Let's get to the next level, underground japanese geeks prefer real life to computer monitors to play their favorite video game, the Touhou Project. Game on.

Who said otakus, people obsessed with manga, were timid guys curled up in their home tickling their controllers. Nowadays they indulge in their passion in group, as shown here, celebrating the video game Touhou and its extravagant characters.

A dude cosplayed as Murasa talking
In the past I didn't listen to music, it's only when I discovered the game Touhou that I started listening to Touhou music. If you talk about music, to me it only means Touhou arrangements. I listen to it all the all the time, in many different places, makes me feel strong, helps me overcome everyday work.

Dude cosplayed as Patchouli, calling himself "Cirno" talking.
Usually when you cosplay, you don't have the right to customize characters, but with Touhou you can arrange the costumes. For example the skirt, can be longer, or shorter. Everyone is free to do what they wish.

Since 1996 they are dozens of thousands of people, as Cirno worshiping the Touhou project, meaning oriental project. A shoot'em'up video game which consists in shooting down everything that moves. Touhou is famous for its difficulty, its all female cast, and its music.
And it's the work of a single man: ZUN, the only member of Team Shangai Alice. A beer enthusiast, who dreams of opening his own brewery. He refuses offers from big shots video game companies. That "do it yourself" attitude makes him the great guru of "doujins", independent video games.

30 years old Cirno, tax collector in real life, is addicted to doujin. As a Touhou Project fan he heads to Akihabara, otaku headquarters in Tokyo, where electronics stores are next to hostess bars. His objective: find goods from his favorite work. Fond of cosplay he owns more than 30 costumes, bought on the web and made especially to fit him.

Cirno talking
As opposed to people leading a normal and common life, I'm apart, without going against the law. It's not about doing something good or bad, cosplay isn't good or bad. But it's apart from other people, without bothering them. It's just a different point of view.

Cirno's other passion is dancing. Fond of otagei, choreographies found the web for extreme fans, paying homage to their idols. Cirno reproduces original dances from the Touhou Project. To do so he dresses as the character his name come from, Cirno, a fairy inside the body of a naive little girl.

Cirno talking
The character I'd like to meet the most is obviously Cirno. Because I really like her. Since I know Touhou she's the one I have the longest relationship with. Since people outside are calling me Cirno adds to the character's popularity, it's my way to pay homage and thank her. It's like a destiny bound between us.

Touhou culture is also about music. As ZUN gave up rights on his music everybody can make their own arrangements. So on the net there's tons of it, from folk, punk-hadcore, jazz, metal, fans are having a great time and even create their own CDs.

This Sunday inside a concert room located in East Tokyo, the "Touhou kids", age range 16 to 40, gather to share their passion about Touhou music. It's the occasion to put own you best costume representing one of the 60 female characters of the game.

DJ Ohka talking
I once read in an interview of ZUN that the music actually wasn't meant to be used in a video game. He wanted to make CDs as any other musician, but at that time even as doujin, independent, he didn't manage to sell his CDs because everything was instrumental, without lyrics. So he thought that if it was included in a video game, thousands of people would listen to his music, that's how it all started.

38 years old Ohka, programmer and DJ in his free time, is fascinated by the alternative and underground side of Touhou. He has an explanation to why most of the Touhou fans are male.

DJ Ohka talking
It's not about being perverted, but about liking "kawai", cute. It's not sexual, we're not attracted by that. It's just that the characters from the games are cute, just like small animals, puppies or kittens. Those cute stuff makes us warm inside, and that feeling is the same as the excitation you get from Touhou music. I love it.