A glomp or glomping, sometimes referred to as a tackle hug, is a form of aggressive hugging in which the initiating party dives or lunges at the receiving party in the manner of a tackle. Glomping is frequently associated with anime and manga, where it is depicted as a form of slapstick or physical comedy. Glomping is also practiced by members of the anime and manga fandom, particularly attendees of anime and manga conventions.
A glomp is an aggressive or highly enthusiastic form of hugging wherein the active partner dives or lunges at the receiving partner, as akin to a tackle or bear hug. It is often taken from a running start and with the receiving partner unaware of the active partner's approach. The active partner aims to wrap their arms and occasionally their legs completely around the receiving partner, which frequently results in both individuals being knocked to the ground. [1] [2]
In fictional media, glomping is typically rendered as a form of slapstick or physical comedy to indicate feelings of affection or attraction by one character towards another. [3] Though tackling hugs appeared in media such as comics and animation prior to the emergence of "glomp" as a proper term in the early 1990s, [4] glomping is primarily associated with manga and anime. [3]
The precise etymology of "glomp" is unclear, [5] though the term has been associated with early English-language translations of manga by American publisher Viz Media, particularly Ranma ½ by Rumiko Takahashi. [2] [5] "Glomp" was used in these translations as an onomatopoeia for tackling hugs, possibly as a synthesis from the word "glom". [2] [5] Later, "grab, latch on, maintain pressure" emerged as a backronym for the term. [6]
Glomping occurs as a real-life practice among members of the anime and manga fandom, particularly attendees of anime and manga conventions. Though glomping in this context is ostensibly performed as a friendly or affectionate gesture, [1] the possibility of glomping resulting in injury, harassment, or damage to cosplay costumes has resulted in the discouragement of the practice unless consent is obtained from both parties, [6] and the implementation by some conventions of policies that prohibit glomping. [5] At some conventions, attendees participate in so-called "glomping circles" akin to a mass group hug; one such glomping circle at the anime convention Anime Expo in 2008 reportedly lasted for seven hours. [5]
Otaku is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in Manga Burikko.
Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Favorite sources include anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, television series, rock music performances, video games and in some cases, original characters.
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of the speculative fiction subgenre, science fiction. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as films, television, comics, animation, and games. The format can vary but will tend to have a few similar features such as a guest of honour, discussion panels, readings and large special events such as opening/closing ceremonies and some form of party or entertainment. Science fiction conventions started off primarily in the United Kingdom and the United States but have now spread further. Several countries have their own individual conventions, as well as playing host to rotating international conventions.
In Japan, doujin is a group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. The word is sometimes translated into English as "clique", "fandom", "coterie", "society", or "circle". Self-published creative works produced by these groups are also called doujin, including manga, magazines, novels, music, anime, merch, and video games. Print doujin works are collectively called doujinshi.
Crossplay is a type of cosplay in which the person dresses up as a character of a different gender. Crossplay's origins lie in the anime convention circuit, though, like cosplay, it has not remained exclusive to the genre. While it is similar to Rule 63 (gender-bending) cosplay, it can be differentiated by the performer becoming completely immersed in the codes of another gender, rather than picking and choosing what behavior enhances the performance.
Comic Market, more commonly known as Comiket or Comike, is a semiannual doujinshi convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of doujin (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered by the volunteer-run Comic Market Preparatory Committee (ComiketPC). Inaugurated on 21 December 1975 with an estimated 700 attendees, Comiket has since grown to become the largest fan convention in the world, with an estimated turnstile attendance of 750,000 in 2019. Comiket is typically held at Tokyo Big Sight in August and December, with the two events distinguished as Summer Comic Market and Winter Comic Market, respectively.
Comic Party, sometimes abbreviated to ComiPa, is a dating sim video game by the Japanese game studio Leaf. It was first released on May 28, 1999, for Windows with adult content, but re-released with it removed for the Dreamcast, Windows, and PSP. The main focus of the game is the creation of various dōjinshi by the player's character, during which there are varied opportunities to interact with a cast of girls.
The following is a glossary of terms that are specific to anime and manga. Anime includes animated series, films and videos, while manga includes graphic novels, drawings and related artwork.
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006. With an attendance of 200,000 in 2022, it is North America's most attended fan convention. The New York Comic Con is a for-profit event produced and managed by ReedPop, a division of RX and Reed Elsevier, and is not affiliated with the long running non-profit San Diego Comic-Con, nor the Big Apple Convention, later known as the Big Apple Comic-Con, owned by Wizard Entertainment.
Otakuthon is a Canadian anime convention promoting Japanese animation (anime), Japanese graphic novels (manga), related gaming and Japanese pop-culture. It is held annually for 3 days in downtown Montreal during a weekend in August. It is a non-profit, fan-run anime convention that was initiated by Concordia University's anime club, named Otaku Anime of Concordia University. The name "Otakuthon" is a portmanteau of the Japanese word "otaku" and "marathon". Otakuthon strives to be a bilingual event, having programming, the masquerade and the program book in both official languages. The first edition of Otakuthon was held in 2006 in mid-June, but later moved to early-mid August / late July from 2007 onward. The current edition, Otakuthon 2024, is being held on August 2-4, 2024 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
Boys' love (BL), a genre of male-male homoerotic media originating in Japan that is created primarily by and for women, has a robust global fandom. Individuals in the BL fandom may attend conventions, maintain/post to fansites, create fanfiction/fanart, etc. In the mid-1990s, estimates of the size of the Japanese BL fandom were at 100,000 to 500,000 people. Despite increased knowledge of the genre among the general public, readership remained limited in 2008.
Anime Milwaukee (AMKE) is an annual three-day anime convention held during February at the Baird Center and Hilton Milwaukee City Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is Wisconsin's largest anime convention.
Phoenix Fan Fusion is a speculative fiction entertainment and comic book convention held annually in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded as the Phoenix Cactus Comicon in June 2002, and originally consisted of a one-day six-hour event held in Ahwatukee, Arizona. The convention plays host to comic related panels, programming events, art contests, and autograph signings for all ages. It is a three-day event (Friday-Sunday) held during the summer at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix. On Thursday evening prior to the official opening of the event, there is a preview for professionals, exhibitors, and select guests pre-registered for all four days.
The anime and manga fandom is a worldwide community of fans of anime and manga. Anime includes animated series, films and videos, while manga includes manga, graphic novels, drawings, and related artworks. The anime and manga fandom traces back to the 1970s and has an international reach.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada's CNAnime was an annual multigenre fan convention that ran within what is now called Fan Expo Canada. It was founded as the Canadian National Anime Expo in 1998 by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. It was traditionally a three-day event typically held the weekend before Labour Day during the summer in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
There is significant awareness of Japanese popular culture in the United States. The flow of Japanese animation, fashion, films, manga comics, martial arts, television shows and video games to the United States has increased American awareness of Japanese pop culture, which has had a significant influence on American pop culture, including sequential media and entertainment into the 21st century.
A butler café is a subcategory of cosplay restaurant that originated in Japan. In these cafés, waiters dress as butlers and serve patrons in the manner of domestic servants attending to aristocracy. Butler cafés proliferated in reaction to the popularity of maid cafés and serve as an alternative category of cosplay restaurant intended to appeal to female otaku.
A doujinshi convention is a type of event dedicated to the sale of doujinshi, or self-published books. These events are known in Japanese as doujin sokubaikai or doujinshi sokubaikai. Thousands of doujinshi conventions take place in Japan every year. Doujinshi conventions can also be found in some other countries.
A yaoi paddle is a wooden spanking paddle emblazoned with the word "yaoi", a term for a genre of male-male romance media originating in Japan. The paddles are a novelty item that were sold primarily at Western anime conventions in the 2000s, where they were used by attendees as props for cosplay and photo ops. Others used the paddles to spank cosplayers and attendees, sometimes non-consensually; by the early 2010s, their possession and sale had been banned by most conventions due to their misuse for harassment and as weapons. In 2022, a crowdfunding campaign to re-manufacture and distribute yaoi paddles was the subject of an intellectual property dispute.
The manga and anime fandom in Poland has been developing since the 1990s, although certain elements could be observed in earlier decades. In the 1990s, significant influence on the popularity of anime came from broadcasts on television and articles describing the phenomenon of manga and anime published in video game magazines. In 1995, the first manga and anime club was established, and in 1997, the first fan convention took place. During this time, the first Polish magazines and websites dedicated to this topic were also created. The popularity of anime and manga increased with early broadcasts of series such as Sailor Moon and the activities of fansubbing groups. At the turn of the century, the fandom became more professional, organizing larger conventions, with the estimated number of fans rising to about 10,000 by the end of the 20th century.
The dictionary definition of glomp at Wiktionary