Forum - View topicYour Thoughts On The Word Otaku
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Kouji
 Posts: 978 |
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What do you do when anime fans use the term otaku to describe themselves? I used to get very annoyed when anybody used the word otaku because in the Japanese language, otaku is an insult that refers to somebody who becomes so obessesed with any one interest (and it doesn't neccessarily have to be anime) that it prevents them from ever doing anything else. But I realize that the term otaku has been adopted into the English language as a loan word and the definition has been altered to refer to someone who's an anime geek, but not quite as offensive as the original Japanese definition, so nowadays I'm a little bit more liberal about people using the term otaku. However, I still get slightly annoyed when anime fans refer to themselves as being otakus, especially when they've only seen the anime that's been aired on TV for free, a couple of Miyazaki films, and a few fansubs of some newer titles.
To me, if you're going to use the term in a twisted positive sense, then the term otaku should at least be a title that you have to earn. I don't mean to offend anyone, but a lot of the times when newbie anime fans use the term otaku to refer to themselves, it sounds awfully arrogant to me. I've been an anime fan for several years now, but I don't go around bragging about how much of an otaku I am, when I know I haven't done anything to earn the title, and I doubt I ever will refer to myself as an otaku. It annoys me when newbie anime fans call themselves otaku because it makes them seem like they have no modesty. I know I'm not an otaku, but at least I try to be modest about my fandom and don't go around pretending to be something I'm not. So, going by the American definition of what an otaku is, what makes an otaku to you? How do you react when newbie anime fans use the term otaku? How have people reacted to you when you've used the term otaku yourself, if you do use it? |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11441 Location: Frisco, TX |
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There was a discussion about this very same topic a few months ago. If you want to revive it or if others want to start anew and post in this thread, either way would be fine. It sort of strays off topic of how to percieve the term otaku and goes into more of a debate on the different kinds of anime fans, then into the dismal dub vs. sub argument. However, the first two pages might help you a little bit.
There's also another thread that's about a year old, but it goes on for about eight pages with some lengthy posts about how a lot of users here interpret the word. Make sure you have a lot of free time before you read that one  .
EDIT: Fixed some grammar. Last edited by Tony K. on Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Anthony P
Posts: 227 Location: Phoenix, Arizona, US |
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Oooh, this can of worms. Everyone has their own definition of "what it means to be an otaku", and they're all kind of self-serving. Not trying to sound too harsh, but it's a bit lame.
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Azathrael
 Posts: 745 |
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Otaku isn't some 1337 word to describe yourself for having watched X number of years or X number of series of anime. It's synonymous as a social reject and a loser and I don't see why anyone would refer themselves as one.
But, that's just the formal definition - I use it as "someone who's obsessed with anime". So to me, I don't care if you watched one or one hundred; if you're obsessed with anime, you're an otaku. |
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v1cious
 Posts: 6228 Location: Houston, TX |
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well the word Otaku actually means "Nerd", so do whatever you will with that.
Last edited by v1cious on Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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darkhunter
 Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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I know where you're coming from and I've watch many anime and have more than 400 manga but I still consider myself a casual fan.
The word otaku to me is someone that is really annoying as wel as geeky of an anime fan. Actually I've meet many really geeky anime fan that want to curl up into a ball whenever they seem something really cute or spaz out on the latest series, so I call them otaku (because they are such anime loser that they annoy me). Put people use it to declair their love for anime and it usually only happen online, in which nobody know who is behind the monitor. But yeah, check out Genshiken, an excellent view into the world of otaku. |
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The Frankman
 Posts: 1160 Location: Binary Culture HQ |
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I take the word in more of an liberal way than most. To me, you can be a gaming otaku, TV otaku, sports otaku, etc. I know the word is regarded as extremely negative, but there was a time in the 80's when "fanatic" was held negatively in the U.S. Personally if someone called me an sports or gaming otaku, I'd be like "Damn straight, about time you recognized!" 
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Efan
 Posts: 340 |
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Uhhh, i call myself names all the time. It seems the term Otaku has come to be a term to simply describe someone as an anime fan, not as an insult to the person for having a certain hobby. I feel you can call yourself an Otaku as long as you like anime, you could be an "anime newbie" and watch only pokemon and DBZ, or you could be a "0MgzoRz SOOoooO 133337 4nim3" fan, either way if you like anime, to me you're an Otaku (anime fan by my definition).
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Cetus-kun
 Posts: 139 |
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Actually from what I’m aware of the negative connotation of the word in Japan comes from its association with Tsutomu Miyazaki (not Hayao, the serial murderer.) The details of his crime are quite graphic so I won’t post them here but a Google search will fill you in if you want to know. While I don't identify myself as an otaku I take it to mean someone who is obsessive about anime (though as people have already mentioned it can be an obsession with anything). I do identify myself as an anime fan though, and I'd have to say I am a little obsessive since I spend most of my free time watching anime when I’m not working on stuff for college. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7994 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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What do I do? I roll my eyes, as most who claim this are either ignorant of the negative conotations of the term and if they are aware and fit the description to the teeth than I wouldn't want to associate with them anyway.
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shirokiryuu
Posts: 714 Location: Northern California (SF Bay Area) |
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i can relate to you...
but i still do cosider them otaku as in "obessed with anime" no matter how much experience with anime. Like.. no offense to them i probably know alot more about anime then them.. but i'm no someone who goes out and tells the world that i'm obessed... i'm just too easily affected by people's words i tend to to show myself out like that.. i consider myself otaku as in i know a lot about anime as in info-wise versus obsession.. |
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Verdoozle
 Posts: 22 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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I didn't even know what Otaku meant until a few weeks ago. and I been watching anime for years and years. Even now I never call myself an Otaku. I still just call myself an anime fan. But if the subject of anime comes up in a conversation, and they call me an otaku. I say ok. I think it's kind of a funny word.
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Keonyn
Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
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I dislike it, seems most who use it to describe themselves are usually the elitist or purist types. It's much like poets using french words to describe themselves or others so sound more culturally sophisticated and to place themselves on a pedestal above others. I'm an anime fan, I don't need to adopt a special word to sound special or geeky to others, I'm a fan of anime and that says it all.
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shirokiryuu
Posts: 714 Location: Northern California (SF Bay Area) |
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also i know some people who like to use lexicons to sound more anime-orientated...
personally i don't like using lexicons if there is an english equivalent |
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GloriousPikachu
 Posts: 84 Location: San Diego |
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HAHA this is prob. the best opinion on the use of otaku i've ever heard, i agree with you completely. Accasionally i will see a crazed nerdy anime fan at my school call themself an otaku and it's just comical, the way they say it as if it was a title proclaiming them a "true" lover of anime. |
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