The ultimate fan anime and partly biographical tale of how Gainax was formed, Otaku no Video is one of the classics and is now readily available again on Blu-ray.
I reviewed the prior limited Blu-ray release from AnimEigo around 8 years ago now and that review still holds true for this version. Although, this is more of a stripped down variant, but with some fun extras.
The story has Kubo give up his normal life and enter the wondrous halls of otaku culture, with his old friend Tanaka. With various bumps along the way they end up forming a company called GX, which is meant to reference Gainax, and they corner the market with garage model kits, but not without a great deal of betrayal and heartbreak along the way.
Having watched Otaku no Video when I started out as an anime fan nearly three decades ago now, it’s now clearer in terms of what it shows about how much of the anime industry and surrounding merchandising companies operate.
While GX is a stand-in for Gainax, which is now sadly no longer with us, much of the kinship that Kubo and Tanaka build along the way with all their hyper-nerdy friends has mirrored much of the lives of the various creative people I have interviewed in Japan, not mention my own career.
Most of the major figures in anime we know today started out as fans in one way or another. Helping each other out on various projects, they eventually ended up as leaders within the various media that they worked in.
From the likes of Mamoru Nagano hanging out with his buddies making Macross to the founders of Studio Nue wanting to make their own way with their varied and fascinating contributions to science fiction.
Much of what Otaku no Video shows goes far beyond how Gainax came about and is a broader tale of how nerdy passions shape the groups of people that make anime, games, model kits, toys, and manga in Japan.
So to have it widely available again feels very culturally relevant somehow.
This release still retains the pristine visual and audio quality of the prior Blu-ray version, and also comes with some nice extras. From lineart and color galleries to trailers and even an essay on the background of the anime. You even have the option to switch off the hilarious live-action segments, although I have no idea why anyone would want to do that.
However, the only real omission here is the old school liner notes from the DVD and previous Blu-ray releases. This is not included in the box or on the disc, but it is thankfully available online. These liner notes help explain all the various references and in-jokes that newer anime fans will find utterly mystifying.
So for all the “oldtaku” out there, you know the drill. This one is for you. As for the newbies, a joyous world of nerdy enthusiasm awaits. You have been warned.
Otaku no Video is available on Blu-ray and can be purchased from Amazon for $14.89.
Disclosure: AnimEigo sent me this Blu-ray for the purposes of this review.
Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
