[JAPAN] Haiku Contest for otakus Features Hilarious Winning Entries

One of Japan’s greatest contributions to literature is the haiku, a type of poem which has 17 syllables in a five-seven-five pattern. A contest was recently held in Japan for haikus (not to be confused with the volleyball manga, Haikyuu!!), and it was held for otakus and was called the  11th “otaku senryu contest.”

The Top 10 winners received some very nifty cash prizes, and their poetry was all too hilarious, however, some of them hit too close to home. Here are the winners, as loosely translated by Rocket News 24 (Note that it’s nearly impossible to translate both the meaning and haiku format, so we opted to take some liberties with the 5-7-5 format in English.) (Note that it’s nearly impossible to translate both the meaning and haiku format, so they opted to take some liberties with the 5-7-5 format in English.):

#1. 100,000 yen prize

I turn off the computer
The beautiful woman disappears
Only my fat reflection fills the screen

#2. 50,000 yen prize

I have many hobbies
But talking to people
Is not one of them

#3. 50,000 yen prize

From my wallet
A ten-thousand yen bill disappears
Ah! And there goes another

#3. 10,000 yen prize

At the handshake event
The hot guy gets two minutes
Alas, I get five seconds

#5. 10,000 yen prize

The idea of buying something
On the spot, spur of the moment
Makes me laugh

#7. 10,000 yen prize

The year of Evangelion
Came and went
But the angels did not appear

#7. 10,000 yen prize

I always thought that
Marriage was just
Something that happened to everybody

#10. 5,000 ($45) yen prize

I want my hand
To reach for the same book
As someone else

#11. Runner-Up

(´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`)
(´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`)
(´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`) (´･ω･`)

#12. Runner-Up

I couldn’t beat
The boss of the level
So I took a break

#19. Runner-Up

(Not a translation, actual submission minus parentheses.)

I like Sukumizu (school swimming suits)
Buruma (bloomers)
Kneesocks

 Such poetry, much wow. That last one though…

Do you have any otaku-based haikus? show us in the comments below!

Source: Rocket News 24