This Is Otakudom
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This Is Otakudom, created by No.N.D.E. Fanfilms, is a widely-distributed anime fandub and a popular example of fan parody that satirizes the foibles of American anime fans. The 2006 release of the group's second movie, S.T.E.A.M., renewed interest and sparked showings of both movies at anime conventions around the nation. Due to the popularity of the first, the second movie is often referred to as Otakudom II, to provide a frame of reference (the plots are not related).
Since the films are so long (over 50 minutes each) and the budget so non-existent, the team decided that online distribution was not feasible (Otakudom was released before widespread use of bittorrent). This limited online availability left anime convention screenings as the primary distribution method.
[edit] This is Otakudom
Using footage from several anime series, most notably Fushigi Yūgi, combined with originally recorded voice acting, the first movie tells the story of Suzie Sweetrie and her friends, members of a high school anime club who decide on a whim to attend the Otakon anime convention in Baltimore. After Suzie tricks a goth friend into putting them up in a hotel room on his credit card, the convention goes well for the group until the ruse is discovered. Then the group is kicked out of their room and has to scramble for alternate lodgings and volunteer at various convention activities as compensation. Making matters worse, an attractive gay man attempts to seduce Suzie's boyfriend in a yaoi panel.
During its 52 minute running time, the film satirizes numerous things about anime fans and conventions, including cosplay, room stuffing, con suites, and the dangers of volunteering. It also includes several fake trailers for anime versions of real movies, such as Fight Club and Army of Darkness.
It opens with a humorous statement in which the producers acknowledge they are committing a copyright violation and ask the owners of the original footage not to sue them. No known legal action against the producers has been contemplated.
This is Otakudom played for the first time at Otakon 2001.
[edit] S.T.E.A.M. (Otakudom II)
The No.N.D.E team finished S.T.E.A.M. in early 2006, a second fan parody of similar style to 'This is Otakudom', but with a new concept/plot. While it is considered a sequel to 'Otakudom' by some, and frequently referred to as 'Otakudom II', the stories are not connected. S.T.E.A.M. was conceptualized from a single line in 'Otakudom', when one of the characters claims "Water plus heat equals steam. The world can be saved by steam." (itself a reference to a line in Ninja High School)
The story centers on a Superfriends-like crime fighting group known as S.T.E.A.M. (sometimes pronounced 'S-Team'), tasked with foiling the evil plans of a certain group of criminal 'masterminds'.
Like Otakudom, it is dubbed over with original voice acting, but is longer, taking up 80 minutes. The movie includes footage and music from a multitude of sources, including Read or Die, Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma, Dragonball Z, and many more.
Otakon showed an almost completed version in 2005 and Tekkoshocon showed a completed version in April 2006. Project A-Kon 17 showed a completed version in June 2006.
