In Japan, the stereotype is that all geeks are dudes. Walking around nerd areas like Tokyo's Akihabara and Osaka's Den-Den Town, the large number of guys would lead you to think that. That would be incorrect.
Yes, there are female geeks in Japan. Of course there are! Some of them are idols or wanna-be idols, others are company employees. Some love anime or erotic games, and others are into guns or superheroes.
What makes someone an otaku (geek) in Japan is their obsessions. They can be train otaku, music otaku, anime otaku, video game otaku, car otaku, etc., etc. What connects them all is their passion.
A new book, Daraku Heya (堕落部屋), which means "depraved" or "corrupted" room, shows off these geeks in their native habitats. The term "daraku heya" actually refers to what idols call the dormitories they live in when the rooms become cluttered with crap (otaku idol groups often live together in ramshackle apartments until they hit it big).
Here, the rooms are depraved or corrupted because they are examples of unbridled excess and unabashed indulgence. It is proof positive of pure otaku.
Yes, this does seem like female nerd fetishization. But in the past few years, there have been a couple "inside the rooms of otaku" books. Danny Choo, for example, from DannyChoo.com released a couple. This latest book is following in the footsteps of those previous works.
In the above gallery, you can see photos of Daraku Heya from website Akiba Blog as well as official shots. If you like the photos, check out the official site of the book's photographer, Shiori Kawamoto.
自身初の写真集『堕落部屋』を解説 [Openers]
おたく属性・マニアック女子部屋写真集 堕落部屋 「オタク女子の部屋を覗いちゃえ」 [アキバBlog]
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