Forum - View topicNEWS: Anime Freaks
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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That guy...front left....he was a trip...decent costume, though.
I don't think they meant anime "freaks" as a bad thing really. I mean, people dress up as anime/video game characters...it's kinda freaky. My post is just riddled with intellegence...-_- |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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 I love that crossplaying Yuna. What was great was that he was completely serious about his costume, too. I have complete respect for crossplayers who take their hobbies seriously enough to not care what other people are going to think about them.
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sailor_titan
 Posts: 51 Location: Vermont |
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They probably don't realize the cultural implications of calling someone a "freak" in English...
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Emerje
 Posts: 7415 Location: Maine |
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I think they do, freak isn't always a negative term. It can also mean you're a dedicated fan, sorta like how people have excepted the words geek, nerd, and, *gasp* otaku. I mean, how many members have he had here with the name "animefreak" (we have alteast one right now)?
Emerje |
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littlegreenwolf
 Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I see lots of Final Fantasy video game freaks in that picture, but not a single anime freak.
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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It's like all these American fans calling themselves otaku. Otaku is a much more derrogatory name than Freak will ever be.
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sinistertaco
Posts: 96 |
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Given the way that stateside fandom has blindly (and in some cases ignorantly) adopted the extremely derogatory term "Otaku" they probably thought it was interchangable. |
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Emerje
Posts: 7415 Location: Maine |
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Meh, "otaku" is a fine word in english (despite what Dave Merrill spews about it). As Tempest pointed out here, "Language evolves, and words take new meanings." Just becuase a word ment something once, doesn't mean it can't mean something else.
Emerje |
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Tondog38
 Posts: 89 |
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xSousukeSpikeAmonx
 Posts: 24 |
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that guy had spirit to dress a yuna but i give him thumbs up on the costume....he did a really good job and those arnen/t really anime "freaks" more like video game "freaks" of the FF series which is a great game...i'd rather be called a "freak" than an "otaku".
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sinistertaco
Posts: 96 |
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Except for the fact the word hasn't changed meanings in it's original context/country. The idea of linguistic evolution is contingent upon the actual speakers of the word changing it, which hasn't happened. Like I said, it was ignorantly adopted by U.S. fandom and when they found out the truth of the matter they started making excuses. |
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Emerje
Posts: 7415 Location: Maine |
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Then by that we shouldn't be using "anime" to mean Japanese animation because in Japan it means all animation. And we shouldn't use "manga" do describe Japanese comic books because in Japan it means all comic books. How is that any different than us using the word "otaku" to describe a fan while in japan it's a derogativly describes a fan? We're still changing the definition right? Emerje |
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the_soultaker
 Posts: 685 |
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Your'e kidding me right?  and if not,please be as so kind to explain why. I got the impression that the meaning of Otaku would be your "average Run-of-the-mill" Anime enthusiast,like me  As for cosplay, it may not be my thing but i see it as harmless fun. better for them to dress up as lupin,Char,Vash than rapper 50 cent.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Wrong. This is not how language evolves and if you look at the history of linguistics for even a moment and the concept of appropriated words, you'll see that your reasoning here is flawed. In English we have many words that came from other languages. Those words usually take on a different meaning once they enter our lexicon, because they're being used to connotate something else. For instance, 'schmuck' in English has been appropriated to mean 'idiot' or 'fool'. In Yiddish it very clearly refers to male anatomy (fill in the blank here). 'Anime' in America means Japanese Animation. We've appropriated the word. That's what it means here. The Japanese can redefine it to mean whatever they want, but it has a meaning in English. So does manga. So does otaku. They're slang words that have entered our lexicon. I'd like proof or some book somewhere where you read that the 'actual speakers of a word' HAVE to change a word's meaning before it can mean something else in another language. What evidence do you have that we simply borrow words? Where is this written? It goes against everything I've ever seen, read or heard about the nature of linguistics. In short, come up with some facts or proof to back up your claim, or admit you're wrong. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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Well, going along with the vein of discussion in this thread so far, there can be two "meanings" of otaku. The word in Japanese pretty much means an obsessive fan of [insert noun here, i.e. manga, cars, cards, etc] who has oobsessive to the point that he never left his house. In the Japanese media, if someone is called an otaku, it is certainly not a compliment. It's pretty much like calling someone a total reject loser who never steps out into the sun because they spend all their time obsessing over some little hobby. In American fandom though, at one point in time, fans figured that "otaku" meant "hardcore anime fan." Thus, people who took pride in being "hardcore anime fans" starting calling themselves otaku, and it's since evolved in the minds of fandom to mean anyone who likes anime. I suppose since there isn't yet an official "American" definition of otaku yet, it's still up in the air as to whether it's taken on a new meaning abroad, or if people are just flat-out using the word wrong. If you watch the documentary Otaku Unite though, there's an interesting segment in there that asks industry personas and then anime fans what otaku means. The industry people give the Japanese definition, while fans give the more friendly, "I'm an otaku, and proud of it!" definition. So.... still up in the air, I guess. I guess it just depends on what definition you want to accept as the proper one. Personally, I still use the Japanese interpretation of the word, but that's just my personal preference. |
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