In case you ever wonder why there's so much idolshit out there

On the other hand it's down 16% from last year so maybe our long international nightmare may finally be ending?

How is it down 16% but also According to the report, the idol otaku market increased by 30.7% from the previous fiscal year to 155 billion yen (US$1.36 billion)

Or wait no I see

Spending per otaku is down 16% but the market is up 30% so like, more idol fans?

I guess?

Aww, the one former idol fan's comic is really sad.

You get people like that sometimes in any fandom, who just sink too much of themselves (time, money, emotional investment) into it and forget or neglect to keep building other parts of their life

It's tricky because there's a tendency among non fans to assume all "geeks" or "otaku" are wasting their time on any fandom activities at all

so we often get defensive

but it can happen with any activity, I think?

Like, most people who enjoy working out just jog or hit the gym sometimes, a smaller subset buy expensive equipment and magazines but still maintain a healthy and varied lifestyle

and then you get the occasional person who becomes obsessive, constantly works out, loses their grip on other parts of their life and develops a genuine disorder that can even be life-threatening.

The quilter who becomes a hoarder and fills her basement with expensive machines and fabric she'll never use. The shopping addict, the bodybuilder who destroys his own health.

Unhealthy obsession and addiction to activities is a thing; it's good for geeks to remember that even as we fight the perception that they're automatically inherent in our particular hobbies.

: /