Go Tokyo Your Experience
In a group that is predominantly male, if a girl suddenly joins, it can bring about unexpected changes. In Japan’s online culture, such girls are jokingly referred to as “otaku circle princess” or “princess of the otaku club”.
Because these groups often have a severely imbalanced gender ratio, girls tend to become the focus of attention, leading to the term “club crusher,” which means she might spark competition among the male members, ultimately resulting in the disintegration of the club.
However, reality is quite different from the legend. In recent years, discussions among Japanese netizens about the “princess” of the otaku circle revealed the true situation: most otaku lack the courage to approach women.
For example, a Japanese netizen with the nickname “ばやりーす” shared a photo from their club gathering on a social platform, which quickly sparked heated discussions.
In this photo, we see that she is the only woman surrounded by male members, but interestingly, these boys are not rushing to compete for her attention; instead, everyone is engrossed in the television program in front of them, leaving her alone and idle beside them.
I am the real-life princess of the otaku community.
In many Japanese online and secondary creation cultures, the “otaku princess” is often portrayed as the role of a “club destroyer,” believed to disrupt the internal balance of the group.
However, this real photo seems to reveal a different reality: boys in otaku groups often keep their distance due to a lack of confidence in interacting with women, which greatly reduces the likelihood of the legendary jealousy.
In this regard, Japanese netizens have expressed various opinions:
Everyone is focused on the game graphics, not a single person is looking at the ‘princess’, which demonstrates another side of how otaku concentrate, unsurprisingly reliable.
This photo reminds me of my time in the university club, I can totally relate.
No one really cares about the existence of girls, it’s just too funny, haha.
In fact, rather than saying that boys care about their interests, it’s more accurate to say they are afraid to take the initiative to approach girls.
I guess it’s because everyone doesn’t want to disrupt the atmosphere of the club, so they maintain a subtle balance with each other. If one brave person takes action, the club might face the risk of falling apart.
It is worth mentioning that the internet user “ばやりーす,” who shares photos, actually dresses up as a “宅圈公主” (Otaku Princess) every year during the gatherings by specifically cross-dressing to create buzz.
Last year, his outfit at the gathering dazzled everyone; the year before that was no different.
The appearance of online gatherings last year (2023)
The appearance of online gatherings the year before last (2022)
The phenomenon of “homebody princess” in real life is quite different from the scenarios depicted in fantasies, which inevitably leads people to ponder: are we misunderstanding the attitudes of otaku groups towards women, or is this title itself merely a form of mockery?
In summary, the phenomenon of “homebody princess” in reality showcases a different aspect from the portrayals in popular culture; it reminds us to pay attention to the real individuals behind these phenomena and their behaviors in complex social contexts. How will future social dynamics develop?
