Maybe you have heard of this term before and thought anime... but you arn't sure what an Otaku is. Well hopefully this article sprouts to light some interesting facts.
Otaku in itself is a term used in Japan to refer to people with crazy or rabid obsessions. These obsessions can mean anything- music, gardening, anime (especially anime), model kit building, you name it. If you are obsessed with it, you are an otaku in a polite sense. Unfortunatly the word Otaku in japan has become a negative adjective- describing people who are perverted and uncivilized.
It is also a sub-culture that is emerging from Japan- those who live, eat, and breathe serious anime, manga and other related paraphanelia can be labeled as Otaku. Anime figures, doujshin (spelling?) novels (fan created works), manga (japanese comics), anime, and anything in between or having to deal with such subjects is the essential core of being an Otaku. Usually you can classify a true otaku as being a person who is typically introverted (does not like being out-going) and has very few or no friends. As the comic book geeks in America clamour to go to conventions so do Otaku- who will consistently show up at events such as Wonderfest, Otacon (in USA) and Comikite (spelling?). It is a lifestyle that is lived by many in Japan- usually fellow Otaku unite and make friends via the web and will discuss detailed specifics on their favorite anime titles.
Many will also attend conventions dressed as their favorite anime characters- something referred to as Cosplay. In the USA this has caught on fast and I have yet myself to attend one of these events. I grew up in Baltimore and Otacon was moved there- so I need to get my butt down there for the next convention! Some Cosplayers are serious about their art- everything from makeup (girls) to revealing clothes to elaborate costumes/outfits are devised so that the otaku feels "in-character".
Here are some of the things an Otaku would like:
- Anime figures, whether scatily clad or to a degree well-clothed
- Anime in all shapes and forms- internet, DVD, etc.
- Cosplay outfits, attending cosplay shows, conventions in cosplay
- Video games, especially video games with anime art in mind (duh)
- Ramen Noodles
There is also what I consider a "darker" side to the Otaku. Many otaku also like Eroge- a form of game/dating simulation that involves hentai, the equivalent in America to pornography. Eroge comes out on a weekly basis and there is an entire market for it down in Akihabara in Tokyo. There are also dakimakura- basically hug pillows that have anime characters on them- decent or not. I have no problem with them-but they can range in price from $50-$150 USD, simply because Otaku are willing to pay the price for them. Some Otaku may also like hentai, which was described shortly ago.
Typically Otaku are somewhat anti-social, and that will vary from person to person (it doesn't make them bad people though). Generally otaku are single, however in the USA I have seen many finding girlfriends simply on the basis that girls are also getting into the Otaku culture as well. I don't if I could classify some of my friends as otaku themselves- however they definetly indulge in Otaku culture heavier than I do. At best, I could be labeled with "Otaku-ish tendencies". Anti-sociality (is that a word?) leads to withdrawl from society- and I know how that is. I'm not necessarily sure if all Otaku are smart or all are not intelligent- but I can say with a probable degree that most are somewhat intelligent human beings.
I decided to write this article after bouncing around the net a bit finding interesting bits of information and stuff like that. There is nothing wrong with being an anime fan and not being an otaku folks- many otaku I know are great people and they are like me, they need a good friend to get them going on the social path normally. It's not that I am apalled by otaku culture, but rather I choose not to indulge in all that the otaku sub-culture has to offer. I love my anime, I like collecting figures, building models, and hopefully soon someday I can hit Otacon with my closest Otaku friend- maybe being a "hardcore" otaku really isn't important to me, or my internal makeup isn't made for such a lifestyle.
Without Otaku, you are going to see the anime industry and many other industries fall quite a bit. Otaku are at the center and forefront of the sub-culture that includes anime, manga, figures and so-forth. It is hard for people not even interested in these things to understand the lifestyle it describes- in fact it is hard for many otaku and fans alike to describe the lifestyle. At some point in all of us a kid is still there. Otaku arn't necessarily kids- and anime over the past ten years has been gaining acceptance as not being seen as totally "kid's stuff". The lifestyle is pleasing: Jpop and Jrock are great to listen to and sometimes anime lets you connect on a deeper level and lets you relate to the characters- that is what has caused the massive boom in the USA, disregarding any "collectible or fighting monster" anime titles, which were stripped of their true selves and converted to a different form of media and marketing (what I am saying is- collectivly Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and titles like Digimon have been altered by US companies for a younger audience- for example the japanese Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series is much darker).
Even if you don't like anime, be a buddy to an otaku or a fellow anime friend. The sub-culture has a lot to offer- and at times it can be pretty cool and have something for everyone. Comments? Any points I didn't make? I am sure there are many!
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