Anime Review: Genshiken

Review Genshiken Written by Warpshadow Rating very good

This review of Genshiken is only a partial review do to the insistence of Media Factory that fansubs of it's products be terminated. We can only hope for a swift licensing of this show. Please support the show when it comes out, you will be glad you did.

On the campus of Shiiou university there are several clubs. One of these clubs is the Genshiken club, also known as the Contemporary Visual Culture Research Organization. In reality all the group does is sit around watch their favorite show (a fictional anime show called Kujibiki Unbalance) and play video games. They are all around Otaku and that is why they are not in either the anime or manga clubs (that and the manga club president is a Jerk). This is the story of the lives and obsessions of the members of this club.

Looking at the synopsis of this show some people may think it sounds boring. If so then you are in for a suprise. Genshiken is a hilarious look at what it means to be an Otaku without any glossing over of the negative points. If you are something of an Otaku yourself you may relate to this show very well. There is no specific main character for Genshiken has the show follows whoever is funniest at the moment. If I were forced to say a main character it would have to be Saki, the non anime fan who hangs around the club because of her boyfriend. The plot is also episodic and follows the comedy.