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This is an archive of past discussions about Akihabara. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
The main article states: "Prior to World War II the area was a bustling overcrowded community. A major blaze which nearly destroyed the district brought ...". I am guessing the fire was a result of the US fire-bombing of Tokyo, but I cannot be certain. If this is the case, it would be better to say "Fire-bombing" instead of "a major blaze" - it makes a more direct sentence and also suggests the increased magnitude of Akhibara's resurgence. --Zippy 16:42, 5 Nov 2004 (UTC)
I'm putting this out mainly for the sake of debate, but I don't think 秋葉原 can really be considered an "otaku mecca" anymore. People often go to the place with the expressed intention of "seeing some otaku"---as a result, the place is generally packed with people bent on "seeing some otaku". The article states that "otaku are afforded the chance to gather [at Akihabara] to avoid alienation imposed by others who do not share their specific interests," yet Akihabara has rather earned a reputation on the foundation of alienating such people---thrusting them out as novelties in themselves. The article would perhaps be better off discussing Akihabara as a place with a reputation for otaku, rather than as a place where otaku can actually be found in abundance.
But maybe I'm mistaken on this. Does anyone have anything to say about that? Kaje
When I went to Akihabara, I was really surprised at the prices. I don't know if anyone else can comment on this, if they have insight that I do not; the reputation, as described here and in many guidebooks, is that Akihabara is the place to go for cheap electronics, particularly electronics that are top of the line, brand new. Well, this may be the case for parts, but I didn't actually see much of that. In my experience, yes, Akihabara does have some of the newest technologies, and some of the best quality (everything I've bought there still works beautifully three years later, better than most brand-new American equivalents), but they're not cheap. Just as an example to share, I went to one of those back alley shops, where I thought I'd be getting a good deal by avoiding the tourist trap stores, and asked for a Discman (i.e. a portable CD player) - I figured that this would be one of those cheap joints, and so I aimed high, and explained that I didn't want to pay more than 3000-4000 yen. I can get a schlocky one at home for less than half that price - I thought, given the "cheap electronics" reputation of Akihabara, that I was being reasonable. Well, the shopkeeper laughed in my face and said that the cheapest one they had that was half-decent was 7000 yen. I apologize to rant and go on here, I hope I haven't lost you. But I'm simply curious what other people's perceptions are. Was Akihabara once the place for cheap electronics? Has it become too touristy or too commercial? Or is it only cheap if you're looking for parts? LordAmeth 00:02, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
I am currently stationed in Japan, and I have two comments on the price issue.
First, compared to Japanese computer prices, Akihabara is dirt cheap.
Second, if you shop arround, and don't just shop the main stores right on the strip, you will find that anything in one of the main stores, is available somewhere else at neer half the price. You just have to look.
Emry 11:41, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
A very nice start. I'm happy that there's pictures, and I'm really impressed by the inclusion of a history - I was honestly not expecting that to be addressed. However, the history section should probably be in a prose paragraph format. And for such a major and probably popular topic, it's a shame that the non-history section is so short. Granted, I'll admit I'm not sure there's too much more to say without going into detail about the individual shops (which I'd advise against); nevertheless, see what you can do. Thanks, though, for an excellent start. LordAmeth 00:02, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
Shouldn't there be a section on this? (Momus (talk) 22:55, 9 January 2008 (UTC))
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