
In Japan, a is a group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. The word is sometimes translated into English as "
clique", "
fandom
A fandom is a subculture composed of Fan (person), fans characterized by a feeling of camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the objects of their fandom and spend a significan ...
", "coterie", "society", or "circle" (as in "
sewing circle"). Self-published creative works produced by these groups are also called ''doujin'', including
manga
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 history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
, magazines, novels, music (
''doujin'' music),
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
, merch, and video games (
''doujin'' soft). Print ''doujin'' works are collectively called ''
doujinshi
, also romanized as ', 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 b ...
''.
''Doujin'' works are typically amateur and derivative in nature, though some professional artists participate in ''doujin'' culture as a way to publish material outside the regular publishing industry.
Annual research by the research agency
Media Create indicated that, of the 186¥ billion (US$1.66 billion) in revenue seen by the
otaku
is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, such as anime, manga, video games, computers or other highly enthusiastic hobbies. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in '' Manga Burikko''. ...
industry in 2007, ''doujin'' sales made up 14.9% (US$274 million).
Literary societies
Literary circles first appeared in the
Meiji period
The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
when groups of like-minded
''waka'' writers, poets and novelists met and published literary magazines (many of which are still publishing today). Many modern writers in Japan came from these literary circles. One famous example is
Ozaki Koyo, who led the
Kenyusha society of literary writers that first published collected works in magazine form in 1885.
Manga circles

After World War II, manga ''doujin'' started to appear in Japan.
Manga artists like
Shotaro Ishinomori (''
Kamen Rider
The , also known as ''Masked Rider Series'' (until ''Kamen Rider Decade, Decade'' and except Thailand), is a Japanese superhero fiction, superhero media franchise consisting of tokusatsu television programs, films, manga, and anime, created by ...
'', ''
Cyborg 009'') and
Fujio Fujiko (''
Doraemon
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fujiko F. Fujio. First serialized in 1969, the manga's chapters were collected in 45 volumes published by Shogakukan from 1974 to 1996. The story revolves around an earless robotic ...
'') formed ''doujin'' groups such as Fujiko's . At this time, ''doujin'' groups were used by artists to make a professional debut. This changed in the coming decades with ''doujin'' groups forming as school clubs and the like. This culminated in 1975 with
Comiket
, more commonly known as or , is a semiannual Doujinshi convention, ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of ''doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered ...
in Tokyo.
Today
Avid fans of ''doujin'' attend regular ''doujin'' conventions, the largest of which is called
Comiket
, more commonly known as or , is a semiannual Doujinshi convention, ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of ''doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered ...
(a
portmanteau
In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together. of "Comic Market") held in the summer and winter at
Tokyo Big Sight. Here, over of ''doujin'' materials are bought, sold, and traded by attendees. ''Doujin'' creators who base their materials on other creators' works normally publish in small numbers to maintain a low profile from litigation. This makes a talented creator's or circle's products a coveted commodity as only the fast or the lucky will be able to get them before they sell out.
Over the last decade, the practice of creating ''doujin'' 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 ''doujin'' creators to write, draw, promote, publish, and distribute their works.
Western perception
In Western cultures, ''doujin'' are often perceived to be derivative of existing work, analogous to
fan fiction
Fan fiction or fanfiction, also known as fan fic, fanfic, fic or FF, is fiction typically written in an amateur capacity by fans as a form of fan labor, unauthorized by, but based on, an existing work of fiction. The author uses copyrighted ...
. To an extent, this is true: many ''doujin'' are based on popular manga, anime, or video game series. However, many ''doujin'' consisting of original content also exist. Among the numerous ''doujin'' categories, are the ones getting the most exposure outside Japan, as well as within Japan, where ''doujinshi'' are by tradition the most popular and numerous ''doujin'' products.
Types
* ''
Doujinshi
, also romanized as ', 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 b ...
'': Printed works such as comics, novels, and magazines.
* : games, software
* : music
* : goods
* , is a form of ''doujin'' which is sexually explicit in nature and even pornographic (
hentai
Hentai () is a style of Pornography in Japan, Japanese pornographic anime and manga. In addition to anime and manga, hentai works exist in a variety of media, including artwork and video games (commonly known as ''eroge'').
The developme ...
).
Notes
External links
The Doujinshi & Manga Lexicon: user-submitted database of ''doujinshi'' artists/circles/books, including name translations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doujin
Self-publishing
Japanese words and phrases