Fan Event Culture in Indonesia: Findings and Insight from Greater Jakarta Area

Another interesting point found in my research is that there were many people who went to events not just on their own. More than half of the respondents (52.3%) visited events with their friends or community, or family. Reasons for this ranges to being able to meet up with friends or gather with the community, to practical reasons like sharing transportation costs or reducing the need to stand in the line to buy tickets (one person can buy the tickets for a group of friends). All in all, visiting events for many people is something social. Indeed, knowing that there is a chance to meet with friends or gather with community could be a more decisive factor in choosing to go to an event compared to the contents and the guests that the event itself boasts.

Purchasing items at events is usually a part of visiting events. But how much do people usually spend? In my research, almost 57% of the respondents spend between Rp 100,000 to Rp 300,000 (around US$ 7.05-21.15), and only about 11.3% spends more than Rp 500,000 (>US$ 35.25). Though it should be noted that this only covers spending done on the spot. Some vendors may have opened pre-order, allowing their customers to pay in advance and only retrieve the purchased item at the event.

When it comes to obtaining information about events, my research found that fans mainly relied on information channels outside of formal media. Social media and word-of-mouth or friend’s recommendation are more dominating than both online and print media as sources of information. Fans often ask their friends, whether directly or via online groups, to find out if there are any events coming up in a given month. This is also related to the fans’ habit of visiting events in groups, since asking information from other fans like this can also allow them to know if their friends are going to the event too.

After learning about the various considerations that determine someone’s choice of event to attend, I was also interested to find out what were the motivations that drive fans in Jakarta to come to events. The top motivation was that they provide a respite from daily routines. Considering the age range of the respondents in my study, who were mainly in school, college or just started working, attending events allows them to break away from their daily activities such as studying or doing office work. Their way of refreshing at the event also varied. Some were content to just look around, while some others came to meet friends and do community activities together.

In the end, I think that popular culture events are not just a matter of contents and guest stars, but they are places where fans interact with their friends whom they knew in the real world and on the internet, and perform community activities such as selling doujin and cosplaying. I personally have never been to Japan and do not know what the otaku are like in Japan. But in Jakarta and its surrounding region, I see that otaku here are social beings who not only socialize every day through electronic means, but also really like to meet each other face-to-face when there are events that they can go together to.

The Indonesian Anime Times | Research by Rafly Nugroho | Research summary by Rafly Nugroho with assistance from Halimun Muhammad | Infographics by Cakra Bhirawa