Japanese comedian Iwai Yuukiknown for being part of the comedy duo “Haraichi”, he caused controversy in Japan during his appearance on the program “Odo Odo x Hara Hara”, broadcast by Fuji TV. During a section titled “Gokuron Enzetsu-ou” (King of extreme speeches), Iwai expressed an opinion that quickly went viral on social media: “I wish the love of anime required a license“.

Iwai, a big anime fan, revealed that he watches between 30 and 40 new series each season, which has allowed him to get directly involved in anime-related work. However, he expressed frustration at the growing number of celebrities trying to gain money and popularity by claiming to be anime fans, without actually demonstrating in-depth knowledge.

During the show, the comedian mentioned that often when he works with other celebrities, many tell him: “I'm also an anime fan“. But when you ask them what anime they like, the answers are usually “Kimetsu no Yaiba” or “Oshi no Ko”. To which Iwai replied ironically: “It's like someone who only watches volleyball when there are popular events.“, insinuating that these “fans” just follow the trends of the moment and are not true otakus.

Iwai continued criticizing: “When I ask them what shows they're watching this season, they tell me 'I haven't had time yet'. So you're not really an anime fan.“His exasperation reached its peak when he declared that, on many occasions, ends up 'covering' these celebrities during the programs, being the one who must make in-depth comments on the subjectto maintain the illusion that your partner is an “otaku”.

Iwai's views sparked widespread debate among anime fans on social media, with many showing their support while others criticized him for excluding more casual fans:

• «People who have only seen 2 or 3 animes and are already called otaku are the worst. First watch all the series of the season before proclaiming yourself one.».
• «Among comedians, only Iwai and Tianjin Mukou can be considered true otakus».
• «I understand what you mean, but watching anime doesn't automatically make you an otaku.».
• «I only watch one or three series per season, but I wait until there are consolidated opinions before watching them all at once. Watching everything is very difficult if you work».
• «Now that anime has started to be accepted, do we want to go back to the times when otakus were treated like criminals?».
• «The same thing has been said for years: 'you've only seen Evangelion and you're already calling yourself an otaku'».

Iwai Yuuki's comment reflects a persistent divide within the anime community where some more dedicated fans feel that those who only follow popular series cannot be considered true otakus. However, others argue that all types of fans, from the most casual to the most dedicated, should be welcome in the community.

Source: Otakomu