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japanese otaku vs. american otaku


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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:49 pm Reply with quote
What are the main differences of U.S otaku against Japanese otaku.

Is the fanbase bigger and different? Do otaku stay otaku there?
Why are they more ashamed or more into it than us?

I know they dont do masquerades there but do they have cons like we do?

Do they wear cosplay items all the time? Also do they analyze anime more than us? Maybe apprcieate it more?

(sorry if i spelled some words wrong)
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:04 pm Reply with quote
Viga_of_stars wrote:
What are the main differences of U.S otaku against Japanese otaku.

Is the fanbase bigger and different? Do otaku stay otaku there?
Why are they more ashamed or more into it than us?

I know they don't do masquerades there but do they have cons like we do?

Do they wear cosplay items all the time? Also do they analyze anime more than us? Maybe apprcieate it more?

(sorry if i spelled some words wrong)

I would think the age of the audience is pretty much covered on the same grounds. Certain Japanese otaku that are really into anime will do analyzation and anthologies even, as well as some dojinshi to add onto their hobbies. A good example to find out what Japanese otaku do would be to refer to Genshiken. I think us Americans are pretty nuts too, and I also think we're more open to certain things about being an otaku, such as cosplaying.
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KyuuA4



Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 1361
Location: America, where anime and manga can be made
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:18 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
What are the main differences of U.S otaku against Japanese otaku.


None. Otaku of all kinds have crossed the line between Fantasy and Reality - thus unable to distinguish between both. How unfortunate.
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Papers



Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 8
Location: Nebraska
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:27 pm Reply with quote
It would be interesting to find out what japanese otaku are like. Does anyone know any japanese otaku or been to japan and hung out with japanese otaku?
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Samurai-with-glasses



Joined: 17 Aug 2005
Posts: 628
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:42 pm Reply with quote
KyuuA4 wrote:
None. Otaku of all kinds have crossed the line between Fantasy and Reality - thus unable to distinguish between both. How unfortunate.
Ignoring that this is a blatant generalization of an entire subculture, I'd say that we'd have to first define "otaku" in this context.
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TheConfusedone



Joined: 27 Sep 2006
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:09 am Reply with quote
Samurai-with-glasses wrote:
Ignoring that this is a blatant generalization of an entire subculture, I'd say that we'd have to first define "otaku" in this context.


Yeah, doesn't the term Otaku apply in slightly different ways to the Japanese and the American?

I remember hearing something about in Japan, Otaku being something more. . . negative (I don't know if this is quite the right word)? Whereas Otaku in America tends to lean on something as just a general Anime fan.

Correct me if I'm wrong in any way please.
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:43 am Reply with quote
Read: ANN's poll in Japanese eyes.
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daxomni



Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 2650
Location: Somewhere else.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:47 am Reply with quote
Why not try to find a Japanese anime fan and ask them?

Go here...

http://www.japan-guide.com/local/?aCAT=2

...and see if you can snag a Japanese pen pal you can ask about their view on Japanese otaku.

Be sure to visit the questions forum to see what happens when shy, desperate, and/or weak-willed gaijin who apparently desire a taste of the Asian persuasion try to hook up with unsuspecting Japanese acquaintances, coworkers, or pen pals. It's a delicious recipe for disaster, kind of like an international Jerry Springer show in text form. People who appear to have no clue what's wrong with their approach spill their guts to folks who have no obvious capacity to help them. Enjoy!

dormcat wrote:
Read: ANN's poll in Japanese eyes.


That's truly hilarious. What is this world coming to?
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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:08 am Reply with quote
dormcat wrote:
Read: ANN's poll in Japanese eyes.

Babelfish gave me a load of babble, so could you pretty please summarize that page for those of us who can't read Japanese? Anime catgrin
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daxomni



Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 2650
Location: Somewhere else.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:23 am Reply with quote
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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:33 am Reply with quote
daxomni wrote:

C'mon WP, you're at the perfect age for learning another language. What gives?

I just started taking Japanese class in school, but I only know how to read the hiragana alphabet, minimal (like "chibi" and "baka") vocabulary, and up to the S line in katakana. I'm going to take it all four years of high school, so hopefully after studying the language for a few years I'll be able to import manga and read Japanese web pages.

EDIT:
I was in Daei earlier today, and when I saw the hiragana letters for "mochi" on a sign I did a little happy dance inside that I knew how to read it and what the word meant. I am learning how to read Japanese, but I'm not even at a pre-school level yet.
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PantsGoblin
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Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 2969
Location: L.A.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 3:14 am Reply with quote
dormcat wrote:
Oh my god...I never expect our board discussion about otaku would be translated into Japanese and posted here @ hatena diary.


I've seen some of our conversations translated and posted on 2chan before... we are being watched. Shocked
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daxomni



Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 2650
Location: Somewhere else.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:06 am Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
I've seen some of our conversations translated and posted on 2chan before... we are being watched. Shocked


The only thing more amusing than a diehard American fan jabbering on about Japanese otaku subculture is a Japanese fan reading the translated version of said jabbering. All we need now is somebody to offer yet another re-translation site to finally complete the circle. Your only possible hope to break the cycle is to use extremely vague terminology along with overly confusing and obscure sentence structure. Consult the F3 thread for additional pointers.
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TcDohl



Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Posts: 82
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:09 am Reply with quote
daxomni wrote:
C'mon WP, at the perfect age for learning another language or three. What gives? Question


That's kind of condescending, and it's not very nice. Many of us do not have either the time, resources, or opportunity to learn Japanese. Even if we are learning, speaking would be easier than reading or writing, and even then, when would those people learn primary school kanji. You've got to take these things into consideration when you think that it's quite easy, when for some, it's not.
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PantsGoblin
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Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 2969
Location: L.A.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:48 pm Reply with quote
TcDohl wrote:
That's kind of condescending, and it's not very nice.


You don't know daxomni very well, do you? Anyway, from what I can tell he isn't fluent in Japanese himself, so I don't know why he even mentioned it in the first place...
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