The otaku gift economy
In the opening page of The Gift: Forms and functions of exchange archaic societies, Marcel Mauss asks: In primitive or archaic types of society, what is the principle whereby the gift received has to be repaid? What force is there in the thing given which compels the recipient to make a return?
One of the advantages of having a good brother and buddy who also shares your anime hobbies and understands your anime tastes is that we can both exchange sweet anime loot as gifts. My most recent bounty from Stripey have been the MariMite R3s (first season and Haru) and Towel from the eyecatch in Hayate no Gotoku's beach episode.
I decided to buy the MariMite R3s after giving up hope that it would ever be licensed as R1 and it was only with great reluctance (aversion to having to read Chinese subtitles) that I asked Stripey to procure the R3s. And lo and behold, almost immediately afterwards MariMite was licensed by Nozomi Entertainment as Maria Watches Over Us (intriguingly the sub-domain is 'maria-sama').
In exchange for reserving the Tinkle Loli Moonlight Tea Party for him, Stripey generously decided to convert my MariMite purchase into a gift in exchange. And even better the awesomeness of Yumi, Sachiko, Sei and co have not been dented in any way by my tortoise-like Chinese reading... mainly because I've seen the fansubs so many times already. But I've already placed the pre-order for the R1s via RightStuf already. 
One of Mauss' findings were that:
The gift not yet repaid debases the man who accepted it, particularly if he did so without thought of return. (p.63)
And to paraphrase Yuuko of xxxHOLIC: There is no such thing as coincidence, only destiny. Everything has its proper price; to underpay or overpay hurts both parties in the transaction.
Though I confess that I will be thinking of other things when using the lovely Hinagiku towel. :3
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July 2nd, 2008 - 04:46
…
Hina-towel. She would be scandalized with the idea of you using a towel with her image, sorta like a certain doujinshi where Saber finds her face on a towel.
…. but man, that’s so… so… such a bloody cute expression. Envious.
July 2nd, 2008 - 19:04
Hahaha, luckily I won’t have to face Hina-chan’s shinai. I’m also imagining her voice-over from that eye catch too. ^_^
July 3rd, 2008 - 06:05
Zyl: If you won’t face her shinai, you may end up facing mine. Except it’ll be like Signum on a rampage.
July 3rd, 2008 - 22:18
Speaking of which… is the Mahoro towel still alive?
Or has she also been ravaged to beyond recognition? XD
July 4th, 2008 - 00:01
Haesslich, I assume you can be bribed? :3
Bro, the Mahoro towel is still very much alive. She’s my gym towel. I used to get some funny looks at first but more nods of recognition by now. Haha. Hmmm… Hina towel might become my pool towel now. LOLOL
July 4th, 2008 - 05:05
Zyl: Not by the likes of Zaku, I can’t.
As for using Mahoro and Hinagiku-sama as towels, I refer you to the following quote. That, and I suggest you prepare for a Hayate-being-beaten-by-Nagi-to-the-point-of-death punishment.
Stripey: “Ecchi na no wa ikenai to omoimasu!”
July 5th, 2008 - 09:17
Also… Bandai had licensed Hayate no Gotoku Season 1.