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{{Short description|Japanese self-published print works}}
{{Short description|Japanese self-published print works}}
{{italics title}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Anime and manga}}
{{Anime and manga}}
{{nihongo3||同人誌|'''Doujinshi'''}}, also [[Romanization of Japanese|romanized]] as '''''{{transl|ja|dōjinshi}}''''', is the Japanese term for [[self-published]] print works, such as magazines, [[manga]], and novels. Part of a wider category of ''[[doujin]]'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created by amateurs, though some professional artists participate in order to publish material outside the regular industry.

{{nihongo3||同人誌|'''Doujinshi'''}}, also [[Romanization of Japanese|romanized]] as '''''dōjinshi''''', is the Japanese term for [[self-published]] print works, such as magazines, [[manga]], and novels. Part of a wider category of ''[[doujin]]'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created by amateurs, though some professional artists participate in order to publish material outside the regular industry.


Groups of ''doujinshi'' artists refer to themselves as a {{nihongo3|circle|サークル|sākuru}}. Several such groups actually consist of a single artist: they are sometimes called {{nihongo3|personal circles|個人サークル|kojin sākuru}}.
Groups of ''doujinshi'' artists refer to themselves as a {{nihongo3|circle|サークル|sākuru}}. Several such groups actually consist of a single artist: they are sometimes called {{nihongo3|personal circles|個人サークル|kojin sākuru}}.


Since the 1980s, the main method of distribution has been through regular [[Dōjinshi convention|''doujinshi'' convention]]s, the largest of which is called [[Comiket]] (short for "Comic Market") held in the summer and winter in [[Tokyo]]'s [[Tokyo Big Sight|Big Sight]]. At the convention, over {{convert|20|acre|m2}} of ''doujinshi'' are bought, sold, and traded by attendees. ''Doujinshi'' creators who base their materials on other creators' works normally publish in small numbers to maintain a low profile so as to protect themselves against litigation, making a talented creator's or circle's ''doujinshi'' a coveted commodity.
Since the 1980s, the main method of distribution has been through regular [[Doujinshi convention|''doujinshi'' convention]]s, the largest of which is called [[Comiket]] (short for "Comic Market") held in the summer and winter in [[Tokyo]]'s [[Tokyo Big Sight|Big Sight]]. At the convention, over {{convert|20|acre|m2}} of ''doujinshi'' are bought, sold, and traded by attendees.


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
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==History==
==History==
The pioneer among ''doujinshi'' was {{nihongo|''Meiroku Zasshi''|明六雑誌}}, published in the early [[Meiji period]] (since 1874). Not a literary magazine in fact, ''Meiroku Zasshi'' nevertheless played a big role in spreading the idea of ''doujinshi''. The first magazine to publish ''doujinshi'' novels was {{nihongo|''Garakuta Bunko''|我楽多文庫}}, founded in 1885 by writers [[Ozaki Kōyō]] and Yamada Bimyo.<ref>An article "同人誌" from encyclopedia 世界百科辞典.</ref> ''Doujinshi'' publication reached its peak in the early [[Shōwa period]], and ''doujinshi'' became a mouthpiece for the creative youth of that time. Created and distributed in small circles of authors or close friends, ''doujinshi'' contributed significantly to the emergence and development of the ''[[shishōsetsu]]'' genre. During the postwar years, ''doujinshi'' gradually decreased in importance as outlets for different literary schools and new authors. Their role was taken over by literary journals such as ''[[Gunzo (magazine)|Gunzo]]'', ''[[Bungakukai]]'' and others. One notable exception was {{nihongo|''Bungei Shuto''|文芸首都||lit. ''Literary Capital''}}, which was published from 1933 until 1969. Few ''doujinshi'' magazines survived with the help of official literary journals. ''[[Haiku]]'' and ''[[Waka (poetry)|tanka]]'' magazines are still published today.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}
The pioneer among ''doujinshi'' was {{nihongo|''[[Meiroku zasshi]]''|明六雑誌}}, published in the early [[Meiji period]] (since 1874). Not a literary magazine in fact, ''Meiroku Zasshi'' nevertheless played a big role in spreading the idea of ''doujinshi''. The first magazine to publish ''doujinshi'' novels was {{nihongo|''Garakuta Bunko''|我楽多文庫}}, founded in 1885 by writers [[Ozaki Kōyō]] and Yamada Bimyo.<ref>An article "同人誌" from encyclopedia 世界百科辞典.</ref> ''Doujinshi'' publication reached its peak in the early [[Shōwa period]], and ''doujinshi'' became a mouthpiece for the creative youth of that time. Created and distributed in small circles of authors or close friends, ''doujinshi'' contributed significantly to the emergence and development of the ''[[shishōsetsu]]'' genre. During the postwar years, ''doujinshi'' gradually decreased in importance as outlets for different literary schools and new authors. Their role was taken over by literary journals such as ''[[Gunzo (magazine)|Gunzo]]'', ''[[Bungakukai]]'' and others. One notable exception was {{nihongo|''Bungei Shuto''|文芸首都||lit. ''Literary Capital''}}, which was published from 1933 until 1969. Few ''doujinshi'' magazines survived with the help of official literary journals. ''[[Haiku]]'' and ''[[Waka (poetry)|tanka]]'' magazines are still published today.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}


It has been suggested that technological advances in the field of [[photocopying]] during the 1970s contributed to an increase in publishing ''doujinshi''. During this time, manga editors were encouraging manga authors to appeal to a mass market, which may have also contributed to an increase in the popularity of writing ''doujinshi''.<ref name="Galbraith 2011 211–232">{{cite journal|last=Galbraith|first=Patrick W.|title=Fujoshi: Fantasy Play and Transgressive Intimacy among "Rotten Girls" in Contemporary Japan|journal=Signs|year=2011|volume=37|issue=1|pages=211–232|doi=10.1086/660182}}</ref>
It has been suggested that technological advances in the field of [[photocopying]] during the 1970s contributed to an increase in publishing ''doujinshi''. During this time, manga editors were encouraging manga authors to appeal to a mass market, which may have also contributed to an increase in the popularity of writing ''doujinshi''.<ref name="Galbraith 2011 211–232">{{cite journal|last=Galbraith|first=Patrick W.|title=Fujoshi: Fantasy Play and Transgressive Intimacy among "Rotten Girls" in Contemporary Japan|journal=Signs|year=2011|volume=37|issue=1|pages=211–232|doi=10.1086/660182|s2cid=146718641 }}</ref>


During the 1980s, the content of ''doujinshi'' shifted from being predominantly original content to being mostly parodic of existing series.<ref name="pedagogy"/> Often called ''aniparo'', this was often an excuse to feature certain characters in romantic relationships. Male authors focused on series like ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'', and female authors focused on series like ''[[Captain Tsubasa]]''.<ref name="Galbraith 2011 211–232"/> This coincided with the rise in popularity of [[Comiket]], the first event dedicated specifically to the distribution of ''doujinshi'', which had been founded in 1975.
During the 1980s, the content of ''doujinshi'' shifted from being predominantly original content to being mostly parodic of existing series.<ref name="pedagogy"/> Often called ''aniparo'', this was often an excuse to feature certain characters in romantic relationships. Male authors focused on series like ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'', and female authors focused on series like ''[[Captain Tsubasa]]''.<ref name="Galbraith 2011 211–232"/> This coincided with the rise in popularity of [[Comiket]], the first event dedicated specifically to the distribution of ''doujinshi'', which had been founded in 1975.


As of February 1991, there were some ''doujinshi'' creators who sold their work through supportive comic book stores. This practice came to light when three managers of such shops were arrested for having a ''[[lolicon]]'' ''doujinshi'' for sale.<ref name=Orbaugh>{{cite journal |last=Orbaugh|first=Sharalyn|title=Creativity and Constraint in Amateur Manga Production|journal=US-Japan Women's Journal|year=2003|volume=25|pages=104–124}}</ref>
As of February 1991, there were some ''doujinshi'' creators who sold their work through supportive comic book stores. This practice came to light when three managers of such shops were arrested for having a ''[[lolicon]]'' ''doujinshi'' for sale.<ref name=Orbaugh>{{cite journal |last=Orbaugh|first=Sharalyn|title=Creativity and Constraint in Amateur Manga Production|journal=US-Japan Women's Journal|year=2003|volume=25|pages=104–124}}</ref>


[[File:Symbol of the Doujin Mark License.svg|thumb|100px|Symbol of the Doujin Mark License]]
[[File:Symbol of the Doujin Mark License.svg|thumb|100px|Symbol of the Doujin Mark License]]
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Over the last decade, the practice of creating ''doujinshi'' has expanded significantly, attracting thousands of creators and fans alike. Advances in personal publishing technology have also fueled this expansion by making it easier for ''doujinshi'' creators to write, draw, promote, publish, and distribute their works. For example, some ''doujinshi'' are now published on digital media. Furthermore, many ''doujinshi'' creators are moving to online download and print-on-demand services, while others are beginning to distribute their works through American channels such as anime shop websites and specialized online direct distribution sites. In 2008, a [[white paper]] on the [[otaku]] industry was published, this estimated that gross revenue from sales of ''doujinshi'' in 2007 were 27.73 billion yen, or 14.9% of total otaku expenditure on their hobby.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.inside-games.jp/news/258/25855.html|title=2007年のオタク市場規模は1866億円―メディアクリエイトが白書 {{!}} インサイド|work=インサイド|access-date=2017-04-07|language=ja}}</ref>
Over the last decade, the practice of creating ''doujinshi'' has expanded significantly, attracting thousands of creators and fans alike. Advances in personal publishing technology have also fueled this expansion by making it easier for ''doujinshi'' creators to write, draw, promote, publish, and distribute their works. For example, some ''doujinshi'' are now published on digital media. Furthermore, many ''doujinshi'' creators are moving to online download and print-on-demand services, while others are beginning to distribute their works through American channels such as anime shop websites and specialized online direct distribution sites. In 2008, a [[white paper]] on the [[otaku]] industry was published, this estimated that gross revenue from sales of ''doujinshi'' in 2007 were 27.73 billion yen, or 14.9% of total otaku expenditure on their hobby.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.inside-games.jp/news/258/25855.html|title=2007年のオタク市場規模は1866億円―メディアクリエイトが白書 {{!}} インサイド|work=インサイド|access-date=2017-04-07|language=ja}}</ref>


To avoid legal problems, the {{nihongo|''dōjin'' mark|同人マーク}} was created. A license format inspired by [[Creative Commons licenses]],<ref>Metzger, Axel (2015). Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and other Alternative License Models: A Comparative Analysis. Springer. p. 274. {{ISBN|9783319215600}}</ref> the first author to authorize the license was [[Ken Akamatsu]] in the manga ''[[UQ Holder!]]'', released on August 28, 2013 in the magazine ''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]''.<ref>[http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2013/08/29/121/ 二次創作OKの意思を示す「同人マーク」運用開始 - 許諾範囲も公開]</ref>
To avoid legal problems, the {{nihongo|''dōjin'' mark|同人マーク}} was created. A license format inspired by [[Creative Commons licenses]],<ref>Metzger, Axel (2015). Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and other Alternative License Models: A Comparative Analysis. Springer. p. 274. {{ISBN|9783319215600}}</ref> the first author to authorize the license was [[Ken Akamatsu]] in the manga ''[[UQ Holder!]]'', released on August 28, 2013, in the magazine ''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]''.<ref>[http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2013/08/29/121/ 二次創作OKの意思を示す「同人マーク」運用開始 - 許諾範囲も公開]</ref>


===Comiket===
===Comiket===
{{Main|Comiket}}
{{Main|Comiket}}
Comiket is the world's largest comic convention. It is held twice a year (summer and winter) in Tokyo, Japan. The first CM was held in December 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. About 80% of these were female, but male participation in Comiket increased later.<ref name="pedagogy">Wilson, Brent; Toku, Masami. [http://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Wil_Toku_BoysLove.html "Boys' Love," Yaoi, and Art Education: Issues of Power and Pedagogy] 2003</ref> In 1982, there were fewer than 10,000 attendees, this increased to over 100,000 attendees as of 1989, and over half a million people in recent years.<ref name=Lessig>{{cite book |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |title=Free Culture (book) |publisher=Authorama.com |date=March 25, 2004 |url=http://www.authorama.com/book/free-culture.html |access-date=2009-09-08 |chapter=Chapter One: Creators |chapter-url=http://www.authorama.com/free-culture-4.html}}</ref>
Comiket is the world's largest comic convention. It is held twice a year (summer and winter) in Tokyo, Japan. The first CM was held in December 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. About 80% of these were female, but male participation in Comiket increased later.<ref name="pedagogy">Wilson, Brent; Toku, Masami. [http://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Wil_Toku_BoysLove.html "Boys' Love," Yaoi, and Art Education: Issues of Power and Pedagogy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719052019/http://www.csuchico.edu/%7Emtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Wil_Toku_BoysLove.html |date=2011-07-19 }} 2003</ref> In 1982, there were fewer than 10,000 attendees, this increased to over 100,000 attendees as of 1989, and over half a million people in recent years.<ref name=Lessig>{{cite book |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |title=Free Culture (book) |publisher=Authorama.com |date=March 25, 2004 |url=http://www.authorama.com/book/free-culture.html |access-date=2009-09-08 |chapter=Chapter One: Creators |chapter-url=http://www.authorama.com/free-culture-4.html}}</ref> This rapid increase in attendance enabled ''doujinshi'' authors to sell thousands of copies of their works, earning a fair amount of money with their hobby.<ref>Mizoguchi Akiko (2003). "Male-Male Romance by and for Women in Japan: A History and the Subgenres of Yaoi Fictions". ''U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal'', '''25''': 49–75.</ref> In 2009, [[Meiji University]] opened a ''[[dōjin]]'' manga library, named "[[Yoshihiro Yonezawa]] Memorial Library" to honour its [[alumnus|alumni]] in its Surugadai campus. It contains Yonezawa's own ''doujinshi'' collection, comprising 4137 boxes, and the collection of Tsuguo Iwata, another famous person in the sphere of ''doujinshi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20090316_yonezawa_lib/|title=Dojin Manga Library "Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library" opening this Summer|date=April 2, 2009|publisher=en.gigazine.net|access-date=2009-05-13|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708141024/http://en.gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20090316_yonezawa_lib/|archive-date=July 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
. This rapid increase in attendance enabled ''doujinshi'' authors to sell thousands of copies of their works, earning a fair amount of money with their hobby.<ref>Mizoguchi Akiko (2003). "Male-Male Romance by and for Women in Japan: A History and the Subgenres of Yaoi Fictions". ''U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal'', '''25''': 49–75.</ref>
In 2009, [[Meiji University]] opened a ''[[dōjin]]'' manga library, named “[[Yoshihiro Yonezawa]] Memorial Library” to honour its [[alumnus|alumni]] in its Surugadai campus. It contains Yonezawa's own ''doujinshi'' collection, comprising 4137 boxes, and the collection of Tsuguo Iwata, another famous person in the sphere of ''doujinshi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20090316_yonezawa_lib/|title=Dojin Manga Library "Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library" opening this Summer|date=April 2, 2009|publisher=en.gigazine.net|access-date=2009-05-13|archive-url=https://archive.is/20120708141024/http://en.gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20090316_yonezawa_lib/|archive-date=July 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Categories==
==Categories==
[[File:Wikipe-tan manga page1.jpg|thumb|Page from the doji-manga about Wikipe-tan, Commons-tan and Wikiquote-tan]]
[[File:Wikipe-tan manga page1.jpg|thumb|Page from the doujinshi manga about Wikipe-tan, [[Wikimedia Commons|Commons]]-tan and [[Wikiquote]]-tan]]


Like their mainstream counterparts, ''doujinshi'' are published in a variety of genres and types. However, due to the target audience, certain themes are more prevalent, and there are a few major division points by which the publications can be classified. It can be broadly divided into original works and ''aniparo''—works which parody existing anime and manga franchises.<ref>Sabucco, Veruska "Guided Fan Fiction: Western "Readings" of Japanese Homosexual-Themed Texts" in Berry, Chris, Fran Martin, and Audrey Yue (editors) (2003). ''Mobile Cultures: New Media in Queer Asia''. [[Durham, North Carolina]]; London: [[Duke University]] Press. {{ISBN|0-8223-3087-3}}. pp.70–72</ref>
Like their mainstream counterparts, ''doujinshi'' are published in a variety of genres and types. However, due to the target audience, certain themes are more prevalent, and there are a few major division points by which the publications can be classified. It can be broadly divided into original works and ''aniparo''—works which parody existing anime and manga franchises.<ref>Sabucco, Veruska "Guided Fan Fiction: Western "Readings" of Japanese Homosexual-Themed Texts" in Berry, Chris, Fran Martin, and Audrey Yue (editors) (2003). ''Mobile Cultures: New Media in Queer Asia''. [[Durham, North Carolina]]; London: [[Duke University]] Press. {{ISBN|0-8223-3087-3}}. pp.70–72</ref>


As in [[fanfic]]s, a very popular theme to explore is non-canonical pairings of characters in a given show (for ''doujinshi'' based on mainstream publications). Many such publications contain ''[[yaoi]]'' or ''[[Yuri (genre)|yuri]]'' (stories containing same-sex romance) themes, either as a part of non-canon pairings, or as a more direct statement of what can be hinted by the main show.
As in [[fanfic]]s, a very popular theme to explore is non-canonical pairings of characters in a given show (for ''doujinshi'' based on mainstream publications). Many such publications contain ''[[yaoi]]'' or ''[[Yuri (genre)|yuri]]'' (stories containing same-sex romance) themes, either as a part of non-canon pairings, or as a more direct statement of what can be hinted by the main show.
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{{nihongo|"forbidden to minors less than 18 years of age"|18歳未満禁止|18-sai-miman kinshi}}). To differentiate, {{nihongo|''ippan''|一般||, "general", from the general public it is suitable for}} is the term used for publications absent of such content.
{{nihongo|"forbidden to minors less than 18 years of age"|18歳未満禁止|18-sai-miman kinshi}}). To differentiate, {{nihongo|''ippan''|一般||, "general", from the general public it is suitable for}} is the term used for publications absent of such content.


Most ''doujinshi'' are commercially bound and published by ''doujinshi-ka'' (doujinshi authors) who self-publish through various printing services. [[Copybooks]], however, are self-made using xerox machines or other copying methods. Few are copied by drawing by hand.
Most ''doujinshi'' are commercially bound and published by ''doujinshi-ka'' (doujinshi authors) who self-publish through various printing services. [[Copybooks]], however, are self-made using xerox machines or other copying methods. Few are copied by drawing by hand. [[Comiket]] is well known, but there are various doujinshi events in Japan. Authors avoid the word "sale(''販売'')" and prefer the word "distribution(頒布)". However, there is also a system for putting Dojinshi into circulation, which is generally referred to as "consignment(''委託'')".


Not all category terms used by English-language fans of ''doujinshi'' are derived from Japanese. For example, an ''AU doujinshi'' is one set in an alternate universe.<ref name=elfgrove>{{cite web |last=elfgrove|title=Princess Tutu Doujinshi|url=http://elfgrove.deviantart.com/journal/14820980/|work=deviantART: elfgrove's Journal: Princess Tutu Doujinshi|access-date=2 September 2011|date=May 16, 2008 <!-- , 2:00 PM --> |quote=The story is an AU Swan Lake set after the Princess Tutu anime series... F.A.Q... What does AU mean? Alternate Universe.}}</ref>
Not all category terms used by English-language fans of ''doujinshi'' are derived from Japanese. For example, an ''AU doujinshi'' is one set in an alternate universe.<ref name=elfgrove>{{cite web |last=elfgrove|title=Princess Tutu Doujinshi|url=http://elfgrove.deviantart.com/journal/14820980/|work=deviantART: elfgrove's Journal: Princess Tutu Doujinshi|access-date=2 September 2011|date=May 16, 2008 <!-- , 2:00 PM --> |quote=The story is an AU Swan Lake set after the Princess Tutu anime series... F.A.Q... What does AU mean? Alternate Universe.}}</ref>
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===Notable cases===
===Notable cases===
In 1999, the author of an erotic [[Pokémon]] manga was prosecuted by Nintendo. This created a media furor as well as an academic analysis in Japan of the copyright issues around ''doujinshi''. At this time, the legal analysis seemed to conclude that ''doujinshi'' should be overlooked because they are produced by amateurs for one-day events and not sold in the commercial market.<ref>John Ingulsrud and Kate Allen. ''Reading Japan Cool: Patterns of Manga Literacy and Discourse.'' p. 49.</ref> In 2006, an artist selling an imagined "final chapter" for the series ''[[Doraemon]]'', which was never completed, was given a warning by the estate of author [[Fujiko F. Fujio]]. His creation apparently looked confusingly similar to a real Doraemon manga. He ceased distribution of his ''doujinshi'' and sent compensation to the publisher voluntarily. The publisher noted at this time that ''doujinshi'' were not usually a cause of concern for him. The [[Yomiuri Shinbun]] noted, "Fanzines don't usually cause many problems as long as they are sold only at one-day exhibitions," but quoted an expert saying that due to their increasing popularity a copyright system should be set up.<ref>Fukuda Makoto, “[http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/08/lifestyle/lifestyle_30039868.php Doraemon Fanzine Ignites Copyright Alarms] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412172819/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/08/lifestyle/lifestyle_30039868.php |date=2017-04-12 }},” [[Daily Yomiuri]], June 17, 2007, 22. See also Ingulsrud and Allen, p.49.</ref>
In 1999, the [[Pokémon doujinshi incident|''Pokémon'' ''doujinshi'' incident]] happened, where the author of an erotic [[Pokémon]] manga was prosecuted by [[Nintendo]]. This created a media furor as well as an academic analysis in Japan of the copyright issues around ''doujinshi''. At this time, the legal analysis seemed to conclude that ''doujinshi'' should be overlooked because they are produced by amateurs for one-day events and not sold in the commercial market.<ref>John Ingulsrud and Kate Allen. ''Reading Japan Cool: Patterns of Manga Literacy and Discourse.'', [[Lexington Books]], p. 49.</ref>{{Request quotation|date=April 2022}} In 2006, an artist selling an imagined "final chapter" for the series ''[[Doraemon]]'', which was never completed, was given a warning by the estate of author [[Fujiko F. Fujio]]. His creation apparently looked confusingly similar to a real Doraemon manga. He ceased distribution of his ''doujinshi'' and sent compensation to the publisher voluntarily. The publisher noted at this time that ''doujinshi'' were not usually a cause of concern for him. The [[Yomiuri Shimbun]] noted, "Fanzines don't usually cause many problems as long as they are sold only at one-day exhibitions," but quoted an expert saying that due to their increasing popularity a copyright system should be set up.<ref>Fukuda Makoto, “[http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/08/lifestyle/lifestyle_30039868.php Doraemon Fanzine Ignites Copyright Alarms] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412172819/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/08/lifestyle/lifestyle_30039868.php |date=2017-04-12 }},” [[Daily Yomiuri]], June 17, 2007, 22. See also Ingulsrud and Allen, p.49.</ref>


In 2020, the [[Intellectual Property High Court]] ordered a ''doujinshi'' sharing website to pay [[Japanese yen|¥]]2.19 million to a creator whose ''doujinshi'' were uploaded to the website without their consent. The file sharing site claimed that as the ''doujinshi'' was a derivative work it was not protected by copyright law, though the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to classify the ''doujinshi'' as an illegally derivative work. The ruling was noted by commentators as potentially broadening rights for ''doujinshi'' creators under commercial law.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ikeya |first1=Hayato |title=二次創作でも違法アップロード駄目――"違法同人誌サイト"運営会社に219万円の賠償命令 過去の取材には「存じ上げないサイトですね」 |url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/2002/14/news137.html |website=Netorabo |access-date=October 26, 2020 |language=ja |date=February 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kurihara |first1=Kiyoshi |title=知財高裁でBL同人作品の無断コピーは著作権侵害という当たり前の判決 |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/kuriharakiyoshi/20201008-00201963/ |website=Yahoo! Japan |access-date=October 26, 2020 |language=ja |date=October 10, 2020}}</ref>
In 2020, the [[Intellectual Property High Court]] ordered a ''doujinshi'' sharing website to pay [[Japanese yen|¥]]2.19 million to a creator whose ''doujinshi'' were uploaded to the website without their consent. The file sharing site claimed that as the ''doujinshi'' was a derivative work it was not protected by copyright law, though the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to classify the ''doujinshi'' as an illegally derivative work. The ruling was noted by commentators as potentially broadening rights for ''doujinshi'' creators under commercial law.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ikeya |first1=Hayato |title=二次創作でも違法アップロード駄目――"違法同人誌サイト"運営会社に219万円の賠償命令 過去の取材には「存じ上げないサイトですね」 |url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/2002/14/news137.html |website=Netorabo |access-date=October 26, 2020 |language=ja |date=February 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kurihara |first1=Kiyoshi |title=知財高裁でBL同人作品の無断コピーは著作権侵害という当たり前の判決 |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/kuriharakiyoshi/20201008-00201963/ |website=Yahoo! Japan |access-date=October 26, 2020 |language=ja |date=October 10, 2020}}</ref>


==Impact==
==Impact==
John Oppliger of [[AnimeNation]] stated in 2005 that creating ''doujinshi'' is largely popular with Japanese fans, but not with Western fans. Oppliger claimed that because Japanese natives grow up with anime and manga "as a constant companion", Japanese fans "are more intuitively inclined" to create or expand on existing manga and anime in the form of ''doujinshi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenation.net/blog/2005/06/23/ask-john-why-hasnt-doujinshi-caught-on-outside-of-japan/ |last=Oppliger |first=John |author-link=John Oppliger |title=Ask John: Why Hasn’t Doujinshi Caught on Outside of Japan? |work=[[AnimeNation]] |date=2005-06-23 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111225513/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2005/06/23/ask-john-why-hasnt-doujinshi-caught-on-outside-of-japan/ |archive-date=2012-01-11 }}</ref> Since Western fans experience a "more purely" visual experience as most Western fans cannot understand the Japanese language, the original language of most [[anime]], and are "encouraged by social pressure to grow out of cartoons and comics during the onset of adolescence", most of them usually participate in utilizing and rearranging existing work into [[anime music video]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/09/08/ask-john-why-are-anime-music-videos-so-popular/ |last=Oppliger |first=John |author-link=John Oppliger |title=Ask John: Why Are Anime Music Videos so Popular? |work=[[AnimeNation]] |date=2003-09-08 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430072040/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/09/08/ask-john-why-are-anime-music-videos-so-popular/ |archive-date=2009-04-30 }}</ref>
John Oppliger of [[AnimeNation]] stated in 2005 that creating ''doujinshi'' is largely popular with Japanese fans, but not with Western fans. Oppliger claimed that because Japanese fans grow up with anime and manga "as a constant companion", they "are more intuitively inclined" to create or expand on existing manga and anime in the form of ''doujinshi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenation.net/blog/2005/06/23/ask-john-why-hasnt-doujinshi-caught-on-outside-of-japan/ |last=Oppliger |first=John |author-link=John Oppliger |title=Ask John: Why Hasn't Doujinshi Caught on Outside of Japan? |work=[[AnimeNation]] |date=2005-06-23 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111225513/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2005/06/23/ask-john-why-hasnt-doujinshi-caught-on-outside-of-japan/ |archive-date=2012-01-11 }}</ref> Since Western fans experience a "more purely" visual experience as most Western fans cannot understand the Japanese language, the original language of most [[anime]], and are "encouraged by social pressure to grow out of cartoons and comics during the onset of adolescence", most of them usually participate in utilizing and rearranging existing work into [[anime music video]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/09/08/ask-john-why-are-anime-music-videos-so-popular/ |last=Oppliger |first=John |author-link=John Oppliger |title=Ask John: Why Are Anime Music Videos so Popular? |work=[[AnimeNation]] |date=2003-09-08 |access-date=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430072040/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/09/08/ask-john-why-are-anime-music-videos-so-popular/ |archive-date=2009-04-30 }}</ref>


In most Western cultures, ''doujinshi'' is often perceived to be derivative of existing work, analogous to [[fan fiction]] and almost completely pornographic.<ref name="Roh">{{Cite book|last=Roh|first=David S.|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctt19704tx|title=Illegal literature : toward a disruptive creativity|date=|publisher=[[University of Minnesota Press]]|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4529-4500-2|location=Minneapolis|chapter=How Japanese Fan Fiction Beat the Lawyers|oclc=933251286}}</ref> This is partly true: ''doujinshi'' are often, though not always, parodies or alternative storylines involving the worlds of popular manga, game or [[anime]] series, and can often feature overtly sexual material. However, there are also many non sexually explicit ''doujinshi'' being created as well. The [[Touhou Project]] series for example, is known to be notable for the large amount of ''doujinshi'' being produced for it that are not pornographic in nature.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.takamagahara.info/touhou_event_archives/circlelist.cgi?reitaisai7 |title=第七回博麗神社例大祭サークルリスト |access-date=2010-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721235355/http://www.takamagahara.info/touhou_event_archives/circlelist.cgi?reitaisai7 |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=touhou>{{cite web|url=http://d.hatena.ne.jp/GilCrows/20080602/p1|title=東方のエロ需要が少ないのは何故なんだぜ? - GilCrowsのペネトレイト・トーク|work=はてなダイアリー}}</ref> Some groups releasing adults-only themed materials during the annual Touhou only event Reitaisai in 2008 were only estimated at roughly 10%.<ref name=touhou/>
In most Western cultures, ''doujinshi'' is often perceived to be derivative of existing work, analogous to [[fan fiction]] and almost completely pornographic.<ref name="Roh">{{Cite book|last=Roh|first=David S.|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctt19704tx|title=Illegal literature : toward a disruptive creativity|publisher=[[University of Minnesota Press]]|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4529-4500-2|location=Minneapolis|chapter=How Japanese Fan Fiction Beat the Lawyers|jstor=10.5749/j.ctt19704tx |oclc=933251286}}</ref> This is partly true: ''doujinshi'' are often, though not always, parodies or alternative storylines involving the worlds of popular manga, game or [[anime]] series, and can often feature overtly sexual material. However, there are also many non sexually explicit ''doujinshi'' being created as well. The [[Touhou Project]] series for example, is known to be notable for the large amount of ''doujinshi'' being produced for it that are not pornographic in nature.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.takamagahara.info/touhou_event_archives/circlelist.cgi?reitaisai7 |title=第七回博麗神社例大祭サークルリスト |access-date=2010-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721235355/http://www.takamagahara.info/touhou_event_archives/circlelist.cgi?reitaisai7 |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=touhou>{{cite web|url=http://d.hatena.ne.jp/GilCrows/20080602/p1|title=東方のエロ需要が少ないのは何故なんだぜ? - GilCrowsのペネトレイト・トーク|work=はてなダイアリー|date=June 2008 }}</ref> Some groups releasing adults-only themed materials during the annual Touhou only event Reitaisai in 2008 were only estimated at 10%.<ref name=touhou/>


==Notable artists==
==Notable artists==
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=== Individuals ===
=== Individuals ===
*[[Yoshitoshi ABe]] has published some of his original works as ''doujinshi'', such as ''[[Haibane Renmei]]''. He cited the reason as, essentially, not wanting to answer to anyone about his work, especially because he saw it as so open-ended. He also said he loved porn.
*[[Yoshitoshi Abe]] has published some of his original works as ''doujinshi'', such as ''[[Haibane Renmei]]''. He cited the reason as, essentially, not wanting to answer to anyone about his work, especially because he saw it as so open-ended.
*[[Ken Akamatsu]], creator of manga such as ''[[Love Hina]]'' and ''[[Negima]]'', continues to make ''doujinshi'' which he sells at Comiket under the pen-name Awa Mizuno.
*[[Ken Akamatsu]], creator of manga such as ''[[Love Hina]]'' and ''[[Negima]]'', continues to make ''doujinshi'' which he sells at Comiket under the pen-name Awa Mizuno.
*[[Kiyohiko Azuma]], creator of ''[[Azumanga Daioh]]'' and ''[[Yotsuba&]]'' started out doing ''doujinshi'' using the pen-name A-Zone.<ref name="doujin listing for azuma">{{cite web|url=http://www.suruga-ya.jp/database/ZHORE391.html|title=<<セーラームーン>> A-ZONE VOLUME 2 / A-ZONE - 中古 - 男性向一般同人誌 - 通販ショップの駿河屋|work=suruga-ya.jp}}</ref>
*[[Kiyohiko Azuma]], creator of ''[[Azumanga Daioh]]'' and ''[[Yotsuba&]]'' started out doing ''doujinshi'' using the pen-name A-Zone.<ref name="doujin listing for azuma">{{cite web|url=http://www.suruga-ya.jp/database/ZHORE391.html|title=<<セーラームーン>> A-ZONE VOLUME 2 / A-ZONE - 中古 - 男性向一般同人誌 - 通販ショップの駿河屋|work=suruga-ya.jp}}</ref>
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*[[Yun Kouga]], a longtime published manga artist and creator of two well-known BL series, ''[[Earthian]]'' and ''[[Loveless (manga)|Loveless]]'' has published ''doujinshi'' for series such as ''Gundam Wing'' and ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]''.
*[[Yun Kouga]], a longtime published manga artist and creator of two well-known BL series, ''[[Earthian]]'' and ''[[Loveless (manga)|Loveless]]'' has published ''doujinshi'' for series such as ''Gundam Wing'' and ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]''.
*[[Sanami Matoh]], creator of [[Fake (manga)|FAKE]], has published parody ''yaoi doujinshi'' (mostly of ''One Piece'') and original ''doujinshi'' as East End Club.
*[[Sanami Matoh]], creator of [[Fake (manga)|FAKE]], has published parody ''yaoi doujinshi'' (mostly of ''One Piece'') and original ''doujinshi'' as East End Club.
*[[Maki Murakami]], creator of ''[[Gravitation (manga)|Gravitation]]'' and ''Gamers' Heaven''. Her circle Crocodile Ave. created ''Remix Gravitation'' AKA ''Rimigra'' and ''Megamix Gravitation'', which were extremely sexually graphic.<ref>Cha, Kai-Ming (2007) [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6474900.html Sex & Silliness: Maki Murakami’s Gravitation] [[Publishers Weekly]]</ref>
*[[Maki Murakami]], creator of ''[[Gravitation (manga)|Gravitation]]'' and ''Gamers' Heaven''. Her circle Crocodile Ave. created ''Remix Gravitation'' AKA ''Rimigra'' and ''Megamix Gravitation'', which were extremely sexually graphic.<ref>Cha, Kai-Ming (2007) [http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/7610-sex-amp-silliness-maki-murakami-s-gravitation.html Sex & Silliness: Maki Murakami’s Gravitation] [[Publishers Weekly]]</ref>
*[[Minami Ozaki]], creator of the [[boy's love]] manga ''[[Zetsuai]]'', is an extremely prolific ''doujinshi'' creator. She authored numerous ''yaoi doujinshi'' before her debut as a professional artist, most notably featuring characters from the soccer manga ''[[Captain Tsubasa]]''. The main characters of her manga ''Zetsuai'' strongly resemble the main characters of her ''Captain Tsubasa'' ''doujinshi''. Ozaki continued to release ''doujinshi'' about her own professional manga, often including sexual content that could not be published in [[Margaret (magazine)|Margaret]], the young girls-oriented manga magazine in which ''Zetsuai'' was serialized.
*[[Minami Ozaki]], creator of the [[boy's love]] manga ''[[Zetsuai]]'', is an extremely prolific ''doujinshi'' creator. She authored numerous ''yaoi doujinshi'' before her debut as a professional artist, most notably featuring characters from the soccer manga ''[[Captain Tsubasa]]''. The main characters of her manga ''Zetsuai'' strongly resemble the main characters of her ''Captain Tsubasa'' ''doujinshi''. Ozaki continued to release ''doujinshi'' about her own professional manga, often including sexual content that could not be published in [[Margaret (magazine)|Margaret]], the young girls-oriented manga magazine in which ''Zetsuai'' was serialized.
*[[Yukiru Sugisaki]], creator of ''[[D.N.Angel]]'' and ''[[The Candidate for Goddess]]'', started as a ''doujinka''. She released ''doujinshi'' about ''[[King of Fighters]]'', ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise|Evangelion]]'', etc.; all were gag ''doujinshi''.
*[[Yukiru Sugisaki]], creator of ''[[D.N.Angel]]'' and ''[[The Candidate for Goddess]]'', started as a ''doujinka''. She released ''doujinshi'' about ''[[King of Fighters]]'', ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise|Evangelion]]'', etc.; all were gag ''doujinshi''.
Line 87: Line 85:
*[[Yana Toboso]] used to be a ''yaoi doujinka'' before she authored ''[[Black Butler]]'', which explained why there are some notable BL hints throughout the series.
*[[Yana Toboso]] used to be a ''yaoi doujinka'' before she authored ''[[Black Butler]]'', which explained why there are some notable BL hints throughout the series.
*Sunao Minakata, the illustrator of ''[[Akuma no Riddle]]'', is a regular ''doujinka'', especially in girls' love theme. Usually makes Touhou ''doujinshi'' and has collaborated with other known-for-Touhou-works-popular artists, such as Banpai Akira.
*Sunao Minakata, the illustrator of ''[[Akuma no Riddle]]'', is a regular ''doujinka'', especially in girls' love theme. Usually makes Touhou ''doujinshi'' and has collaborated with other known-for-Touhou-works-popular artists, such as Banpai Akira.
*[[Yūko Tsuno]], creator of {{nihongo|''Reizōko''|冷蔵庫}}
*[[Nio Nakatani]], creator of the popular [[Yuri (genre)|yuri]] manga series ''[[Bloom Into You]]'', first became known for her ''doujinshi'' work, particularly those based on ''[[Touhou Project]]''.


=== Online ===
=== Online ===
*[[Bleedman]], creator of the online ''[[Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi]]'', ''[[Grim Tales From Down Below]]'', and ''[[Snafu Comics|Sugar Bits]]''.
*[[Bleedman]], creator of the online ''[[Powerpuff Girls Doujinshi]]'', ''[[Grim Tales From Down Below]]'', and ''[[Snafu Comics|Sugar Bits]]''.
*[[Fred Gallagher (cartoonist)|Fred Gallagher]], creator of the ''[[Megatokyo]]'' series, as well as the in-development series ''Warmth''. His ''Megatokyo'' co-creator and former writer, [[Rodney Caston|Rodney "Largo" Caston]], can also be considered one, though Caston has since left the business.
*[[Fred Gallagher (cartoonist)|Fred Gallagher]], creator of the ''[[Megatokyo]]'' series, as well as the in-development series ''Warmth''. His ''Megatokyo'' co-creator and former writer, [[Rodney Caston|Rodney "Largo" Caston]], can also be considered one, though Caston has since left the business.
* Daniel Kim, creator of the [[Cardcaptor Sakura]] parody ''Tomoyo42's Room'', has written and illustrated several ''doujinshi'', all of which are hosted at the [http://manga.clone-army.org/ Clone Manga] collective.
* Daniel Kim, creator of the [[Cardcaptor Sakura]] parody ''Tomoyo42's Room'', has written and illustrated several ''doujinshi'', all of which are hosted at the Clone Manga collective.
* Jesús García Ferrer (Jesulink) created ''[[Raruto]]'', a Spanish ''[[Naruto]]'' ''doujinshi'' published online.
* Jesús García Ferrer (Jesulink) created ''[[Raruto]]'', a Spanish ''[[Naruto]]'' ''doujinshi'' published online.
* Fabio Yabu produced the sentai spoof ''[[Combo Rangers]]''.
* Fabio Yabu produced the sentai spoof ''[[Combo Rangers]]''.
* Kittyhawk, creator of ''[[Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki]]''.


=== Circles ===
=== Circles ===
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*[[Niigata Comic Market]]
*[[Niigata Comic Market]]
*[[Otaku]]
*[[Otaku]]
*[[Hentai]]


=== Related concepts ===
=== Related concepts ===
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.witch-hunter.net/passion/ Passion]: Popular ''doujinshi'' fanlisting site
* [http://www.witch-hunter.net/passion/ Passion]: Popular ''doujinshi'' fanlisting site
* [http://www.doujinshi.org/ Doujinshi DB]: Huge user-submitted database of ''doujinshi'' artists, circles, and books, including name translations
* [http://www.doujinshi.org/ Doujinshi DB] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218083450/http://www.doujinshi.org/ |date=2017-12-18 }}: Huge user-submitted database of ''doujinshi'' artists, circles, and books, including name translations
* [http://schulzlibrary.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/nippon-fanifesto-a-tribute-to-diy-manga/ Nippon Fanifesto! A Tribute to DIY Manga]—an illustrated essay explaining ''doujinshi'' and their diversity
* [http://schulzlibrary.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/nippon-fanifesto-a-tribute-to-diy-manga/ Nippon Fanifesto! A Tribute to DIY Manga]—an illustrated essay explaining ''doujinshi'' and their diversity


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[[Category:Anime and manga fandom]]
[[Category:Anime and manga fandom]]
[[Category:Fan fiction]]
[[Category:Fan fiction]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]

Latest revision as of 10:57, 11 April 2024

Doujinshi (同人誌), also romanized as dōjinshi, is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of doujin (self-published) works, doujinshi are often derivative of existing works and created by amateurs, though some professional artists participate in order to publish material outside the regular industry.

Groups of doujinshi artists refer to themselves as a sākuru (サークル, circle). Several such groups actually consist of a single artist: they are sometimes called kojin sākuru (個人サークル, personal circles).

Since the 1980s, the main method of distribution has been through regular doujinshi conventions, the largest of which is called Comiket (short for "Comic Market") held in the summer and winter in Tokyo's Big Sight. At the convention, over 20 acres (81,000 m2) of doujinshi are bought, sold, and traded by attendees.

Etymology[edit]

The term doujinshi is derived from doujin (同人, literally "same person", used to refer to a person or people with whom one shares a common goal or interest) and shi (, a suffix generally meaning "periodical publication").

History[edit]

The pioneer among doujinshi was Meiroku zasshi (明六雑誌), published in the early Meiji period (since 1874). Not a literary magazine in fact, Meiroku Zasshi nevertheless played a big role in spreading the idea of doujinshi. The first magazine to publish doujinshi novels was Garakuta Bunko (我楽多文庫), founded in 1885 by writers Ozaki Kōyō and Yamada Bimyo.[1] Doujinshi publication reached its peak in the early Shōwa period, and doujinshi became a mouthpiece for the creative youth of that time. Created and distributed in small circles of authors or close friends, doujinshi contributed significantly to the emergence and development of the shishōsetsu genre. During the postwar years, doujinshi gradually decreased in importance as outlets for different literary schools and new authors. Their role was taken over by literary journals such as Gunzo, Bungakukai and others. One notable exception was Bungei Shuto (文芸首都, lit. Literary Capital), which was published from 1933 until 1969. Few doujinshi magazines survived with the help of official literary journals. Haiku and tanka magazines are still published today.[citation needed]

It has been suggested that technological advances in the field of photocopying during the 1970s contributed to an increase in publishing doujinshi. During this time, manga editors were encouraging manga authors to appeal to a mass market, which may have also contributed to an increase in the popularity of writing doujinshi.[2]

During the 1980s, the content of doujinshi shifted from being predominantly original content to being mostly parodic of existing series.[3] Often called aniparo, this was often an excuse to feature certain characters in romantic relationships. Male authors focused on series like Urusei Yatsura, and female authors focused on series like Captain Tsubasa.[2] This coincided with the rise in popularity of Comiket, the first event dedicated specifically to the distribution of doujinshi, which had been founded in 1975.

As of February 1991, there were some doujinshi creators who sold their work through supportive comic book stores. This practice came to light when three managers of such shops were arrested for having a lolicon doujinshi for sale.[4]

Symbol of the Doujin Mark License

Over the last decade, the practice of creating doujinshi has expanded significantly, attracting thousands of creators and fans alike. Advances in personal publishing technology have also fueled this expansion by making it easier for doujinshi creators to write, draw, promote, publish, and distribute their works. For example, some doujinshi are now published on digital media. Furthermore, many doujinshi creators are moving to online download and print-on-demand services, while others are beginning to distribute their works through American channels such as anime shop websites and specialized online direct distribution sites. In 2008, a white paper on the otaku industry was published, this estimated that gross revenue from sales of doujinshi in 2007 were 27.73 billion yen, or 14.9% of total otaku expenditure on their hobby.[5]

To avoid legal problems, the dōjin mark (同人マーク) was created. A license format inspired by Creative Commons licenses,[6] the first author to authorize the license was Ken Akamatsu in the manga UQ Holder!, released on August 28, 2013, in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine.[7]

Comiket[edit]

Comiket is the world's largest comic convention. It is held twice a year (summer and winter) in Tokyo, Japan. The first CM was held in December 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. About 80% of these were female, but male participation in Comiket increased later.[3] In 1982, there were fewer than 10,000 attendees, this increased to over 100,000 attendees as of 1989, and over half a million people in recent years.[8] This rapid increase in attendance enabled doujinshi authors to sell thousands of copies of their works, earning a fair amount of money with their hobby.[9] In 2009, Meiji University opened a dōjin manga library, named "Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library" to honour its alumni in its Surugadai campus. It contains Yonezawa's own doujinshi collection, comprising 4137 boxes, and the collection of Tsuguo Iwata, another famous person in the sphere of doujinshi.[10]

Categories[edit]

Page from the doujinshi manga about Wikipe-tan, Commons-tan and Wikiquote-tan

Like their mainstream counterparts, doujinshi are published in a variety of genres and types. However, due to the target audience, certain themes are more prevalent, and there are a few major division points by which the publications can be classified. It can be broadly divided into original works and aniparo—works which parody existing anime and manga franchises.[11]

As in fanfics, a very popular theme to explore is non-canonical pairings of characters in a given show (for doujinshi based on mainstream publications). Many such publications contain yaoi or yuri (stories containing same-sex romance) themes, either as a part of non-canon pairings, or as a more direct statement of what can be hinted by the main show.

Another category of doujinshi is furry or kemono, often depicting homosexual male pairings of anthropomorphic animal characters and, less often, lesbian pairings. Furry doujinshi shares some characteristics with the yaoi and yuri genres, with many furry doujinshi depicting characters in erotic settings or circumstances, or incorporating elements typical of anime and manga, such as exaggerated drawings of eyes or facial expressions.

A major part of doujinshi, whether based on mainstream publications or original, contains sexually explicit material, due to both the large demand for such publications and absence of restrictions official publishing houses have to follow. Indeed, often the main point of a given doujinshi is to present an explicit version of a popular show's characters. Such works may be known to English speakers as "H-doujinshi", in line with the former Japanese use of letter H to denote erotic material. The Japanese usage, however, has since moved towards the word ero,[12] and so ero manga (エロ漫画) is the term almost exclusively used to mark doujinshi with adult themes. Sometimes they will also be termed "for adults" (成人向け, seijin muke) or 18-kin (18禁) (an abbreviation of "forbidden to minors less than 18 years of age" (18歳未満禁止, 18-sai-miman kinshi)). To differentiate, ippan (一般, , "general", from the general public it is suitable for) is the term used for publications absent of such content.

Most doujinshi are commercially bound and published by doujinshi-ka (doujinshi authors) who self-publish through various printing services. Copybooks, however, are self-made using xerox machines or other copying methods. Few are copied by drawing by hand. Comiket is well known, but there are various doujinshi events in Japan. Authors avoid the word "sale(販売)" and prefer the word "distribution(頒布)". However, there is also a system for putting Dojinshi into circulation, which is generally referred to as "consignment(委託)".

Not all category terms used by English-language fans of doujinshi are derived from Japanese. For example, an AU doujinshi is one set in an alternate universe.[13]

Legality[edit]

Many doujinshi are derivative works that are produced without the permission of the original creator, a practice that has existed since the early 1980s.[14] Doujinshi are considered shinkokuzai under Japanese copyright law, meaning that doujinshi creators cannot be prosecuted unless a complaint is made by the holders of the copyrights they have violated.[15] In 2016, then-Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe affirmed that doujinshi "don't compete in the market with the original works and don't damage the original creators' profits, so they are shinkokuzai."[15] Copyright holders take an unofficial policy of non-enforcement towards the doujinshi market, as it is seen as having a beneficial impact on the commercial manga market: it creates an avenue for aspiring manga artists to practice,[16] and talented doujinshi creators are often recruited by publishers.[17] Salil K. Mehra, a law professor at Temple University, hypothesizes that doujinshi market causes the manga market to be more productive, and that strict enforcement of copyright law would cause the industry to suffer.[16]

Notable cases[edit]

In 1999, the Pokémon doujinshi incident happened, where the author of an erotic Pokémon manga was prosecuted by Nintendo. This created a media furor as well as an academic analysis in Japan of the copyright issues around doujinshi. At this time, the legal analysis seemed to conclude that doujinshi should be overlooked because they are produced by amateurs for one-day events and not sold in the commercial market.[18][need quotation to verify] In 2006, an artist selling an imagined "final chapter" for the series Doraemon, which was never completed, was given a warning by the estate of author Fujiko F. Fujio. His creation apparently looked confusingly similar to a real Doraemon manga. He ceased distribution of his doujinshi and sent compensation to the publisher voluntarily. The publisher noted at this time that doujinshi were not usually a cause of concern for him. The Yomiuri Shimbun noted, "Fanzines don't usually cause many problems as long as they are sold only at one-day exhibitions," but quoted an expert saying that due to their increasing popularity a copyright system should be set up.[19]

In 2020, the Intellectual Property High Court ordered a doujinshi sharing website to pay ¥2.19 million to a creator whose doujinshi were uploaded to the website without their consent. The file sharing site claimed that as the doujinshi was a derivative work it was not protected by copyright law, though the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to classify the doujinshi as an illegally derivative work. The ruling was noted by commentators as potentially broadening rights for doujinshi creators under commercial law.[20][21]

Impact[edit]

John Oppliger of AnimeNation stated in 2005 that creating doujinshi is largely popular with Japanese fans, but not with Western fans. Oppliger claimed that because Japanese fans grow up with anime and manga "as a constant companion", they "are more intuitively inclined" to create or expand on existing manga and anime in the form of doujinshi.[22] Since Western fans experience a "more purely" visual experience as most Western fans cannot understand the Japanese language, the original language of most anime, and are "encouraged by social pressure to grow out of cartoons and comics during the onset of adolescence", most of them usually participate in utilizing and rearranging existing work into anime music videos.[23]

In most Western cultures, doujinshi is often perceived to be derivative of existing work, analogous to fan fiction and almost completely pornographic.[24] This is partly true: doujinshi are often, though not always, parodies or alternative storylines involving the worlds of popular manga, game or anime series, and can often feature overtly sexual material. However, there are also many non sexually explicit doujinshi being created as well. The Touhou Project series for example, is known to be notable for the large amount of doujinshi being produced for it that are not pornographic in nature.[25][26] Some groups releasing adults-only themed materials during the annual Touhou only event Reitaisai in 2008 were only estimated at 10%.[26]

Notable artists[edit]

Individuals[edit]

  • Yoshitoshi Abe has published some of his original works as doujinshi, such as Haibane Renmei. He cited the reason as, essentially, not wanting to answer to anyone about his work, especially because he saw it as so open-ended.
  • Ken Akamatsu, creator of manga such as Love Hina and Negima, continues to make doujinshi which he sells at Comiket under the pen-name Awa Mizuno.
  • Kiyohiko Azuma, creator of Azumanga Daioh and Yotsuba& started out doing doujinshi using the pen-name A-Zone.[27]
  • Nanae Chrono, creator of the manga Peacemaker Kurogane, has published multiple Naruto doujinshi, most of a yaoi nature.
  • Kazushi Hagiwara, creator of Bastard!!, and his group Studio Loud in School have published popular Bastard!!-related doujinshi such as Wonderful Megadeth!, as well as various Capcom-related doujinshi.[citation needed]
  • Masaki Kajishima, creator of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, has long used the doujinshi format to produce additional information about the series he has created, primarily Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki and Tenchi Muyo! GXP. These doujinshi can either be completely filled with his work, or he will contribute a work to the doujinshi title. Kajishima's doujinshi works break down into one (or more) types of works: manga-style (where he illustrates a new story, usually with limited text), interviews, early drafts of scripts for the series (giving fans great insight into the creative process), storyboards drawn by Kajishima that ultimately were not animated, story notes (or short stories) giving further little details of various characters, situations, or places in Kajishima's World of Tenchi. As of this writing, Kajishima does two doujinshi titles a year under the circle names "Kajishima Onsen" and "Kamidake Onsen". He has also used these to communicate with fans about his current projects, namely the Saint Knight's Tale spinoff anime featuring Tenchi's half-brother and the GXP novels.
  • Kazuhiko Katō, also known as Monkey Punch, creator of Lupin III began as a doujinshi artist.
  • Kodaka Kazuma, creator of Kizuna, Rotten Teacher's Equation (Kusatta Kyōshi no Hōteishiki), Love Equation (Renai Hōteishiki) and Border among others, has published several parody yaoi doujinshi as K2 Company of Prince of Tennis, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Tiger and Bunny, as well as an original doujinshi series called 'Hana to Ryuu' (Flower and Dragon).
  • Rikdo Koshi, creator of the manga Excel Saga, originally started out as a doujinshi artist.
  • Yun Kouga, a longtime published manga artist and creator of two well-known BL series, Earthian and Loveless has published doujinshi for series such as Gundam Wing and Tiger and Bunny.
  • Sanami Matoh, creator of FAKE, has published parody yaoi doujinshi (mostly of One Piece) and original doujinshi as East End Club.
  • Maki Murakami, creator of Gravitation and Gamers' Heaven. Her circle Crocodile Ave. created Remix Gravitation AKA Rimigra and Megamix Gravitation, which were extremely sexually graphic.[28]
  • Minami Ozaki, creator of the boy's love manga Zetsuai, is an extremely prolific doujinshi creator. She authored numerous yaoi doujinshi before her debut as a professional artist, most notably featuring characters from the soccer manga Captain Tsubasa. The main characters of her manga Zetsuai strongly resemble the main characters of her Captain Tsubasa doujinshi. Ozaki continued to release doujinshi about her own professional manga, often including sexual content that could not be published in Margaret, the young girls-oriented manga magazine in which Zetsuai was serialized.
  • Yukiru Sugisaki, creator of D.N.Angel and The Candidate for Goddess, started as a doujinka. She released doujinshi about King of Fighters, Evangelion, etc.; all were gag doujinshi.
  • Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Ranma ½ and Inuyasha, made doujinshi before she became a professional artist.
  • Yoshihiro Togashi, creator of YuYu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter, has authored doujinshi such as Church!.
  • Hajime Ueda, the creator of Q•Ko-chan and the comic adaptation of FLCL.
  • Nobuteru Yūki sells doujinshi based on his animated works under his pen-name "The Man in the High Castle".
  • Yana Toboso used to be a yaoi doujinka before she authored Black Butler, which explained why there are some notable BL hints throughout the series.
  • Sunao Minakata, the illustrator of Akuma no Riddle, is a regular doujinka, especially in girls' love theme. Usually makes Touhou doujinshi and has collaborated with other known-for-Touhou-works-popular artists, such as Banpai Akira.
  • Yūko Tsuno, creator of Reizōko (冷蔵庫)
  • Nio Nakatani, creator of the popular yuri manga series Bloom Into You, first became known for her doujinshi work, particularly those based on Touhou Project.

Online[edit]

Circles[edit]

See also[edit]

Related concepts[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ An article "同人誌" from encyclopedia 世界百科辞典.
  2. ^ a b Galbraith, Patrick W. (2011). "Fujoshi: Fantasy Play and Transgressive Intimacy among "Rotten Girls" in Contemporary Japan". Signs. 37 (1): 211–232. doi:10.1086/660182. S2CID 146718641.
  3. ^ a b Wilson, Brent; Toku, Masami. "Boys' Love," Yaoi, and Art Education: Issues of Power and Pedagogy Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine 2003
  4. ^ Orbaugh, Sharalyn (2003). "Creativity and Constraint in Amateur Manga Production". US-Japan Women's Journal. 25: 104–124.
  5. ^ "2007年のオタク市場規模は1866億円―メディアクリエイトが白書 | インサイド". インサイド (in Japanese). Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  6. ^ Metzger, Axel (2015). Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and other Alternative License Models: A Comparative Analysis. Springer. p. 274. ISBN 9783319215600
  7. ^ 二次創作OKの意思を示す「同人マーク」運用開始 - 許諾範囲も公開
  8. ^ Lessig, Lawrence (March 25, 2004). "Chapter One: Creators". Free Culture (book). Authorama.com. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  9. ^ Mizoguchi Akiko (2003). "Male-Male Romance by and for Women in Japan: A History and the Subgenres of Yaoi Fictions". U.S.-Japan Women’s Journal, 25: 49–75.
  10. ^ "Dojin Manga Library "Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library" opening this Summer". en.gigazine.net. April 2, 2009. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
  11. ^ Sabucco, Veruska "Guided Fan Fiction: Western "Readings" of Japanese Homosexual-Themed Texts" in Berry, Chris, Fran Martin, and Audrey Yue (editors) (2003). Mobile Cultures: New Media in Queer Asia. Durham, North Carolina; London: Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-3087-3. pp.70–72
  12. ^ Article on the term "hentai" explains the differences between Japanese and English usage.
  13. ^ elfgrove (May 16, 2008). "Princess Tutu Doujinshi". deviantART: elfgrove's Journal: Princess Tutu Doujinshi. Retrieved September 2, 2011. The story is an AU Swan Lake set after the Princess Tutu anime series... F.A.Q... What does AU mean? Alternate Universe.
  14. ^ McLelland, Mark. Why are Japanese Girls' Comics full of Boys Bonking? Archived 2008-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Refractory: A Journal of Entertainment Media Vol.10, 2006/2007
  15. ^ a b Stimson, Eric (April 9, 2016). "Prime Minister Abe: Dōjinshi Safe Under TPP". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  16. ^ a b Mehra, Salil K. (2002). "Copyright and Comics in Japan: Does Law Explain Why All the Cartoons My Kid Watches are Japanese Imports?". Rutgers Law Review. 55. doi:10.2139/ssrn.347620.
  17. ^ Brient, Hervé, ed. (2008). "Entretien avec Hisako Miyoshi". Homosexualité et manga : le yaoi. Manga: 10000 images (in French). Editions H. pp. 17–19. ISBN 978-2-9531781-0-4.
  18. ^ John Ingulsrud and Kate Allen. Reading Japan Cool: Patterns of Manga Literacy and Discourse., Lexington Books, p. 49.
  19. ^ Fukuda Makoto, “Doraemon Fanzine Ignites Copyright Alarms Archived 2017-04-12 at the Wayback Machine,” Daily Yomiuri, June 17, 2007, 22. See also Ingulsrud and Allen, p.49.
  20. ^ Ikeya, Hayato (February 14, 2020). "二次創作でも違法アップロード駄目――"違法同人誌サイト"運営会社に219万円の賠償命令 過去の取材には「存じ上げないサイトですね」". Netorabo (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  21. ^ Kurihara, Kiyoshi (October 10, 2020). "知財高裁でBL同人作品の無断コピーは著作権侵害という当たり前の判決". Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  22. ^ Oppliger, John (June 23, 2005). "Ask John: Why Hasn't Doujinshi Caught on Outside of Japan?". AnimeNation. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  23. ^ Oppliger, John (September 8, 2003). "Ask John: Why Are Anime Music Videos so Popular?". AnimeNation. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  24. ^ Roh, David S. (2015). "How Japanese Fan Fiction Beat the Lawyers". Illegal literature : toward a disruptive creativity. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-1-4529-4500-2. JSTOR 10.5749/j.ctt19704tx. OCLC 933251286.
  25. ^ "第七回博麗神社例大祭サークルリスト". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  26. ^ a b "東方のエロ需要が少ないのは何故なんだぜ? - GilCrowsのペネトレイト・トーク". はてなダイアリー. June 2008.
  27. ^ "<<セーラームーン>> A-ZONE VOLUME 2 / A-ZONE - 中古 - 男性向一般同人誌 - 通販ショップの駿河屋". suruga-ya.jp.
  28. ^ Cha, Kai-Ming (2007) Sex & Silliness: Maki Murakami’s Gravitation Publishers Weekly

External links[edit]