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[ICON] Julie Watai - Gifted Creator and World Renowned Hard-Core Otaku（3/3）
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The Japanese people have an otaku nature – at a national level (lol)
ab： What are you into these days?
Julie： Singapore. Singapore is so interesting. There is not a single piece of trash on the street. It is such a clean and orderly country. The street layout is like Kyoto with its grid pattern. It is a real man-made city. Even the beaches have had the undulating rocks flattened and the pure white sand has been imported. There is Wi-Fi connection all along the coast. It is a real wonderland.
ab： Do you have a motto?
Julie： “Everyone gets a lucky break” (lol). This has a deep meaning. You can go along and take it easy, but whatever you do, luck is very important. But for that luck to find you, you must keep on going. As they say in Slam Dunk, “The moment you give up the game is over.”You must persevere and see it out till the very end. So keep going till that lucky break finds you.
Julie： Singapore. Singapore is so interesting. There is not a single piece of trash on the street. It is such a clean and orderly country. The street layout is like Kyoto with its grid pattern. It is a real man-made city. Even the beaches have had the undulating rocks flattened and the pure white sand has been imported. There is Wi-Fi connection all along the coast. It is a real wonderland.
ab： Do you have a motto?
Julie： “Everyone gets a lucky break” (lol). This has a deep meaning. You can go along and take it easy, but whatever you do, luck is very important. But for that luck to find you, you must keep on going. As they say in Slam Dunk, “The moment you give up the game is over.”You must persevere and see it out till the very end. So keep going till that lucky break finds you.
ab： Compared to the past, sub-culture has become very mainstream, don’t you think?
Julie： Yes indeed. I think the rise of the Internet has had a major influence. There is no limit on information and not only the otaku but everyone can access as much as they want. These days in Japan, if someone has just a tiny bit of otaku in them it doesn’t take long for them to get deeply involved. The Japanese people have an otaku nature – at a national level (lol). For example, if 60% of a class were otaku, the other 40% would show an interest so they could get involved in the conversation. So you don’t have to get so deeply involved to have a deep otaku knowledge. I think this is due to the Internet.
Julie： Yes indeed. I think the rise of the Internet has had a major influence. There is no limit on information and not only the otaku but everyone can access as much as they want. These days in Japan, if someone has just a tiny bit of otaku in them it doesn’t take long for them to get deeply involved. The Japanese people have an otaku nature – at a national level (lol). For example, if 60% of a class were otaku, the other 40% would show an interest so they could get involved in the conversation. So you don’t have to get so deeply involved to have a deep otaku knowledge. I think this is due to the Internet.
The MMD (MikuMikuDance) is really hot now
ab： With the advent of Twitter, Facebook and Nico Nico Douga the net has seen some big changes. How do you see this change?
Julie： I am really into Nico Nico Douga. When it first came out it was called Nico Nico Douga (provisional), then Nico Nico Douga (β), then just Nico Nico Douga, and now it is Nico Nico Douga (Harajuku). When I started watching it 2Channel (pronounced "ni channeru" in Japanese) was at its peak, but everybody moved over to Nico Nico Douga. At that time you could watch pirated videos (lol), and so many logged in so they could watch anime. But after a while, when it became so popular, the illegal video copies were taken off and you would just get a “copyright infringement” notice. That is when people thought that if they posted their own videos they could get around this. They made new content and created a new culture. And it grew day by day.
ab： How do you think Nico Nico Douga will evolve?
Julie： People who watch Nico Nico Douga don’t watch any other video sites. They don’t watch YouTube; they are only into Nico Nico Douga – that is the image I have. Of course there are some people follow threads. But they don’t read 2Channel. They prefer Nico Nico Douga to television. I travel between the info-blogs Akibablog, GIZMODO and WIRED and for me Nico Nico Douga is one of them – these days young people just watch Nico Nico Douga. The stars on Nico Nico Douga are idolized as much as any TV star.
ab： Can you see any new trends on the horizon?
Julie： Recently I watch the MikuMikuDance a lot (known as MMD), and it is pretty simple to make a 3D movie. You don’t need any special technical skills, and it's free. Using MMD you can create a video and upload it. Nico Nico Douga has a competition and it is hotly contested. If you do a search for MMD you will find videos with plenty of views. MMD is really hot right now.
Julie： I am really into Nico Nico Douga. When it first came out it was called Nico Nico Douga (provisional), then Nico Nico Douga (β), then just Nico Nico Douga, and now it is Nico Nico Douga (Harajuku). When I started watching it 2Channel (pronounced "ni channeru" in Japanese) was at its peak, but everybody moved over to Nico Nico Douga. At that time you could watch pirated videos (lol), and so many logged in so they could watch anime. But after a while, when it became so popular, the illegal video copies were taken off and you would just get a “copyright infringement” notice. That is when people thought that if they posted their own videos they could get around this. They made new content and created a new culture. And it grew day by day.
ab： How do you think Nico Nico Douga will evolve?
Julie： People who watch Nico Nico Douga don’t watch any other video sites. They don’t watch YouTube; they are only into Nico Nico Douga – that is the image I have. Of course there are some people follow threads. But they don’t read 2Channel. They prefer Nico Nico Douga to television. I travel between the info-blogs Akibablog, GIZMODO and WIRED and for me Nico Nico Douga is one of them – these days young people just watch Nico Nico Douga. The stars on Nico Nico Douga are idolized as much as any TV star.
ab： Can you see any new trends on the horizon?
Julie： Recently I watch the MikuMikuDance a lot (known as MMD), and it is pretty simple to make a 3D movie. You don’t need any special technical skills, and it's free. Using MMD you can create a video and upload it. Nico Nico Douga has a competition and it is hotly contested. If you do a search for MMD you will find videos with plenty of views. MMD is really hot right now.
ab： What is Julie Watai’s next goal?
Julie： Of course I've published a book and held events overseas, but I haven’t yet held a photographic exhibition. I am going to work hard so I can hold an exhibition overseas.
ab： Do you have a message for the young people of Asia reading this website?
Julie： Don’t be too critical online (lol). Young people can take criticism, but for someone as old as me it hurts (lol). Thanks in advance!
(Interview： 2011.11.12)
Julie： Of course I've published a book and held events overseas, but I haven’t yet held a photographic exhibition. I am going to work hard so I can hold an exhibition overseas.
ab： Do you have a message for the young people of Asia reading this website?
Julie： Don’t be too critical online (lol). Young people can take criticism, but for someone as old as me it hurts (lol). Thanks in advance!
(Interview： 2011.11.12)
[INFO]
[PROFILE]Julie Watai / Photographer, Artist, Model
■ History
2005 published "SAMURAI GIRL" in Italy.
2010 Released "Hardware Girls," with the theme of Hardware and cute teenage girls. Activities include creations based on anime, manga, idol, computer games and hardware fused with Akihabara otaku culture, as well as being the self-produced gravure idol, "Amano Ai."
■ Web Site
Official Homepage： http://juliewatai.com/
Twitter： juliewatai
Facebook： juliewatai
Blog： http://ameblo.jp/amanoai/
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