NicoNico Douga ( ニコニコ動画 - nikoniko douga) currently known simply as nico nico is a popular video sharing site in Japan. The word niko niko indicates the onomatopoeia for laughter while douga literally means video. The site stands out due to its real-time commenting system where comments appear over the video. The site is also famous for streams and live events, especially among otakus and Japanese gamers.
The site was founded by Niwango and launched in 2006 using YouTube for video hosting. The site grew so much that YouTube was forced to block access, and Nico Nico had to create its own video hosting service. Nico Nico Douga was the first site to introduce a way to incorporate tags and comments directly onto the videos, allowing comments from 2channel and YouTube to be displayed simultaneously.
While Japanese people use YouTube for news and quick information, Nico Nico Douga is the real place where they can enjoy jokes, Vocaloid, game covers, dances, live streams, music, anime scenes, and much of Japanese pop culture. The Nico Nico site already has over 53 million registered users, receiving more than 338 million monthly visits. The Niconico site is perfect for socializing with Japanese people and learning Japanese!
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Getting to know Nico Nico Douga
To access the site nico nico douga you must enter the link https://www.nicovideo.jp/
To send, comment, and watch videos you need to register and be logged in. To see Japanese comments on the video, you need to change the site language to Japanese at the bottom of the page. Watching videos on nico nico can have a lot of visual clutter, but that’s the point! You will find a flood of comments appearing on the video, and you can make yours at the right moment! Even though it’s strange, this commenting strategy keeps people on the site longer.
The real-time commenting system on screen allows users to exchange and share their emotions at the exact moment something is happening in the video. Niconico comments tend to contain many cross-references and inside jokes. The site is also a major source of virals and memes. The feeling of the otaku community is the main reason for Niconico Douga's success. This is because it is difficult for some adults to admit or talk personally about anime, while niconico allows them to do that.
NicoNico also has a mylist system where users can create up to 25 folders as a kind of bookmarks. The site also has an exclusive section for lives called niconico live, a community of illustrators called niconico seiga, and an encyclopedia section called niconico pedia.
You can comment at any time through the text box below the video and specify the position the text will appear, font size and color. You also see a list of comments next to the video and the time they appear. The site also has a premium membership system that allows for some features and perks.
Terms used in NicoNico
Niconico users often use a unique vocabulary, a set of phrases and characters that are widely used on the platform. If you are new to niconico, you might get confused. That's why we've prepared a guide to terms and vocabulary for you to understand what people are saying.
- Shoken (初見) = First time watching a video;
- Namanushi (生主) = Live broadcast - abbreviation of 生放送主;
- WWWWWW = Laughter
- BBA = Abbreviation of "babba" which means "old woman";
- 888888888 = It means applause, the reading is pachi pachi which forms an onomatopoeia for applause.
- KP = Kanpai means a toast, cheers;
- こy = A blend and abbreviation of 'kowaii' from Japanese and 'scary' from English meaning frightening;
- おk = Means "Ok";
- おこk = Another way to say OKOK;
- ひy = Abbreviation of hiwai which means obscene, crazy;
- Arashi (荒らし) = Troll;
- NG = Not good;
- ggrks = Abbreviation of guuguru kensaku (search on google);
- JK/JD/JC/JS = Joshi (woman) of (Kou) high school, (Dai) college, (Chu) secondary, (Shou) elementary;
- 実況プレイ = Game Play;
- 演奏してみた = Musical presentation;
- 歌ってみた = Attempt to sing a song, cover;
- 踊ってみた = Attempt to dance a song;
Have you had the chance to use this site that is very popular among Japanese and otakus? What is your experience with him? Have you seen any references in anime? Hope you enjoyed this little article, thanks for the comments and shares.
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