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The Otaku Thread

Daft

By Daft
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Daft Newbie

Daft

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I have to do to a study on the Otaku. The actual question is "Otaku are deviant personalities. Evaluate this statement critically."

 

Just to be clear I mean mainly Japanese Otaku, the real deal. However, their relationship with/influence on everything/everyone else would be good to hear about as well!

 

It would be a great help if I could get a general consensus about everyones views on them. : peace:

 

What do you think an Otaku is?

Is it something restricted to Japan?

Would anyone here consider themselves an Otaku?

What do you think about people who are Otaku?

Have you had any brushes with the Otak?

 

There are just a few questions, I'm sure I'll think more up later, but its a start.

 

Any other comments, and general discussion, about the Otak and their ways is welcome! :bowdown:

 

If you have any articles or Otaku related news please feel free to post, the more the better!

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Shino Newbie

Shino

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"Otaku are deviant personalities. Evaluate this statement critically."

No.

 

What do you think an Otaku is?

Anime nerds who wish they were Japanese. They often use Japanese words to express something and don't realise that their pissing everyone else.

 

Is it something restricted to Japan?

Japanese otaku are hardcore, and anyone who can survive in their own pile of trash for 2 years, playing videogames, without contact with humans, expecting that food is delivered to their bedroom doors by wishful parents who hope their kids are still alive, deserves a medal.

 

Would anyone here consider themselves an Otaku?

Bet some people do, its like a badge for them.

 

What do you think about people who are Otaku?

I don't like them.

 

Have you had any brushes with the Otaku?

No.

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Daft Newbie

Daft

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^ I would agree with most of those.

 

Daft, are you talking about japanese otaku or western otaku? The connotation os pretty much different.

 

Opps, should have made that more clear! :heh:

 

I mainly mean Japanese Otaku, the real deal. But then if they have an effect on these western pretender "otaku", then that would be good to hear about as well!

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Will Apprentice

Will

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What do you think an Otaku is?

I think of them as people who are obsessed with something, traditionally anime and manga but more recently has crossed into other things such as gaming. Thats our western view anyway, I think in real terms an Otaku is simply a Japanese term for a fan of something.

 

Is it something restricted to Japan?

I would say so in general but when Japanese culture goes through its phases of being popular is tends to spread a little.

 

Would anyone here consider themselves an Otaku?

Not myself personally.

 

What do you think about people who are Otaku?

So long as they're not ridiculous about it I see no problem.

 

Have you had any brushes with the Otak?

Not that I know of, I'm sure that some of the people at work probably are though.

 

Do you mind if I ask what this is for? Uni project? If so what course do you do?

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Daft Newbie

Daft

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Do you mind if I ask what this is for? Uni project? If so what course do you do?

 

I do Japanese at the SOAS but one of my modules is Issues in Post-War Japanese Society. Its for an essay which consists of 40% of the module so its pretty important. :heh:

 

Thanks for the input guys' date=' keep it coming! :bowdown:

 

“Otaku have joined the mainstream to become a major cultural icon,” says Tokyo journalist and social observer Kaori Shoji. “They’ve been lurking on the edge of hip for some years. Now they’ve gone completely legit.” In a recent column for the Japan Times, Shoji wrote about women who were desperately trying to land otaku boyfriends and the trouble they were having competing with the ultrageeks’ preferred romantic companions – racy images of anime idols freely available online.

 

What do people think about this? "Otaku" seems to be becoming a "cool" label to have in Japan. Where do you think this fascination comes from?

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Will Apprentice

Will

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Oh thats cool, I've been looking into learning Japanese either through work if they ever get round to offering it. I think I may have to look into sorting my own thing part time or else its buying one of those teach yourself sets but I'm not really sure on the quality.

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Supergrunch Newbie

Supergrunch

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You presumably know about the tie-up with serial killers and otaku in Japan, thanks to Tsutomu Miyazaki. This means the Japanese definition has, until very recently, been solely negative. However, lately otaku are becoming a little more accepted, and some now use the term as a badge of pride, though they spell it ヲタク rather than オタク.

 

So I think yes, it is generally restricted to Japan - what Westerners often think the word means is incorrect - anime fan is probably a better term. I consider myself an anime fan, but not an otaku.

 

However, there are a few instances of gaijin who live up to the Japanese definition of the word. I have one on aim, in fact. They tend to be fairly harmless perverts, much like Japanese otaku.

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Daft Newbie

Daft

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I was aware of Miyazaki (not of studio Ghibli :p) but I didn't realize that case had such a strong impact. Thanks very much! I'll look into that some more!

 

I'm pretty sure wotaku is different from the otaku. Wotaku are kind of like a subsection of Otak who worship idols. (In the non religious sense.)

 

Just out of interest is this Otaku gaijin aware/think that he is Otaku?

 

Oh thats cool' date=' I've been looking into learning Japanese either through work if they ever get round to offering it. I think I may have to look into sorting my own thing part time or else its buying one of those teach yourself sets but I'm not really sure on the quality.[/quote']

 

I think the best thing to do is learn the basics and then see if you can find someone to practice with and who can then point out what you are doing wrong...maybe....

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Supergrunch Newbie

Supergrunch

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I'm pretty sure wotaku is different from the otaku. Wotaku are kind of like a subsection of Otak who worship idols. (In the non religious sense.)

 

Just out of interest is this Otaku gaijin aware/think that he is Otaku?

Well, the wotaku/otaku distinction is what I gathered from kj1980 on animesuki. (a Japanese otaku)

 

Anyway, the non-Japanese guy does sort of know he's an otaku, and I think he rather likes being thought of as such.

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Daft Newbie

Daft

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Wow! Cheers guy, this stuff is great!! :bowdown:

 

Another question, if anyone wants to answer it. Do you think that a term, such as otaku, can be applied to such a broad range of people? In the end, doesn't it just land itself to a sweeping generalization?

 

also, maybe a bit more interesting:

 

Can anyone see any positives in being an otaku?

 

Even if you aren't sure any any (on topic) answer is welcome! :D

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Meta_Omega Newbie

Meta_Omega

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What do you think an Otaku is?

Anime nerds who wish they were Japanese. They often use Japanese words to express something and don't realise that their pissing everyone else.

 

That's a wapanese, not an otaku.

 

 

And as to the question if this is something that's restricted to Japan, then by your description, it is, because you are talking about Japanese otaku, and people who are Japanese tend to live in Japan. But of course, this whole obsession with things like cartoons/anime, comics/manga and games isn't something restricted to Japan, because people have to do something in life, whether it's working until you drop, being a fanatic politician or locking yourself up in a room to watch anime and cuddle with your plastic figurines.

 

Of course, to some people, this obsession might seem strange and disgusting, but considering the recent upswing of anime and manga in the West, and the import/export market of rare/unavailable video games, the "otaku" sub-culture has created alot of work opportunities and probably has great financial turnover.

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Daft Newbie

Daft

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That's a wapanese, not an otaku.

 

 

And as to the question if this is something that's restricted to Japan, then by your description, it is, because you are talking about Japanese otaku, and people who are Japanese tend to live in Japan.

 

You're right, I didn't phrase that very well. Could the otaku movement only have started in Japan? Obviously specifically the "otaku" could only have started in Japan but I mean this kind of behavior on mass, is it mainly a feature of Japanese society? Or does it exist elsewhere and if so why do you think it is in Japan that this group has been labeled? Or are there other groups that can draw parallels with the Otaku? Maybe for example the Hell's Angels, or probably a slightly better example, the biker gangs in Japan around the 80s?

 

(I know my thoughts on this, I just want to get other peoples views! I know some of the ideas are a bit weird! : peace: )

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