Written by Mauro.

Chuunibyou 中二病 “Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome”

chuunibyou 8grade syndrome

Chuunibyou, better known as Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome, is a psychological state that takes some guys by keeping them anchored in fantasies derived from manga, novel, or anime. In practice they believe that they have special powers, become part of combat guilds, be part of a great magical design or events that recall fantasy or dark fantasy elements.

Often it happens that by little ones that identify ourselves with the favorite characters of what we read or see, is a psychological passage that everyone has and over time passes through the self-consciousness that these are characters or fantasy stories that reality is different .

Unfortunately this passage does not always happen and in Japan it is a big problem for kids and families. The Kids, unable to abandon the character they used when they were younger, remaining closed in their stories, in many cases very clearly, use costumes, but above all in the way of speaking and talking.

Types of this syndrome can be divided into 3 categories:

• DQN type;
• The Sub-culture type;
• The type "Evil Eye";

The DQN type resembles an antisocial person figure, although it is not in the nature of the kids or of character. His/her behaviors are usually rough in making and talking.

The Sub-culture type is the one that is to be distinguished by following particular trends, perhaps little known for the only purpose of appearing "cool", particular and interesting.

Lastly, the "Malicious Eye" type is closed to a character connected to mystical-fantasy aspects. He/she think have special powers with particular missions, so much to invent an alias, a mystical name that characterizes it.

This syndrome is one of those things that Japanese society treats in a detached, hidden way, as if it were an embarrassment and not as a possible psychological problem that should be corrected right away.
There are people who take the thing lightly by mocking the boy or girl who has these attitudes, others who deny the situation. As always happens in Japan, all that can create embarrassment to society, or to the group is isolated and kept hidden, derided and marginalized.

Those who follow the Japanese animation will remember many characters falling into this syndrome, some of which have become very famous. For example the series Chūnibyō demo koi ga shitai! Has been very interested in past seasons so much to deserve a second and is a perfect example to figure out what it is, to figure out what kind of problem it is.

I don't judge thi person, I'm not a specialist so I'm stuck with medical comments about it, not least moral judgments about these guys who are in these situations.
The pressure in Japan, especially in schools, is very high, and some people to "flee" from these situations prefer to take refuge in a world where they must not undergo pressure, judgment and especially where they do not always have to go to the limits to prove something to Family or society.