, also or , is a Japanese term for individuals or persons who may feel disconnected or dissociated from the people around them. They may entertain wild fantasies and persecutory delusions or other strong beliefs, and their speech or actions may seem strange or incoherent to outside observers. "Denpa" literally means " electromagnetic wave", and the original sense of ''denpa-san'' was of someone who thought they were receiving voices, thoughts, or instructions directly to their mind via electromagnetic radiation. It is often used as a term to describe a subgenre of

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction ** Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction **Korean horror, Korean horror fiction * Horror film, a film genre *Horror comics, comic books focusing o ...

in anime,

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

, Japanese visual novels, such as '' Chaos;Head'', and '' Ultimate Otaku Teacher'', as well as light novels such as '' Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl'' and ''

Denpa teki na Kanojo is a Japanese light novel series by Kentarō Katayama, with illustrations by Yamato Yamamoto. Three novels were published by Shueisha, under their Super Dash Bunko imprint, between 2004 and 2005. The series remains unfinished. Under the titl ...

'' that share characteristics with this term. The term was originally tied to the Fukagawa series of killings in 1981, in which a man killed four people (women and children) due to paranoia and resentment of his employers. The man later claimed to be influenced by radio waves, saying that they caused him to commit the murders.

Denpa media

Denpa media, such as manga, anime and games are characterized by socially disconnected individuals featured in mundane environments, which often leads to odd or unfamiliar attitudes. The genre typically features common imagery of technology that use electromagnetic or radio waves to function, such as antennas and telephone poles, and often features themes of paranoia, anxiety, trauma, depression,

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

and urban or suburban living. Although mostly associated with horror, the genre can exist in drama, action or thriller stories (with notable examples being ''

Neon Genesis Evangelion , also known simply as ''Evangelion'' or ''Eva'', is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by Gainax and animated by Tatsunoko, directed by Hideaki Anno and broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1995 to March 1996. ''Evangelion' ...

'', ''

Serial Experiments Lain ''Serial Experiments Lain'' (stylized as ''serial experiments lain'') is a Japanese anime television series created and co-produced by Yasuyuki Ueda, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. Animated by Triangle Staff ...

'', '' Boogiepop Phantom'' and '' Aku no Hana''). The genre is also heavily associated with otaku cultural influence, with works referencing otaku media. '' Shizuku'' and '' Paranoia Agent'' are often credited as popularizing the genre.

Denpa media

See also

References