Do you know what Fandom is? Today everyone likes something, sometimes this generates curiosity and makes us seek more information about something we like. When we look for something that we are fans we end up coming across a kingdom.
The word fandom is the fusion of two others: fan and kingdom. Literally translated, it would mean "the kingdom of fans." The fandom is a community, real or virtual, created by people with common hobbies and habits.
People always have this kind of behavior. And as the internet gives the opportunity, these people start to organize this information in one place. This behavior has become so popular that there is a type of host site just for fandom sites.
There are fandoms on various subjects, with those related to anime and mangás being the most common. There is also a very strong culture of fans of artists – more recently of youtubers – who create a fan club. Some are sometimes so fanatical that they push the boundaries. This is the case with the old fandom of the singer Justin Bieber.
Table of Content
Fandom - Curiosities
Although the term has been used recently, the history of fan clubs dates back to the 19th century. In 1893, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published the last story related to his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, but fans could not swallow the character's death.
Some time later, between 1897 and 1902, literature fans began to write the first fanfics. Another term that arises from the fusion of two words: fan and fiction. They are unofficial stories made by fans.
Over time, the fan club began to grow in other cities. The first event created entirely by fans emerged: the World Science Fiction Convention, around 1939.
In fact, during this time, some words related to fandom. One of them is fanspeak (ファンスピーク in free translation).
Japanese culture and fandom
In Japan, around the 70s, the fashion for anime and manga began. While in the same decade, science fiction dominated America.
Soon after, American fans of Japanese culture – manga in particular – began translating the manga to spread the word among themselves. The reason was that Japanese comic books were not marketed in the United States.
It was at that moment that fans developed the fansubs. The fansub is currently made up of hundreds of people who translate manga and anime. All independently and without making money from the practice. (Yes, we fans of anime, manga, and Light Novels have to be very, very grateful to these ancestors).
They are responsible for providing Japanese culture in our language. These are the most famous these days as they don't need a single anime and manga to focus on.
The benefits of a fandom
Some of the activities within the fandom are the development of narratives and cosplay – as well as the organization of large events. Fanfics are the stories written by fans about a content. This usually happens due to the conclusion of a story, a movie, or a series of books, for example.
The cosplayers are people who dress up as their favorite characters. They are the most common at anime and comic book conventions around the world.
But those who think that fans don't contribute anything to the industry are mistaken. They generate millions each year through the promotion of anime and comics at major conventions. In addition to keeping the passion and dedication alive for their favorite heroes and characters. In fact, the industry itself supports the fandom and encourages it through sponsorship at events.
Other things about Fandom
Of course, not all of them are great, there will always be those that are smaller and less known except for the fans. Most Fandoms are small and receive little attention. They exist mainly for reference and to provide information for fans of some work.
These minors are most often found on some internet site. FANDOM.com, for example, is a site that hosts a huge number of them. And it is the best known today. If a work has a Fandom it will certainly be there.
If you really like a certain theme and want to develop, learn, or share information about it, look for a fandom. I, for example, am always keeping up to date with my 中国のノベル.