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7Japan's version of self publishing or independent press.
8
9While doujinshi is traditionally represented as self-published manga, it literally means "amateur publication" and has come to be used as a synonym for any independently published {{Fanwork}}. Doujinshi produced by a team is usually credited as a "doujin circle" rather than an individual's PenName.
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11Notably, doujinshi may feature either completely original content or content derived from an existing intellectual property. Printed doujinshi was traditionally published in limited quantities because of financial limitations. In regards to non-original content, this also assures fans do not step on the toes of the IP's original owners to any large degree, and many companies see amateur work as free promotion. Since doujinshi are also a way of dodging ExecutiveMeddling, doujinshi are less subject to censorship; sexualized and otherwise transgressional depictions are infamous traits of doujinshi, though not actually representative of the whole.
12
13%%% "In recent years" what does this refer to? Is it still recent as of 2018?
14There has been an upswing in the activity of both amateur comic artists and professionals wishing to work "outside the system". Concurrent to this has been a support system enabling the production and sale of these works at a scale that few Western artists or writers could accomplish. The biggest semi-annual doujin sale convention, "Comiket" (Comic Market), has an attendance of some 500,000 people over each three-day event. Because of even tighter financial and legal limitations, doujinshi in the West is represented prominently, if not almost exclusively, [[WebComic on the internet]]. Increasingly, manga creators themselves have been turning to online publication through places like Platform/{{Pixiv}} and Website/{{Twitter}}. Sometimes their comics which were first published online get picked up for serialization (and eventual physical publishing), and some artists may continue to make online comics for the same series while its serialization goes on, blurring the lines between the two formats.
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16The second most popular form of doujinshi is video games, often programmed by one person or a very small group. Probably the most well-known of doujin soft producers, and one of the few to cross over into commercial game production, is Creator/TypeMoon. The ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' games constitute possibly the longest-running series of doujin game productions, since the first one was released in 1996 and as of 2020 there have been 29 games in the series, although there are other potential contenders to that throne.
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18Doujinshi has two effects upon {{Anime}}: the first is that several highly regarded anime have been based on either doujinshi or on works by artists who previously established their presence as creators of doujinshi. This includes notable creators such as Creator/{{CLAMP}} (who started out as a doujinshi circle before becoming professional manga creators), Creator/KenAkamatsu (who dabbles in both professional and self-published works), and Creator/YoshitoshiABe (who created the original doujinshi that ''Anime/HaibaneRenmei'' is based on).
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20The second effect is that a number of anime feature doujinshi as either primary {{Plot Point}}s or sideline elements. Involvement in doujinshi is usually a trait of {{Otaku Surrogate}}s. ''VisualNovel/ComicParty'' and ''Manga/DoujinWork'' are stories centered around it, while ''Manga/{{Genshiken}}'' addresses it as a fandom trait; ''Anime/OtakuNoVideo'' from Creator/StudioGainax is essentially a fanciful self-biopic of the company's origins as a doujin circle.
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22Doujinshi is not a ''uniquely'' Japanese phenomenon. Doujinshi and doujin circles from other nations are not uncommon and even Japanese media refers to them as such.
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24For a list of doujinshi, see [[DoujinshiIndex the index]]; see also IndieGame for commentary on independent game publishing, in general.
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26Technically, it's [[NoExportForYou near-impossible]] to import doujinshi, and the makers are well aware of this. Nevertheless, there are online stores that carry them with worldwide shipping for dedicated importers and artists (mostly musicians) who offered their work outside of Japan. Also, there exist proxy buyers that one can hire in order to buy everything one wants, given that stores like "Toranoana" or "Melonbooks" can't export overseas. Additionally, most doujinshi falls under DenialOfDigitalDistribution because of copyright issues and/or a belief that digital distribution goes against the "doujin spirit".
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28Regarding translations of those works, some artists don't mind them, as they believe it's an extra-promotion for their works overseas. However, many artists are [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil very worried about the blatant piracy of their works]], especially by foreigners (artists from circles like LINDA Project, ARCHIVES and Circle Huan have stated that they don't want their works to be published in websites that people outside of Japan can access), and they have started to take actions against websites and "scanlations" in 2013.
29
30----
31!!Examples:
32[[foldercontrol]]
33
34[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
35* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'':
36** Harumi Fujiyoshi is, [[MeaningfulName as her name holds true]] [[note]]Harumi is also a reference to the original location of Comiket[[/note]], a YaoiFangirl. Naturally, she's into slash and a lot of her drawing material involves {{Shout Out}}s and references to other anime.
37** When Itoshiki-sensei learns about Fujiyoshi's hobby, he says he put out a few doujinshi in his student days. Naturally, he means self-published literature in a rather old-fashioned format and both characters get the wrong idea about each other's interests.
38* In ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', Haruna writes doujinshi, although we don't see a lot of her work. There's even a memorable interlude where she drags Negi to a Doujinshi convention, and he unknowingly picks up a {{yaoi}} hentai, nearly giving Chisame a coronary. There's a good reason that we don't see a lot of Haruna's work; WordOfGod is that it's "[[{{Hentai}} rated 18+"]] (let's not forget that ''Haruna'' herself is supposed to be no older than 15).
39* ''Manga/LuckyStar'':
40** Konata doesn't draw doujinshi herself (as she's demonstrated to be a TerribleArtist), but she regularly buys them and she recruits the Hiiragi twins to come with her to [[FanConvention Comiket]] during one episode. At one point, Kagami spots a yaoi doujin of Gauron and Sousuke from ''Literature/FullMetalPanic''. Curiosity gets the best of her, and, well...[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpoo7NZAPWI hilarity ensues]].
41** Hiyori is a doujinshi {{yonkoma}} artist who's a YaoiFangirl ''and'' a YuriFan, and this causes her to [[ShipperOnDeck imagine her own friends in romantic situations with each other]] and use those imaginary scenarios as inspiration for her doujinshi. And yes, she ''does'' sell her works at Comiket.
42* The eponymous club in ''Manga/{{Genshiken}}'' has a [[PornStash locker full of doujins]] in the club room. Later, the club produce their own doujinshi for ShowWithinAShow ''Anime/KujibikiUnbalance''. Oguie also draws {{yaoi}} doujinshi, and once accidentally spills a large pile of hardcore ones she bought in front of the boys in the club.
43* Nagi of ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' draws her own, and it's her {{berserk button}} if you call it a 'picture diary' (a ubiquitous form of summer homework for Japanese school children). Several chapters of it have featured in the anime and manga. The only one who's able to understand the story is Isumi.
44* ''Manga/DoujinWork'' is, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin unsurprisingly]], about people involved in the doujin manga scene, with varying levels of success. Apparently, one can make quite a profit in making doujinshi, as Justice can attest.
45* ''VisualNovel/ComicParty'' is an anime/manga (based on a dating sim game) about the process of making doujinshi (referred to in the English dub as 'fan comics'). The main character is convinced by a friend of his to use his artistic skills and use doujinshi to "Take over the world." The process of doujinshi is shown in detail, from scripting to printing to selling.
46* ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam La Verite'' episode 5. Ikuyo Suzuki takes the main characters to Comiket to sell her manga, which (based on its cover) features a (fictional) relationship between the maids Yashima Sanae and Konoe Tsurugi.
47* ''Visionary Replay Of Homu Homu'', a [[NotSafeForWork sexually explicit]] ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' Homura/Madoka [[YuriGenre Yuri]] story.
48** The character designer of ''Madoka Magica'', Creator/UmeAoki, makes doujinshi under the pseudonym ''Apricot+''; a ''Madoka'' doujin is among the works she made under this name.
49* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing: Ground Zero'', which actually got published in the US through Viz, and can be distinguished from the official manga by the fact that it doesn't have any of the show's staff in its credits (and because it conflicts with manga that do like ''Blind Target'').
50* Chihaya from ''Manga/SamuraiHaremAsuNoYoichi'' is another in-universe example. She draws manga and goes to school, but sometimes has trouble trying to fit both into her life. When some of her classmates belittle her efforts, Yoichi beats them up and also chastises them since they lack motivation to do anything themselves but are quick to criticize others for trying to make something of their life. Which then gives Chihaya some more ideas for her manga.
51* ''Manga/{{Morefuyu}}'' is based on ''VisualNovel/{{Morenatsu}}'', but taking place in winter instead of summer.
52* ''Literature/NyarukoCrawlingWithLove'': The second season of the anime adaptation opens with Mahiro discovering that there's a doujinshi about '''him''' -- and naturally, to his abject horror, it's {{Yaoi}}. He ends up buying it just so he can [[KillItWithFire burn it]] and keep it out of the hands of his UnwantedHarem. The doujin's author [[CanonForeigner Tsuruko]] is a star-struck YaoiFangirl of Mahiro's and spends the entire season trying to meet him, imagining how wonderful it'll be (never realizing that his reaction could be anything except joy).
53* Episode three of ''Literature/HumanityHasDeclined'' is an extended parody of the concept. Entirely using {{yaoi fangirl}}s.
54* Miki from ''Manga/ICantUnderstandWhatMyHusbandIsSaying'' is part of a doujin circle called "[[MeaningfulName Fate Deniers]]" that specializes in [[FixFic writing good endings]] for series that had {{Downer Ending}}s; even his username is called "Destiny Fucker". Meanwhile, Youta "Mayotama" Tsunashi draws {{Yaoi}} doujinshi [[BigBrotherAttraction based off of fantasies he's had of his brother]]. In a case of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, knowing he can't earn as much on amateur works, he decides to switch over to {{Shounen}} in an attempt to get his work professionally published.
55* Narumi from ''Manga/WotakoiLoveIsHardForOtaku'' is an undivided fujoshi, and part of her otaku-ness involves writing doujinshi for Comiket as a hobby and a way to make cash on the side.
56* Fafnir from ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' gets into anime and decides to sell his own books at Comiket...except that his works are compilations of curses. Tohru, who glances through the book, remarks that there are some pretty nasty curses in there and wonders if it's legal to sell such information. It ends up being a moot point since the only sale Fafnir gets is a pity purchase from his roommate Makoto Takiya, himself part of a popular doujin circle (he also programs his own BulletHell DoujinSoft in the anime).
57* Miu Amano from ''Manga/BlendS'' - also known by her PenName, Hanazono Folder - is a rather famous doujinshi and H-story artist who takes a part-time job at Cafe Stile in order to find new material for her doujins. In episode 5 of the anime, it is revealed that the story she wrote using Maika and Dino as inspiration was a massive hit.
58* In ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakiKun'', Nozaki (a professional mangaka) and his friend Mikoshiba play a DatingSim together, but after winning they realize that the main character's best friend selflessly spent all of high school helping out at the expense of his own chances at love. Determined to correct this injustice, they set out to make a Doujin where the friend gets a girlfriend of his own...but then they realize that the person most romantically compatible with the friend is the main character himself. They go ahead and write the story as BoysLove, to Chiyo's surprise when she visits the next morning.
59* ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' has an "Offical Doujin" spin-off, [[PromotedFanboy written by the first person to produce hentai of the series]]. It started off as a HotterAndSexier version of the main manga, before switching over to various {{Alternate Universe}}s instead [[AudienceAlienatingPremise when that proved to be unpopular]].
60* ''Manga/TheGeekExHitman'': Andre trained as a police sketch artist, and proves to be able to reproduce scenes from ''[[ShowWithinAShow Hades Girl Eurydice]]'' based on descriptions from fans Marco and Viviana. This gives them the idea to draw a doujin of the series that they take to a convention. They only sell one copy, but they have a good time anyway.
61[[/folder]]
62
63[[folder:Comic Books]]
64* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' includes Tijuana bibles as a minor plot device.
65[[/folder]]
66
67[[folder:Literature]]
68* Nakuru from ''Literature/MayoChiki'' is [[YaoiFangirl obsessed with making BL doujinshi]], particularly after seeing the butler for a local rich girl, Konoe Subaru (who's actually [[SweetPollyOliver a girl in disguise]]) hanging out a lot with OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent [[MistakenForGay Jiro]].
69* In ''Literature/{{Oreimo}}'', the main character, his sister and two of her friends go to Comiket for doujinshi early in the series.
70* In ''Literature/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' Motoyasu displays surprising skill making doujin after he [[spoiler:goes insane]]. His work is very popular with the citizens who have never seen that type of work, though Naofumi is {{squick}}ed over the main focus of the erotic works being [[spoiler:Firo]].
71[[/folder]]
72
73[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
74* ''Hybrid Insector'', a SerialNumbersFiledOff version of ''Franchise/KamenRider'' made by the staff of the ''Manga/LinebarrelsOfIron'' manga. After nine "volumes" were published, Toei sent an official cease and desist.
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Video Games]]
78* Doujin works in this format have a tendency to be created as fighting games, usually emulating the style of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'':
79** ''VideoGame/ArmJoe''
80** ''VideoGame/AzumangaFighter''
81** ''VideoGame/BattleMoonWars''
82** ''VideoGame/BigBangBeat''
83** ''VideoGame/EternalFighterZero''
84** ''VideoGame/TouhouSuimusouImmaterialAndMissingPower'', ''VideoGame/TouhouHisoutenScarletWeatherRhapsody'', and ''VideoGame/TouhouHisoutensokuChoudokyuuGinyoruNoNazoOOe'' are all fighting games as opposed to the series' usual shmup style. All three, however, are also canon.
85** ''[[VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile Valkyrie Fight]]''
86** ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Type Wild''
87** ''VideoGame/MagicalBattleArena''
88** ''VideoGame/{{Maribato}}''
89** ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood''
90*** The plot of this one, however, is considered canon in some ways.
91** ''VideoGame/{{Monster}}''
92** ''VideoGame/TheQueenOfHeart''
93** ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry''
94* Doujin shmups are also quite big:
95** ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover''
96** ''Videogame/{{EXceed}}''
97** ''VideoGame/{{Hellsinker}}''
98** ''VideoGame/TheTaleOfAlltynex''
99** ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' (although, doujinshi of it--yes, ''doujinshi of a doujin game series''--is what the series is far more well-known for.)
100** ''VideoGame/{{SUGURI}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{sora}}''
101* Doujin action titles are notable as well:
102** ''VideoGame/CrescentPaleMist''
103** ''VideoGame/{{Dysnomia}}''
104** ''VideoGame/KoumajouDensetsu''
105* ''VideoGame/YumeNikki'', which later got its own manga series
106* Soraya Saga has written a few doujins for ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', works she officially contributed to, as a way to flesh out concepts that could not appear in the games. They are classified as WordOfSaintPaul because of this.
107* The MagicalGirlWarrior TurnBasedStrategy game for PC and mobile called ''VideoGame/{{IMGCM}}''.
108* The ThirdPersonShooter SurvivalSandbox game ''VideoGame/{{Palworld}}'' is a doujinshi taking cues from {{Mon}} games and shooter-focused {{Battle Royale Game}}s. The developer [=PocketPair=] also made doujin games taking inspiration from other games (ie ''AI Art Impostor'' being ''VideoGame/AmongUs'' but with AI Art as focus).
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Webcomics]]
112* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'': Pintsize [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1524 inverts the stereotype]].
113* In ''Webcomic/GhastlysGhastlyComic'', Freddy draws doujinshi based on ''ComicBook/ChickTracts'', and after Cosplay Girl converts to Buddhism, she draws a {{Bishonen}} Buddha/Drunk and Bitter Jesus doujinshi (with Jesus as {{Seme}}). Bishonen Buddha then recommends she start worshipping Fat Buddha instead.
114-->'''Bishonen Buddha:''' He's Japanese, you know. You kids love that crazy Japanese stuff, right?
115[[/folder]]

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