There have been a few times when conversation didn’t really take off on a first date with a woman, but when I tried bringing up hobbies like anime, the conversation on every date suddenly became lively, as if the earlier awkward silence had never happened.

Maezawa from the President’s Office here with an answer. Thanks for your question. > I get the impression that quite a few people have geeky hobbies but usually keep them hidden away. They’re generally something you keep under wraps, so I’d save that as a last resort. At first, I think it’s better to stick to ordinary conversation. It might work if you’re both into the same thing, but most people only know a little about those topics. There’s a chance they’re just forcing themselves to go along with the conversation—even if it looks like they’re enjoying it. And even if you are both geeks, unless you know the subject in considerable depth, the other person may think, “Oh, this person’s just a casual fan.” So basically, I think it’s better to let them enjoy normal conversation. P.S. Abandoned buildings are a pretty niche topic, and there probably aren’t many people you can discuss them with… though places like the Maya Kanko Hotel are well known.

I’m Kazu, a male member. I read a fair amount of manga. I’ll read pretty much anything, and before bed I sometimes read manga adaptations of web novels and wait for myself to get sleepy. So, of the works Maezawa-san mentioned in his answer to 4875, I’d already read about two-thirds of them, either as manga or novels. I’m also reading Oten no Mon, but I’ve never read Demon Slayer, so I’m thinking I might give it a try. I’m not the type to analyze a story very deeply, so I can’t really have in-depth discussions about it. But based on the few dates I mentioned in my question, I’ve found that you can still have a pretty good conversation just by talking about what manga you read. Even when it comes to subculture, “B-list and unusual spots” seem like something that would appeal to a fairly broad range of people. > Mack-san > Don’t worry—I won’t get so caught up in the excitement that I ignore you when we’re spending time together.

I’m Flag Maker, a columnist. I read a lot of manga, but I can barely keep up with the major titles. Right now, I look forward to the soccer manga DAYS in Weekly Shonen Magazine every week. The main character, Tsukushi Tsukamoto, is wearing the captain’s armband, so things are getting really exciting. When it comes to being a serious geek, pro wrestling comes first. I’m actually at a wrestling event right now, haha. Somehow, I’ve been following pro wrestling for over 20 years. Then there’s music. I was in a band and DJed at clubs when I was a student. I still do my best to keep up with new releases. And I guess comedy, too. I can’t follow it as closely as I used to, but I love comedy. About 20 years ago, I was aiming to become a joke-submission regular on Ninety-Nine’s All Night Nippon, so Okamura getting married felt especially meaningful. When times are tough, music, pro wrestling, and comedy are what help me get through.