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The otaku gender gap: Guys like girls, girls like robots
by Jon Snyder, 11/07/2009
The otaku gender gap: Guys like girls, girls like robots photo

The otaku matchmaking service Otakuma recently conducted a poll which ranked the most popular anime series by gender... but, at first glance, it might seem like they got the lists switched.

Males

1) K-On!

2) The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi

3) Lucky Star

4) Gundam (all series)

5) Saki

Females

1) Gundam (all series)

2) K-On!

3) Code Geass

4) Macross Frontier

5) Evangelion / Toradora! (tie)

Four out of five series in the male category are slice-of-life moe shows, whereas the same number in the female category are giant robot shows. It would seem as if mecha genre (originally aimed at males) now appeals more to the female demographic. Meanwhile, guys simply enjoy watching the antics of young teenage schoolgirls. Go figure.

So, does this mean we'll start seeing more giant robot shows with beautiful bishounen in them... or will a moe mecha show pop up first? In any case, Megas XLR's theme song (which can be viewed below the jump) now seems oddly prophetic.

[Via AltJapan]

 
Wait, there's an otaku matchmaking service?





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Legacy comments:

The-Excel

I was about to link that video. Oh well.
 
Gee-Man

Probably has something to do with the recent trends of increasingly adorable (though in my opinion, sickening) moe blobs attracting male otakus' attentions while mecha anime are increasingly featuring more and more bishounen main characters *cough*Gundam00*cough*.

Also, Megas XLR was balls-to-the-walls awesome. Such a show should not have ended so quickly.
 
AQua ng

Basically what Gee-Man said. For females, Gundam has the 00 series, Geass has that whole Lelouch/Suzuku thing, Frontier has Alto, and Evangelion...let's just say that 'suki' becomes a phrase open to interpretation. For the males, it's moe moe kyun, moe maids, moe parody, and mahjong moe.

Huh.
 
ROMaster2

This is why we can't have nice things.
 
ROMaster2

On another note, where is my Megas XLR S2?
 
screw_ball69


Far to much moe on that list IMO.
 
Kiriska

LOL.

Seriously, this makes me laugh. XD Though to be fair, I think a lot of girls only like the robots for the guys piloting the robots and the potential that the guys piloting robots are gay for each other.
 
Momaru81

Actually, I've heard about this before so I'm not entirely surprised. What can we say? "Chicks dig giant robots!" I've read that Tomino purposefully tried to make the original Gundam something that females would enjoy. It may have something to do with the bishonen quotient, but for my part, I say women like mecha shows because of the often over the top drama and character development.

 
Karen Leslie

I think they might have gotten different results with a larger sample size, I find it hard to believe that I am in the minority for liking shows with lots of cuteness rather than bishies -__-.
 
Xelotath

So guy likes cute girls doing nothing and girls like cute boys that pilot robots. I wonder if two shows that invert those would work?

I'm guilty of liking mostly moe anime. I don't really like robots(except for gurren lagann) and cute boys.

 
luluko

it's not so much the giant robots as it is the pretty, pretty homolust.
 
Wakuna

I like Robot Girls.
 
xsirhc

Girls dig cute guys piloting robots...too late for me to make a career change?

 
Psycho Soldier

Gundam 00 has Tieria Erde, that is all.
 
nagato yuki

It is not all, 00 also has Stupid Sexy Lockon.
 
lyfeforce

two things:
1. Girls are now openly enjoy giant f'n robots as much as i do and I'm too busy screaming "ZETSUBOUSHTA!" and "Uguu" to care. *headdesk*

2. I notice a lack of GAR in both lists. G Gundam being the exception.


 
Trebz

I gotta get me one'a them giant robots.
 
Niles

When they said a Kampfer isn't a mobile suit, they weren't kidding.
 
Violet Gray

Otaku girls started watching mechas to talk to otaku boys *pokes boyfriend*.
Then we discovered that guys with big guns and emotional issues are way cooler than way cooler your average high school student with emotional issues ... industry noticed and started making mecha pilots hotter :D joy.
Tieria's coming back!!! yey
And please no moe in mechas
 
kamanashi

That video made me miss Megas XLR.
 
ProtoKnuckles

Megas was amazing. I love the sailor moon episode. I bought it on the 360 and iTunes ^_^
 
Nihon Freak

Megas XLR was one of those things that was too good for its network, like Invader Zim. It was the show that any otaku (male, anyway) would dream of making. Oh well.

And yeah, it's not the robots that get girls at all, it's the pretty-boys. I blame Gundam Wing for starting the whole trend.

As for moe. . . Cute, but I've only really ever gotten into Azumanga Daioh back in the day. My favorites are all dark future/ cyberpunk sci-fi anime.

 
Rewarp

The only pure cuteness that ever worked for me was Aria.

Then I'll have murderous cute with Henrietta and the cyborg assassin of Gunslinger Girl.
 
Akkhima

I think Shounen series have long been known amongst otaku girls as the best place to find compelling bishounen characters.

I'd love to see more Moe Mecha though... to be fair there's a few that fit the category already... like Strike Witches or even Rayearth.
 
kamanashi

I think Code Geass replace Saki on the guys side.
 
matrixdude

And this is why the birth rate is dropping, robots don't have reproductive organs.

 
Yaku

...My female otaku comrades forgot Gurren Lagann.
 
Yaku

I'm not surprised with Evangelion, if you consider it carefully. It's so full of angst and drama, something women of all ages love (even I can't resist dorama crap sometimes).
 
Rick777

@Akkhima: You're absolutely right. Fanservice exists for both ways. While guys tend watch Macross frontier for Ranka, Sheryl Nome and Klan Klein (gainaxing, anyone?), girls watch it to watch Alto-kun. Code geass also got fanservice for both girls and guys.

I guess legendary Shoujo/Shonen A otakus are on a quite different league. For example, my real reason for watching Macross frontier was:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wieStI7kN-I
Nyan nyan!
Also, where can I get an iSlug(TM)? :)

 
Sephiroth3003

Nooooo! I don't wanna be part of the mainstream!!!
 
FifthDream

I already noticed the girls going for the bishi/mech anime when Gundam Wing hit.
 
EvilPoodle

Wow, kinda sad

 
MutaKu

Eh, other than Gundam Wing I don't really dig other mechas anime like Code Geass or Gundam Seed. I find them too...girlish for lack of better word.

I dig shounen manga in action, supernatural, mystery, or sport genre more. Eg. Eyeshield, Kekaishi, Big Wind Up, Ahiru no Sora, etc. although the hot guys help. :P

 


  

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