aloe, dream

In this final addition, I want to stress the solutions or actions we may take in order to build a future for the otakusphere, in order to not simply let it idle+die, confined to a very small subset of the internet, and still less attractive to the mainstream of fans. Briefly, it comes down to our stimulation, our lineage, and our unified spectrum, or how we appear externally.

Stimulation

So we know all the tips, “You shouldn’t write unless it’s fun.” bla bla bla. First of all, fun is only part of the game, vigor is the other part.

If it’s painful, yet still invigorating, good /me hands out badges with the letter ‘M’ on them.

Unless one intends to write solely for the look-back, authors enjoy readership. They want their point across, agreement, disagreement, attention, everything … selfish bastards. Look at me, I’m doing it now ^_^.

Without stimulation, there will be no animeblogosphere. Our stimulation is the various J-media, but importantly mixed with personal relations to the media. First and foremost, we need stimulation, but when we lose it, can we find others who have gained it?

Lineage

Though it is entirely apparent, many of us began writing in these blogs because we encountered other blogs of the sphere. That being stated, I feel this will continue to be the way most authors come to write. It is early for us as a community, and as we know, the majority of firsts are still around, but should we plan to write forever?

If eventually we cannot stimulate others to write, we will slowly diminish, our spectrum will dwindle, and flourish we will not. We are required to write, or at least feel necessity with vigor, and in that way, we generally support the community for the external perspective, the readers.

Through lineage, we can groom and grow other writers, and in the end, pass on to them what we’ve built. Sounds serious, but it will happen. Even if we merrily may have enough stimulation to blog now, when the time comes, will it comfort to know who the sphere is passed on to? Or is this a selfish game which we don’t actually care what happens to the community?

Who will you create to carry on the community? Or is the otakusphere limited in some way, which growth is inhibited… and this, is somehow the APEX?

Personally, I believe we are a long way from primed. Our spectrum is widening, slowly.

Spectrum

As previously debated, the vertical and horizontal growth is a factor in our direction, and our spectrum, as seen externally, is at stake. We need not all focus on the meme or mimic the styles and contents of other blogs, so long as we innovate and realize avoidable redundancies.

We have seen ways which we can subtlety express our takes on other authors’ content without vertical growth. We have touched on the inter-blog collaboration of ideas, but have yet to see the self-diction or suggestion of which authors are best suited for given topics … and this secret lies with competition and pride of the game, which leads me to the Nash equilibrium:

Stated simply, Amy and Bill are in Nash equilibrium if Amy is making the best decision she can, taking into account Bill’s decision, and Bill is making the best decision he can, taking into account Amy’s decision. Likewise, many players are in Nash equilibrium if each one is making the best decision that they can, taking into account the decisions of the others.

It may not be apparent from the quoted wikipedia text, but the “game” solution in NE is usually one of maximization, or best outcome. With regard to the ’sphere, this means our combined, non-cooperative efforts can maximize, or at least stimulate, payoff; readership external to the community. (example)

The current level of equilibrium is debatable, but I do know a blog’s competition for readership currently lies  within the community more-so than that of the Internet as a whole¹. This is not absolute, for I am sure new readers find the sphere every day, but it is a small and static growth, and only few blogs get massive new readers daily (the community is growing internally more so than externally).

My closing solution

• Do not change ways, but find attention for new ideas
• Consider the community as a whole, as much as one considers “my” blog
• Learn to write anywhere
• Collaborate
• Have an opinion on usable tools
• Believe in editors (people behind the scenes)
• Exploit the less-explored
• Feel comfort in support, communicate with peers
• Enjoy it while it lasts…

To the authors who followed me on this 3-part post, thank you, your input, ideas, and perspectives are highly valued. I hope the issues I have brought to light, or rehashed, may be carried on as we continue this interesting experience of community in the otakusphere. よろしくお願いします

Ryan A

1) attraction of a reader is more than likely to be someone already reading in the otakusphere versus someone who first encounters a “anime-blog” … the amounts of readers is finite and simply shifting around the sphere rather showing strong growth from external sources, ie the Internet as a whole.

For other random topics see Positive Future, a short list of considerations which authors may find interest in.