Dojin
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Dōjin is the Japanese word for unofficial derivative works, created by and for fans. The most common dōjin is dōjinshi; "fanfic" manga. Other forms of dōjin include video games, short anime, books, fan art, live-action performances, radio plays, etc. The most common subjects of dōjin are manga and anime, but dōjin based on other works (novels, video games, live-action TV shows, etc.) exist as well.
Technically, the term dōjin refers to any amateur work, derivative or original, but until a dōjin creator has established him/herself via derivative works, it is nearly impossible for his/her original work to be recognized.
Like American fan fiction, dōjin is often pornographic in nature, usually depicting the author's sexual fantasies about the characters in the original work that the dōjin is derived from. While this hentai dōjin is certainly the most popular in America, it is not representative of the genre, and plenty of non-pornographic dōjin exists as well.
External Links
- ArmJoe (http://armjoe.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ArmJoe.htm): A dōjin 2D fighting game based on the musical version of Les Misérables. A fine example of the odd disparity between some dōjin's source material's medium and the dōjin's medium.