Love, Chuunibyou & Other Delusions
A (Mostly Brief) Brief on Delusion

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"Reality, be bent! Synapse, break! Vanishment, this world!"

Chuunibyou, often loosely translated as 'eighth-grade syndrome' or 'middle school disease,' first entered the Japanese language just before the turn of the century. The term was coined by radio host Hikaru Ijuin during a broadcast of his show ("UP'S") in late 1999 in which he stated, "I'm still contracting chuunibyou myself."

Ijuin initially defined the term as "the things one normally does in their second year of middle school" and explained it as the things young teens tend to do in order to appear more mature or different from their peers. Things like a feigned interest in foreign music or literature. Or perhaps a sudden need to start drinking coffee (bonus points if it's black with no sugar). A short time later, his radio show featured a segment called "Am I sick? Oh, it's just Chuunibyou!" in which listeners would submit stories about various chuunibyou cases they'd seen, heard about, or lived through.

As time passed, the word evolved. The definition began to encompass more extreme behaviors and ceased being solely limited to the normative examples of teenage angst and coming of age that Ijuin originally intended. It is for this reason that he eventually distanced himself from the term entirely. In a Twitter post he stated, "I have no interest in this word anymore because it has lost its original meaning from when I first described it."

Ijuin makes his disinterest known in a Tweet.
http://docrobot.sdf.org/images/chuuni/tweet.png

The opinions of its progenitor aside, the term is now firmly planted in the modern Japanese lexicon -- regardless of how one chooses to interpret its actual definition. All this being said, let's actually begin to define the word as it's used today. Generally speaking, modern chuunibyou cases are divided into one of three categories.

1. The Irritating Delinquent (dokyuun kei) 
This archetype is defined by a need to present themselves as a juvenile delinquent, usually with a heavy emphasis on (mostly verbal) antisocial behavior. The idea here is to look like a 'yankee' (a wasei-eigo loanword meaning 'delinquent' in modern Japanese) without actually being one. They tend to craft a persona with some sort of tie to organized criminal activity that they couldn't possibly possess -- whether due to age, upbringing, or sheer lack of physical prowess. Street gangs, biker gangs, underground drift racing clubs, and narcotics rings are often used as reference material. The mafia-like Japanese crime families (known collectively as the 'yakuza' both in and out of Japan) are also a frequent source of inspiration.

This persona is often accompanied by appropriate attire, provided it isn't a violation of their school's uniform standards. Completely fictional stories of crime and bravado flow freely to anyone who will listen. These are delivered with heavy amounts of slang speech and a typically poor imitation of the 'Hiroshima-ben' regional accent which, thanks to modern stereotypes, is associated with thugs and yakuza members in films and television.

Oftentimes, our anti-hero is the undercover man -- only called upon for the most important of clandestine operations and completely disavowed by the organization or gang they allegedly serve. This serves as a plausible excuse as to why they can't get involved in more visible criminal activities or even dress the part. For our yakuza fanatics, this can also explain why they suspiciously lack any tattoos and/or penis pearling when changing clothes in the locker room at school.

2. The Subculture Poser (sabukaru kei) 
This archetype is defined by a need to present themselves as a unique individual through the rejection of mainstream trends and media. (Often compared to the Western hipster, although how similar they are is debatable.) In many cases, they have little to no interest in whatever esoteric subculture and/or hobby they claim to embrace, but simply wish to appear unique for having unorthodox tastes.

Of particular note is a subcategory of the Subculture Poser with a firm focus on the Occidental, most commonly known as a 'westaboo' by modern otaku. In contrast to the 'weeaboo'[a] seen outside of Japan, this subtype is a native Japanese person with an interest in Western culture, often bordering on obsession. This interest is usually focused on the United States or England, although a lack of any actual cultural knowledge or English language skills is commonplace. Putting tired and clichéd anime plots aside, humorous or awkward circumstances can arise when a genuine native of either country arrives at their school as a transfer student, or day to day circumstances force them into an interaction with a foreigner -- often at the behest of a well-meaning friend who simply needs an English translator.

3. The Evil Eye (jakigen kei) 
This archetype is defined by a need to present themselves as a person or being in possession of supernatural and/or paranormal abilities. Their persona is often inspired by fictional works dealing with magic and fantasy such as light novels, LitRPG, anime, and manga. An interest in video games and/or role playing games is often present, and can serve as the initial catalyst for the chuunibyou behavior.

Daily dress habits can vary wildly, but usually include at least one bauble or costume prop that support the alleged abilities of the persona -- an elaborate ring, a deck of tarot cards, a magical wand or staff, or perhaps a phial containing a mysterious elixir -- all purchased courtesy of the disposable income school-aged youths (or their parents) tend to have. Among female cases, a penchant for lolita fashion is fairly commonplace -- particularly the 'gothic lolita' style. The more Victorian the better, it seems.

Oftentimes, a costume piece commonly referred to as a 'power limiter' will be present somewhere on the body. This is usually a medical device, such as a bandage or an eye patch, ensorcelled in such a way as to prevent whatever supernatural being or power they allegedly possess from overwhelming them or leaving their direct control.

Speech and conversational habits also vary wildly, but usually include non sequitur references to magic and fantasy. Needlessly verbose and flowery speech, often with a stereotypical fantasy accent, are usually present as well. References to other dimensions, supernatural battles, legendary weapons, and magical powers abound -- as do claims of communication with otherworldly beings.

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[a]: Pejorative slang describing a foreigner obsessed with Japanese media and/or culture, and not just a hobbyist or fan. Typified by a lack of the cultural background and/or language skills necessary to adequately comprehend these interests, and a penchant for favoring an erroneous interpretation of Japanese ideals and lifestyles in lieu of their own. While deliberately undefined by its creator, the otaku definition of the term originated on North American imageboard '4chan.org' in mid-2005. Almost always derogatory, although some "ironic" usage as a term of endearment or self-deprecation is seen. Commonly shortened to "weeb" for brevity. See also 'Wapanese' and 'Japanophile' for similar, if not slightly dated, terms.