Chūnibyō
Chūnibyō (中二病) is a Japanese colloquial term that translates to "middle two disease", i.e. "middle-school second-year syndrome" or "eighth-grader syndrome" or "year-nine syndrome", typically used to describe early teens who have delusions of grandeur, who so desperately want to stand out that they have convinced themselves they have hidden knowledge or secret powers. The term has been popularized by the manga and anime series Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions.[1][2][3][4]
History
The term was coined by radio personality Hikaru Ijūin in 1999 where he was describing the childish aspirations of middle-school students as if it were some kind of syndrome he had contracted.[5][6] In 2009, Ijūin made a statement disavowing the idea, as it had changed from a light-hearted remark to a condition that was studied seriously in psychology.[6]
In 2008, light novel author Hyōya Saegami wrote a book called Chūnibyō Toriatsukai Setsumei Sho (中二病取扱説明書),[7] or "Chūnibyō User Manual", in which he identifies three types of chūnibyō: DQN, who act like delinquents; Subculture, who go against the mainstream trends; and Evil Eye, who aspire to have special powers.[5]
Legacy
Literary critic Boshi Chino expressed that he would like to give the novel Don Quixote the subtitle "Chūnibyō Starting from 50 Years Old" from the vicious cycle observable within the work characterized by "the protagonist's viewing of the world through colored glasses" causing "the people around him to play along in order to avoid denying his delusions, but in the end only causing the protagonist to succumb more and more to those delusions".[8]
References
- Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (February 9, 2015). "The Anime Encyclopedia, 3rd Revised Edition: A Century of Japanese Animation". Stone Bridge Press. Retrieved July 16, 2018 – via Google Books.
- "Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Complete Collection Anime DVD Review". fandompost.com. July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- "So, I Just Watched Hyouka..." crunchyroll.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- "Knights of Sidonia, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions and Love Live! Released Monday". animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- "Chuunibyou: Funny or Something Darker?". honeysanime.com. April 25, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- "Ask John: What Makes a Character a Chuunibyou? – AnimeNation Anime News Blog". www.animenation.net. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- "中二病も才能のうち!? 500人に訊いた! マンガ家志望の"中二あるある"ランキング - ダ・ヴィンチニュース". ddnavi.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- 千野帽子 (2009). 読まず嫌い. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-4-04-885027-8. OCLC 918252713.