shipment, unless we have made a different agreement with you. In this case, the delivery time is determined by the item with the longest delivery time that you have ordered.

       

      PAYMENT OPTIONS

      We accept the following payment methods:

      • Credit card: MasterCard, VISA
      • Paypal
      • Google Pay
      • Apple Pay
      • Shopify Payments
      • SEPA direct debit
      • Sofortüberweisung
      • ideal
      • eps-Überweisung
      • Bancontact

      FURTHER DETAILS ON PAYMENT:

      The currency used in our EU online shop is Euro (€) and VAT is included in all our prices. The currency used in our UK online shop it is GBP (£) and in our US online shop it is USD ($) and all prices are expressed as exclusive of any VAT or other sales tax payable unless otherwise stated.

      All prices and product information on the gestalten online shop are subject to change.

      If you have any questions, please contact us.

      We will only take payment from your credit card, debit card or your Paypal account once your order has been dispatched.

      For card purchases we work with an authorized payment agent that helps us to check directly with your bank that the card is valid for purchases. Our payment agent processes your card details in the correct way according to the international security standard PCI DSS, which was developed by the card companies VISA, MasterCard, Diners, American Express and JCB. This means that your card details are processed with a very high level of security. To make card purchases with us as secure as possible all information is sent in encrypted form using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). This means that the information is passed through a secure connection and that your card details cannot be read by external parties.

      For further information about Paypal or to create a Paypal account please visit paypal.com.

      When paying by SEPA direct debit, you authorize us to collect the invoice amount from the specified account by issuing a corresponding SEPA mandate. You will receive a pre-notification at least 5 days before the date of direct debit collection. Please note that you are required to ensure sufficient funds are in the account on the announced date. 

       

      RETURNS

      You have a 14-day window to revoke your contract without specifying any reasons. To exercise your right of revocation, please notify us accordingly.

      To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

      Please note, that gift cards and downloadable software products are non-returnable. 

      Upon revocation, we will provide a full refund using the same payment method you utilized. You are responsible for covering the direct costs associated with returning the products, especially any shipping charges incurred. Repayment may be withheld until the products are returned to us. For further details, please refer to the section on Revocation Right.

      The otaku’s passion is all-consuming. Whether it be cosplay, gothic, or rockabilly, when the Japanese embrace a subculture, they do it like no other. From Lolita fashion and latex couture to neon-drenched big-rigs, anime-plastered vans, and chrome-heavy hot rods, subcultures in Japan are as varied as they are fascinating.

      Delving into these worlds, The Obsessed reveals the extraordinary passion devotees have for their hobbies and lifestyles. With dazzling photography, on-the-ground interviews, and cultural essays, this book showcases a kaleidoscope of scenes and individuals drawn from Japan’s many countercultural groups.



      Design & Fashion

      Editors gestalten & Irwin Wong
      Release date: May 2022
      Format: 8¼× 10¼ inches
      Features: Full color, hardcover, stitch bound, 240 pages
      ISBN: 978-3-96704-008-1

      Irwin Wong is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Tokyo. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he moved to Japan in 2005. He was Co-editor of gestalten’s Handmade in Japan, published in 2020.

      SHIPPING COSTS

        SHIPPING WITHIN THE US:

        SHIPPING WITHIN THE UK:

        SHIPPING WITHIN GERMANY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION:

        SHIPPING TO ALL OTHER COUNTRIES:

        • €0.00 for orders above €60.00 EUR (value of goods) placed via our EU  online shop
        • €40.00 for orders below €60.00 EUR (value of goods) placed via our EU  online shop

        Additional customs charges, taxes, and fees may be charged for shipments to countries outside the EU and the US.

         

        SHIPMENT TRACKING

        Once your order is ready to be shipped, you receive a confirmation email with the delivery details and a tracking link. Please note, that it can take some days before the tracking information is uploaded. You will also be able to track your order when you log into your account.

         

        DELIVERY TIMES

        Unless otherwise specified, 

        • deliveries within the US usually take 5–10 working days,
        • deliveries within Germany usually take 2–5 working days, 
        • deliveries within the European Union, to Switzerland and Norway usually take 3–7 working days, 
        • deliveries within the UK, usually take 3–7 working days,
        • deliveries to all other countries may take 3–8 weeks

        from the date you receive your order confirmation (or, if advance payment  is agreed, from the date payment is instructed).

        Please note that we don’t ship on weekends and public holidays and that there will be no deliveries on Sundays and public holidays.

        If you have ordered items with different delivery times, we will send the goods in one shipment, unless we have made a different agreement with you. In this case, the delivery time is determined by the item with the longest delivery time that you have ordered.

         

        PAYMENT OPTIONS

        We accept the following payment methods:

        • Credit card: MasterCard, VISA
        • Paypal
        • Google Pay
        • Apple Pay
        • Shopify Payments
        • SEPA direct debit
        • Sofortüberweisung
        • ideal
        • eps-Überweisung
        • Bancontact

        FURTHER DETAILS ON PAYMENT:

        The currency used in our EU online shop is Euro (€) and VAT is included in all our prices. The currency used in our UK online shop it is GBP (£) and in our US online shop it is USD ($) and all prices are expressed as exclusive of any VAT or other sales tax payable unless otherwise stated.

        All prices and product information on the gestalten online shop are subject to change.

        If you have any questions, please contact us.

        We will only take payment from your credit card, debit card or your Paypal account once your order has been dispatched.

        For card purchases we work with an authorized payment agent that helps us to check directly with your bank that the card is valid for purchases. Our payment agent processes your card details in the correct way according to the international security standard PCI DSS, which was developed by the card companies VISA, MasterCard, Diners, American Express and JCB. This means that your card details are processed with a very high level of security. To make card purchases with us as secure as possible all information is sent in encrypted form using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). This means that the information is passed through a secure connection and that your card details cannot be read by external parties.

        For further information about Paypal or to create a Paypal account please visit paypal.com.

        When paying by SEPA direct debit, you authorize us to collect the invoice amount from the specified account by issuing a corresponding SEPA mandate. You will receive a pre-notification at least 5 days before the date of direct debit collection. Please note that you are required to ensure sufficient funds are in the account on the announced date. 

         

        RETURNS

        You have a 14-day window to revoke your contract without specifying any reasons. To exercise your right of revocation, please notify us accordingly.

        To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

        Please note, that gift cards and downloadable software products are non-returnable. 

        Upon revocation, we will provide a full refund using the same payment method you utilized. You are responsible for covering the direct costs associated with returning the products, especially any shipping charges incurred. Repayment may be withheld until the products are returned to us. For further details, please refer to the section on Revocation Right.

        $60.00

        Otaku. The meaning may seem obvious enough. But it’s worthwhile reflecting on what exactly it is we think we know. The assumption of knowledge tends to close down critical inquiry and reinforce stereotypes, after all, and this is particularly problematic when it comes to otaku because the media has played such an important role in setting the parameters of discussion. With its dense web of popular print publications and television shows, Japan is extremely adept at creating media events and phenomena.
        On the outskirts of Akihabara is an inter- esting cafe with a unique staff. Monster Party is a monster-themed cafe, but not in the traditional sense of Japan’s most famous kaiju, namely Godzilla. These monsters are cute kigurumi girls with one defining feature: Their masks are dominated by one gigantic eye in the center. These hitotsumemen (one-eyed masks) were created by the artist Ozawa Dango.
        DJ Sumirock, who originally liked chanson and jazz, now lists her inspirations as Deadmau5, David Guetta, and Kraftwerk. As her fame spreads, she has found herself playing gigs overseas: “My New Zealand show sold out in 14 minutes.” Although she sometimes feels tired, Sumirock says she has many years left in her. “I was a child during the war,” she says. “My goal is to spread love and peace whether it be through food or music
        One of the rarest sightings one can have in the jungle of Tokyo is a silver-bearded old man dressed in a schoolgirl’s sailor uniform. Tourists lucky enough to sight him can brag that they have seen the legendary Grow Hair, or Sailor Uniform Grandpa, a mythical figure in the kawaii fashion world. Meet this iconic character in The Obsessed by Irwin Wong.
        The meaning of Lolita fashion, as it is known in Japan, has diverged quite far from the original connotations of the word “Lolita” in Nabokov’s 1955 book. Following the publication of that novel, the term began to be used to refer to a young girl who was unassumingly seductive despite her innocence. In Japan, however, it has come to encapsulate a style of dress that, while girlish in the extreme, is decidedly not intended to be attractive to the opposite sex.
        In the college district of Takadanobaba, there is a hole-in-the-wall gyoza restaurant called Muro, which was founded in 1954. If you visit, you might see an elderly woman stir-frying vegetables behind the counter, a common sight in such family-owned businesses. What you might not expect, however, is that same old woman heading out to the clubs in the evening to spin tracks for partygoers until sunrise. This is DJ Sumirock, a Tokyo club icon and, as of 2021, the oldest DJ in the world at 86 years old.
        Yamazaki Isao’s collection of video-game- related memorabilia numbers into the thousands. An avid collector of all things Nintendo, he also has a huge array of vintage, discontinued consoles from other makers too. Neither his parents’ home nor his own home in Tokyo has enough space to store it all. “Most of my collection is in long-term storage or on loan to various museums,” he says. “It would be madness to keep it in the house.”
        Ozawa Dango debuted the character in 2012 at Design Festa, an event for indie artists and crafters, and was surprised by the positive reception, especially amongst women. “A lot of people wanted to buy one, so in 2014 I started selling them,” she says.
        At the forefront of the chiptune music scene in Japan is the artist known as Toriena. Chiptune is electronic music typically composed by using the sound chips in vintage video-game consoles, and Toriena’s music stands apart in its dizzying complexity and depth. Born in Sapporo, she gained an appreciation of electronic music in high school and began dabbling in composing in university. Find out more about Toriena in The Obsessed by Irwin Wong.
        It is said that otaku know no limit to expressing their passion, and the itasha is certainly proof of that. This car-modding phenomenon involves an owner plastering their car with decorations, decals, quotes, and every other imaginable thing related to their favorite character or anime. How much area should be covered? Every square inch if you can afford it. The result is eye-catching, sometimes even eye-watering.
        Latex is usually associated with fetish fashion, but Kurage turns it into art. Kid’O, the creator of latex brand Kurage, has an interesting perspective on his label. “Kurage is like a spaceship going out to uncharted territories,” he says. “Every now and then, however, we have to take a detour to fix our ship or get supplies. Once that’s done, our journey begins anew.”

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