二次元コンプレックス[nijigen complex]
As you may know, we say 3D[3次元] to mean our real world or real life and 2D[2次元] to mean a fictious world or merely a fantasy. Anyone who is not intersted real people but love 2D characters are called 2次元コンプレックス[nijigen complex] or 2次コン[nijikon]. If there is a 2ch-like saying, it should be written as 虹[niji], or rainbow. Generally, people would think most otakus dwell on 2D in order to forget 3D. But I am not sure about this. I mean, where is the border between 2D and 3D? That depends on a person…
In Gintama[銀魂], there is a certain scene in which the idol otaku, Shimpachi with the likes and the anime otaku, Hijikata discuss such a topic(this makes me laugh so much!). According to Shimpachi, idols sure exist in the real world, and fans those follow them live in 3D, not dwell on 2D. He dares to say idol otakus shouldn’t be counted as 2次元コンプレックス. Meanwhile, Hijikata insists that there is no point in following idols because it is impossible to get married to them. After all, idol otakus and anime otakus are the same. orz I think Hijikata has a point, though.
By the way, most people would think such 2次元コンプレックス happens to men. However, that is not true. Lately this can be seen among female otakus including fujoshis[BL fangirls]. Although they seem to see real people, they are good at distincting 2D and 3D. For example, if a fujoshi sees two schoolboys having a chat on the bench, she would “cook” them and make a story in 2D. 左の男の子が攻めで右が受けだわ!この後二人は… In this way, fujoshis can travel between 2D and 3D freely. As if they are wearing sunglasses…yes, this is what’s called 乙女フィルター[otome filter] to filter out 3D and turn whatever into 2D. That’s pretty convinient! I want!
The reason why I picked up this word is that the news said a remarkable site in which 2D fans are carrying out a signature collection campaign in a bid to obtain a legal permission to get married to 2D characters. Oh why? They insist they are not interested in 3D anymore, but seriously seek for a happy life with 2D characters. い、痛い…;^^ If it comes to pass, could we replace コン[kon] of 二次コン[nijikon] as 婚[kon, stands for marriage] say 二次婚[nijikon]?
I wonder if the advocator is a man or not. I found a hilarious video on youtube in which several fujoshis talking about 二次婚. In this video, they don’t say 二次婚, but 脳内結婚[nounai kekkon]. The meaning is the same. 脳内[nounai] literally means inside a brain, well inside a dellusion. Needless to say, 脳内結婚 means to get married to your favorite character inside your dellusion. At any rate, I don’t know if they even start such a signature collection campaign because, as I have said, fujoshis could let the dellusion end on the brain. I don’t think they even want such a legal permission in 3D…what do you think?
Me? When it comes to marriage, I must be surreal…Well, if I can get married to such a 2D character, I would choose Ritsuko Akagi in Evangelion. She is cool, smart, reliable, and gentle. I think she would be a nice wife though she is still single, no?
Neohybrid_kai said,
November 11, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Wow, I didn’t know that fujoshi can be that hardcore too. I don’t get why they prefer 2D male character, IMHO some of them are pretty cute they can get a boyfriend easily.
Speaking about otome filter, my friend introduce me to manga Mousou Shoujo Otaku Kei few days ago, so I can understand about that pretty well (the manga is awesome, I think its been years since the last time I read a good romance comedy manga)
Nice pun on 二次婚, LOL. If I can get married to a 2D character, I would choose Horo from Spice and Wolf, cos she’s smart and cute, lol.
goodyfun said,
November 11, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Well… I guess people should do what makes them happy. But what about divorce settlements! Will the cartoon get nothing? Cartoons should have rights too, also! (Yes, I’m joking.)
This makes me think of what character I would like to be with… (Although I would never really get married to a 2D character.) My first pick I think would be 天上 ウテナ, but she’s already with 姫宮 アンシー! So, I guess I’m out of luck in the 2D world!
(´・ω・`)
AWESOME ENGINE » Blog Archive » Well, I’m sure I’d feel much worse if I weren’t under such heavy sedation. said,
November 11, 2008 at 7:58 pm
[…] A timely description of nijigen complex. […]
bangin said,
November 12, 2008 at 3:10 am
Neohybrid_kai: Female otakus have a stronger inner power than male otakus do. Male don’t get satisfied unless it’s visible, so I guess the advocator who started a signature collection campaign is a man. I don’t think Mousou Shoujo is willing to do this…
goodyfun: Once a character is legally married, no one else can get married to the character…I guess that sure brings about a nightmare.
Ritsuko has no boyfriend though Misato has(?). I wish she could come to 3D.^^
mochie said,
November 12, 2008 at 12:32 pm
“左の男の子が攻めで右が受けだわ!この後二人は…”
My friend does that. With any two guys she sees on the street and her favourite Visual Kei artists (well… pretty much any guy I guess”. She likes to describe them out loud publicly too.
I have another friend who has no interests in real men and have only ever fell in love with 2D men. She has never found a real life man handsome or whatsoever.
Though I think there’s a complex similar to nijigen complex where a fan loves their idol too much and thinks they are actually married to them. There are so many people on the internet who calls a lot of singers and actors “their husband'” and the fact that their friends support them makes the matter even worse.
I don’t think I really have a 2D character that I want to marry but I think if I had to choose one it would be Kunimitsu Tezuka from Prince of Tennis because he is a cold character, handsome, professional at tennis and also wears glasses. Though I think I would probably prefer more to marry an idol than a 2D character.
bangin said,
November 13, 2008 at 4:53 am
Help your friend come back to 3D, please! No bishounen exists in this world!
On the net, anyone can say like xxxは俺の嫁[so-and-so is my wife], but this is just a saying. It seemed to be like that…oh no, they don’t get satisfied, do they? That is why they started a signature collection campaign.
Tezuka is good. He is very reliable. Even if he doesn’t pursue higher tennis career, he would do well. Nice breadwinner?
Neohybrid_kai said,
November 13, 2008 at 3:33 pm
On the net, anyone can say like xxxは俺の嫁[so-and-so is my wife]
Remind to another popular internet slang, “mai waifu” ^^
khursten said,
November 13, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Bangin-san. Just some small corrections. It’s not Shimura but Shinpachi. TwT And this was one of the funniest/moving moments for me in GIntama. that was random. TwT
on the other end… I’m getting married next year. TwT To Dino Cavallone from Katekyou Hitman Reborn!. Shall I invite you and Akagi-sensei?
bangin said,
November 14, 2008 at 2:57 am
Neohybrid_kai: 俺の嫁キターーーーーー!![my wife is comiiiiiing!]
khursten:I don’t want to see the otaku Hijikata…but I laughed a lot! Oh Shimpachi is a more common way to call his name.
Dino! I like either Hibari or Yamamoto in Reborn. Give me an invitation!
w said,
November 14, 2008 at 5:30 am
[my wife is comiiiiiing!]
You better be careful the way you say that :p
I still haven’t really fallen for a 3D guy as much as I’ve fallen for 2D guys. I just can’t. I get way too cynical when it’s 3D guys.
bangin said,
November 14, 2008 at 6:22 am
Ideal and reality don’t get so closer, aah, I wish I could move to 2D above girl.
2D girls are not so important for me, but I want to place myself in 2D! ><
usagijen said,
November 14, 2008 at 7:09 am
lol, marrying a 2D bishie was probably one of my silly childhood dreams, or wait, I think I still have them, albeit more subtle/implicit.. saying “I want to marry a guy like [insert character here]” instead. Then again, who can blame you for wanting to marry a 2D character if you don’t have any luck in love! 😛
bangin said,
November 14, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Ouch!! Yes if I don’t have a good luck in love…I end up placing myself in 2D to have a fun with a 2D bishoujo. Oh no, don’t get me there! XD
Neohybrid_kai said,
November 20, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I think other than 2D character and idol, the same could be applied to cosplayer. I don’t know about japanese cosplayer but here cosplaying is not something that very otaku-ish. Years ago, anime and manga are still considered for children by mainstream society but with Japanese music and drama came in, people started to treat anime/manga/game on the same par with another japanese pop culture. In an event, cosplayer from various genre are mixed together, from people who wear kimono, to the shibuya harajuku style, the visual-kei/j-rock style, gothic lolita, anime/manga and tokusatsu. This is good, I think, since it hides the facts that those who cosplays as anime/manga character are usually newbie and that the real hardcore anime fans are the hikkikomori NEET who never come out to such event ^^;;
Oh lol, I think I wrote too much (its because last week is the 2nd annual japfest in my town). What I’m trying to say is that in such event, everyone could be an idol just by cosplaying. People will come to them, ask for taking photo together, having anime related conversation, but that’s all, nothing personal happenned, and when the “party” is over, everyone goes back to their own schedule. We never know what kind of person the cosplayer actually is.
bangin said,
November 22, 2008 at 4:44 am
We cosplayers are very common in the real life, actually. Students, office ladies, or salarymen. While we cosplay, we can move into 2D. So that is why people can’t tell who we are.^^ Even age, they can’t tell! But me, you can tell my age.
shanry said,
February 21, 2010 at 1:47 am
wow. that’s surprisingly so-me. and roy mustang is MY husband 😀 😀
what
what’s the title of the video? the link if u remember. i want to watch it
bangin said,
February 22, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Here you go, enjoy! But are you sure there is no English subtitle?
rzncu said,
May 21, 2010 at 6:04 am
orz if there’s legal permission to get married to 2D characters, a 2d character will be married to TOO many 3d people!!! and how will divorce work? lol
… If I have to choose a character to get married, I think I will choose someone like doraemon for his pocket or someone like duo from gundam wing, since he was my first 2d love, lol. or madoka from tokimeki girl’s side 1… he is my ideal perfect guy who can cook, ride bike and has kansai accent XD After girls play too much games like tokimeki girl’s side series, it’s really hard to be with real guys.
The Young Consumers: 15 Spending Habits of China’s 18-24s – Elephant Room said,
December 30, 2016 at 3:32 pm
[…] Some of their most-identified personality labels are 二次元 (Nijigen),宅(Otaku),腐(Yaoi). Gender wise, there are more Otaku boys 宅男 than girls […]
The Young Consumers: 15 Spending Habits of China’s 18-24s said,
January 5, 2017 at 8:07 am
[…] Some of their most-identified personality labels are 二次元 (Nijigen),宅(Otaku),腐(Yaoi). Gender wise, there are more Otaku boys 宅男 than girls […]