The growing number of Whovians in Japan has lead to the country’s first major public fan event related to Doctor Who.
Back in March, Forbes published an article by contributor Ollie Barder about his meeting with Japanese Doctor Who fans in Tokyo. Barder, who is a lifelong Doctor Who fan himself, lives in Japan and writes about video games and pop culture of the country. Despite having somewhat limited access to the program, the fandom there is quite dedicated.
The fans with whom Barder met listed some of the aspects that they admire about the show. A major point of appeal is the Doctor’s avoidance of violence, preferring instead to use intellect and gadgets. They also appreciate that, unlike many dramas produced in Japan, the focus of Doctor Who is not on romance. Additionally, the “depth and history” of the franchise are a source of great interest.
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Yesterday, Forbes posted another article by Barder about Japanese Whovians, this time regarding the first major Doctor Who event in the country. The official focus of the event, which was held in Akihabara, was on the Doctor Who releases of Titan Comics. Naturally, the scope grew to be much larger than that. Other than the show itself, another major topic of discussion was of the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff, Wales — a popular destination for quite a few Japanese fans. Some of the franchise’s most interesting merchandise was also examined.
Imported from one island nation to another, Doctor Who‘s fan base in Japan continues to grow. Japan, or any countries in Asia for that matter, are not usually seen on Doctor Who. When they are, it is often only a place where mass death and destruction occurs. It is time for the writers to do it more justice.
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