Do you know what Fandom is? Nowadays, everyone likes something, and sometimes that generates curiosity and makes us seek more information about something we like. When we look for something we are fans of, we end up encountering a realm.
The word fandom is a fusion of two others: fan and kingdom. In literal translation, 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 type of behavior. And as the internet provides the opportunity, these people start organizing this information in one place. This behavior became so popular that there is a type of hosting site just for Fandom sites.
There are fandoms on various subjects, with those related to animes and mangas 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 exceed the limits. This is the case of the former fandom of singer Justin Bieber.
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. These are unofficial stories made by fans.
Over time, fan clubs began to take on larger proportions 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 began to be developed. One of them is fanspeak (translated loosely as fan language).
Japanese culture and Fandom
In Japan, around the 70s, the trend regarding animes and mangas began. Meanwhile, in the same decade, science fiction dominated America.
Shortly after, American fans of Japanese culture – specifically mangas – began translating mangas to share them among themselves. The reason was that Japanese comic books were not sold in the United States.
It was at this moment that fans developed fansubs. The fansub currently consists of hundreds of people who translate mangas and animes. All independently and without making money from the practice. (Yes, we fans of animes, mangas, 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 nowadays, as they do not need to focus on a single anime or manga.
The benefits of a Fandom
Some of the activities within fandom include the development of narratives and cosplay – as well as the organization of large events. Fanfics are stories written by fans about a content. This usually occurs due to the conclusion of a story, a movie, or a series of books, for example.
On the other hand, cosplayers are people who dress up as their favorite characters. They are the most common at anime and comic conventions around the world.
But those who think that fans do not contribute anything to the industry are mistaken. They generate millions each year by promoting animes and comics at major conventions. In addition to keeping the passion and dedication for their favorite heroes and characters alive. In fact, the industry itself supports fandom and encourages it through sponsorship at events.
Other things about Fandom
Of course, not all are grand; there will always be smaller and less known ones, except by the fans. A large part of Fandoms are small and receive little attention. They exist mainly for references and to provide information for fans of a certain work.
These smaller ones are mostly found on some website on the internet. FANDOM.com, for example, is a site that hosts a huge number of them. And it is the most well-known nowadays. If a work has a Fandom, it will certainly be there.
If you really like a theme and want to develop, learn, or share information about it, look for a fandom. I, for example, am always updating myself about my Chinese novels.
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