Forum - View topicFan versus otaku.
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sade475
Posts: 3 |
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How does one differentiate between an anime fan and an otaku?
I understand the latter is a term that means somebody who's really dedicated to anime and manga, but how does a normal fan compare? Is it just the amount of anime that a person watches, or is it something more than that? I watch anime, but I hardly make it a big hobby. Actually, up to this point I have only watched seven anime shows in my lifetime, but I enjoy it enough to call myself a fan. So I guess I wouldn't be called an "otaku." |
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littlegreenwolf
 Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I like to think of myself more as a fan than an Otaku because Otaku has sort of a negative connotation to it like... you obsess over it to the point that is all your life is, and if you hear the word some tend to picture an overweight, barely washing nerd who lives in a small little apartment surrounded by anime figurines and watches anime 24/7, and that's all he does with his life.
Fans aren't so... extreme. I'm sure when you get down to it, they mean the same thing but... connotation, and what you know about the word. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 19168 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Personally, I think it's a matter of degree in dedication. If you meet at least two of the following conditions then you can safely consider yourself an otaku, rather than just a normal fan, if you want to be considered that way:
*Anime is your chief hobby OR you consider yourself "hard-core" about anime. *You are very passionate about anime and discussions thereof. *You prefer anime to the normal media programming of your home country. *You regularly attend anime conventions (and/or anime movie screenings) just for the fun of it. *You own and display more anime-related paraphernalia (DVDs, figurines, wall scrolls, etc.) than any other kind of decoration in your home/apartment/room. Even amongst dedicated fans, though, not everyone wants to think of themselves as an otaku even if they do qualify. Thus for American fans it's largely a matter of self-perception. |
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SailorButterfly
 Posts: 152 Location: Pike Road, AL |
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I consider myself a fan, no matter how dedicated I may be, because I know that the true meaning of the word otaku is an insult.
I know it's accepted as basically just meaning "hardcore fan" here in America, but I still personally differentiate the two. |
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Mike On Top
 Posts: 298 |
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Well, I've been watching anime for 3 decades and is a hobby, this is certain. It was a big deal of hype between 5 and 10 years of age, because I had some robot kits, a pencil-box, and a school bag with cute and popular characters from the time, but after that I believe it went more as preference to the medium than anything else (because I have been watching non-japanese animation pretty much as long). Besides, even if it is a great hobby, it is not the only one misery I would have when spending cash  .
"Otaku" is connected to the specifics of the Japanese society and if I have to judge from my contacts with Japanese men or women, they really try to avoid any personal or common association with animanga's world-wide popularity. Aside from the fact they aren't people who would like to be recognised as Naruto's rip-offs just because they are Japanese, I guess, there is something subcultural/decultural thing going on about otaku's life-style in Japan, more within the NEET lines than the personal choice of a hobby. On the other hand, I kind of believe that if otakus are not hermits (burdening their families and themselves with, in fact, expensive and rarely productive isolation), perhaps no one would bother discussing the subject 
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JacobC
ANN Past Staff
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Well, the word is in my username, but that's just because it has nice syntax and looks and sounds cool. I really consider myself a fan...but...if I were to bold the criterion I match...
D'oh! Two and a half! I am one. 
Yeah, so I don't like the negative connotation, but I guess it's true that I am a pretty hardcore fan. But I'm also a hardcore fan of any kind of videography be it movies, music videos, etc. (with the exception of dramatic American TV, which I still quite disdain, I'm afraid. I prefer variety TV.) I'm a hardcore fan of animation in particular, be it American, European or Japanese. (In terms of mastery of the medium, though, Japanese is #1, with American animation riiiiight behind it at #2, and European a significant step lower, but still a comfortable #3.) |
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Elfen12
 Posts: 480 Location: Bay Area |
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Dang... according to 'Key's 5 healthy steps to being the otaku you've always wanted to be', i qualify as an otaku. Bummer... well i don't konw why i always say that, it's not necessarly a bummer. I just always thought that an Otaku was kind of how they illustrated it in Welcome ot the NHK, spoiler[like with not leavin' the house, spending all ones extra money on anime, etcetra. However, not the main character, i'm speaking more of his friend. ]... I suppose it's not as a hardcore term as i thought... I used to think of it more as a negative connotation too, but i think here in the US, it's not necessarly used like that. In fact, hardly many konw of the term in the US, except for anime fans. I like to think of myself as a fan, but i'm in denial.
and Denial isn't just a river in egypt -Elfen12- |
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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All but the forth criterion on Key's list for me. I don't own very many DVDs and only have a couple of small posters and flyers, but since they're more numerous than anything else I have with me I technically pass the last criterion. Huzzah! |
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Sora/Sanctuary
 Posts: 18 |
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*Anime is your chief hobby OR you consider yourself "hard-core" about anime.
*You are very passionate about anime and discussions thereof. *You prefer anime to the normal media programming of your home country. *You regularly attend anime conventions (and/or anime movie screenings) just for the fun of it. *You own and display more anime-related paraphernalia (DVDs, figurines, wall scrolls, etc.) than any other kind of decoration in your home/apartment/room. I'm good for all 5 and to add another one, if your book shelf has more manga than other books Even amongst dedicated fans, though, not everyone wants to think of themselves as an otaku even if they do qualify. Thus for American fans it's largely a matter of self-perception.[/quote] |
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xm0123
Posts: 20 |
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Because the term 'otaku' is generally a bad thing to say about someone in Japan, I also use the term in a negative manner. However, to be an otaku in my eyes, it takes a special breed of fan.
You can love anime. You can even be a serious fan of Japanese pop culture: have your walls draped in anime posters, your bookshelves filled to the brim with anime DVDs and manga, and you may even consider that finished Sailor Mars costume of yours your master handiwork. These traits by themselves do not make you an otaku. No, for to be an otaku, you must possess the one key ingredient that separates the fans from the otaku: immaturity. Immaturity is how I recognize an anime otaku. You can identify otaku by these behavioral traits: -If anyone refers to an anime as a "mere" cartoon, otaku will fly off the handle, insisting that anime is far more sophisticated than anything the world outside of Japan has produced. -Otaku are never fans of any anime popular with "normal people", (unless it's from a respected creator like Tezuka or Miyazaki) and go about their way claiming that their favorite series or movie is so much better than mainstream fluff like Pokemon and Dragonball, simply because no one outside of serious anime fans and/or otaku can even recognize it. -Otaku assume that all Japanese manga authors, anime directors, etc., are always infallible. Always. Infallible. No exceptions. Unless if they've created something popular with "normal people." Then they suck. And the fans of said popular anime sucks. Or so the otaku claim. -Otaku always watch anime in Japanese with subtitles. Now, there's nothing wrong with that in itself. Heck, there are some anime I prefer to watch in Japanese with English subtitles. But otaku always favor subs simply because they assume the English language sucks compared to the Japanese language. No, not just English, every language that's not Japanese sucks compared to Japanese. -Otaku think that real life women just can't compare to the women they see in hentai. Those were just the traits I could think of off the top of my head. Unfortunately, I know quite a few people in real life, the internet, and even this very messageboard who qualify as an otaku. Now, my definition of otaku may be different from yours, however, that doesn't change the fact that some anime fanatics are . . . unpleasant, to say the least. Bottom line: you can be a hardcore fan of anime if you want, just, don't be childish about it. |
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frentymon
Forums Superstar
 Posts: 2362 Location: San Francisco |
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Those things don't really describe an otaku, both here and in Japan. What you're describing is more like just a general anime elitist snob. You don't necessarily have to even be an otaku at all to fit most of these traits you're describing. The term "otaku" has a negative connotation with an image of someone in their basement who stays and watches anime 24/7, but just because you're really into it doesn't mean you're necessarily a jerk about it. |
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12skippy21
 Posts: 785 Location: York, England |
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This has always been the trait I considered seperated fandom and the otaku. I have viewed hentai but always found it comedic  .
Impressive list btw 
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dewlwieldthedarpachief
 Posts: 751 Location: Canada |
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I've never really experienced a usage of the word otaku in English, at least not firsthand. I've always thought it kind of strange that people would embrace the term and identify with it; after all the words nerd, geek, and fan are more commonplace and would probably more accurately describe oneself.
In Japan otaku is sort of like nerd, what with there being a great many varieties of nerd and otaku into various hobbies and activities; I'm not entirely sure if it's just limited to anime and anime-related paraphernalia obsessed individuals, however I have learned that one needs to be careful in bringing the topic of anime up in conversation. According to a couple of ladies I know there are certain anime that are popular nationwide but on the whole people who are into older and more obscure content generally fall into the category of being really creepy. When it comes to manga though it's much lesser a minefield. Obviously these are foreign ideas and may not have a place in American fandom. Technically, using it to indicate super fandom or something like that is a misuse of the word unless it becomes popularized to the extent that a lot of people understand it to mean so. AFAIK there isn't a consensus among fans on what it should mean even if it is taken to be positive. My conviction is that if we're going to use the word in English we should use it the same way we use other loan words e.g. karaoke, karate, yakuza, etc. which is more or less what they mean in their borrowed language. We didn't have terminology to describe any of those things which is probably why they become popular in the first place. |
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sade475
Posts: 3 |
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Why would some people think like this? I understand that anime and manga might focus more on a detailed story and plot, but I can't imagine that everything that is made in Japan will come out as something that is pure gold. Nor do I get the whole double standard if when an anime becomes popular, people will hate on it. Are many anime fans like this? And seemingly enough, I failed all the criteria regarding the five mentioned traits. Anime is enjoyable to watch, but it just isn't a lifestyle for me. |
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Top Gun
 Posts: 5314 |
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This. The one thing that drives me crazy more than anything else about general anime fandom is how many people seem to completely ignore the connotations of the term in the language that spawned it. It ain't something any sane person should want to be associated with. True "otaku" are obsessive, socially-inept individuals who value fantasy entertainment over anything and everything else in their lives. Blech. I am a fan of anime...but never an otaku. |
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