Phenomena of Otaku Stench

Phenomena of Otaku Stench

With longer watch times than ever, advancing non-socialization, and less reasons to leave the house to meet in person with people there are many reasons to blame why there might be those who may be not inclined to take care of personal hygiene. If you are interested in the Otaku scene of Japanese Animation, Manga Comics, and Cosplay that attends any sorts of live-events there can be times that those events can bring feelings of joy and excitement that quickly can change to a shiver and dread from an over sensory overload of foul odor that can not be found in the room. Veterans who have attended previous events can state their own personal experiences that this can be found at a multitude of events and at meet-ups, but it is especially pronounced when events are not common and there is more reason to stay home and alone than to be social and have a fun time in person.

Otaku Get a Bad Stereotype of Stinkiness

Otaku get a bad reputation as stinky shoppers who only care about their products and go around talking about their favorite series while selfishly ignoring hygiene, but how did this start? A few theorize it could be from the Phenomena of Con-Stench that is associated as “Otaku Stench”. It wouldn’t have to be an Otaku, unless everyone at the convention or live event is auto-matically labeled as such, which would range of visitors and not be accurate at all (1), another common assumption is from a mental disorder which could happen as an Otaku, but its unusually not the case, but isn’t impossible either (2), and they don’t care and are selfish, but usually it’s an unspoken and unannounced reason that the person may find too embarrassing to tell another person (3).

A Otakus depression to bathing had begun for being bullied for liking something different like Animanga can take its toll on some as. One of the people said “After being bullied and crying for days and hating myself and what I like...I just started to not care what others' opinions of me were. Cosplayers would point out my flaws and people wouldn’t want to be my friend from my lack of social skills. So I just began to eat and not bathe or care. It was liberating in its own way and made me stronger“. This is when the person had started going to cons and became all jaded and stinky, but while its only one story it does show that depression could be linked to the stench from peoples assumptions and accusations and not asking “if the person is okay?”.

The Not Bathing Phenomenon of Con-Smell

This particular phenomenon is infamously known at Comiket, Kawaiikon, and Anime Expo, but the reason why could be linked to all sorts of reasons. The areas of each event tend to have high-heat in the summer as well as high-humidity, which unlike other areas may create more sweat and moist skin when waiting in lines outdoors. Because of this there is notably more awareness and efforts to tell people to take care of hygiene by the event holders as well as the attendees who have gone to cons before and noticed the stench across the hall.

"I thought it was just the people at our local conventions were stink, but when I went to the mainland it was even stinkier. Conventions...i guess... just stink!"

For some Bathing Daily is a religion and often taught from home or from looking at common Hygiene practices in both the West and Japan. It can be seen as gross to not take a bath for any prolonged period of time, but how long do people go without bathing is the question to ask? Who will go out of their way to just announce to the world the number of days they go without bathing as a proud expression to tell all? Most likely none or few, so knowing how long someone has gone without bathing can be a mystery, especially since stink does not necessarily always mean the person hasn’t taken a bath.

What We Know about the Stench

The Stench, can be caused from rapid bacteria growth from sweat and natural oils that protect the skin (instead of normal soap, use antibacterial soap), dead skin that hasn’t been scrubbed properly off (instead of a washcloth, try a exfoliating cloth), stress with anxiety topped with depression can create stinky-acid production from sweated out-fats (avoid mean people and stressful situations).

However there are more than a few reasons to defy a culture of daily bathing that actually have some basis to not bath daily that are not all too wild or out there. Medical reasons are at the top of considerations with showering too often can cause skin-dryness, eczema flare ups, and removing good bacteria too quickly. Cleanliness has always been a large market and is a business type found all over the world with advertisements based on body-odor anxiety with deodorants, antiperspirants, and fragrances (perfumes and cologne). Because of being aware that bathing all the time may not be necessary as well for saving water and on bills it is not uncommon that some people may bath a certain amount of times per week; once a week, two times a week, three times a week, and other varying bathing schedules.

What do People Say?

When talking to a few of those who carry a bit of stench it is interesting to hear some overlapping responses, such as: “I can’t smell myself, so, I must not smell” (1), “No one acknowledges me in groups, so why should I try?” (2), “I’m too embarrassed to tell people I don’t know proper bathing at this age.” (3), “Hygiene products are not regularly made available and it takes effort, money, and commitment.” (4),“It's freedom of choice, I'm lazy, and I paid to be here.” (5), “There are times I haven't bathed for a week and gone on a social outing… I am still invited to the next one and no one mentioned anything or made any weird faces, so it must be okay.” (6). The responses are quite varied and have their own points to them.

Its a Reason and a Perspective

As those around the person who don’t really have any idea if a person is unclean, unless the smell is around its hard for them to have any idea that the issue is around, but when it's made aware someone isn’t following etiquette of hygiene people are quick to defend what they view as their mental territory or right versus wrong. At first smell it might be a person's first instinct to have a bit of anger from those being thought of as inconsiderate, or a hermit who locks themselves in a room to smell, or even call the person a smelly weeb as an insult to their ego, or even a thought to lure the person into a car wash as well. But, simply yelling or humiliating someone who has already lost any sense of embarrassment from others or sense of victories in life big or small simply won’t work.

What it does do is bring back the previous traumas and just make the person feel worse and they move ever so quickly to withdraw even faster than before into their own thoughts and have their actions justified. At the end of the day it is up to each persons only views on how or why and when bathing is considered and that makes things individual to the person and more complex than simply ignorance or ill considerations at times, since its directly connected to reasoning and decision making.