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Survey about "Roots" of Otaku Lifestyle Published

Online content company One's Communications and otaku-themed social networking service Otaba have published the results of a survey on the attributes of self-proclaimed otaku and anime fans in Japan. For the survey, 601 Otaba users completed a questionnaire distributed over a three-week period in December and January. 68% of survey respondents were male, and the majority were between 20 and 30 years of age.

The most significant result of the survey is the reported ages when people first "realized" they were an otaku. 32.6% of the people surveyed said that they realized they were an otaku in middle school, which exceeds the percentage for any other three-year period by 9% or more. 23.1% answered that it was the last three years of elementary school, which is about equal to the combined number of people who selected "high school" or "college" as answers.

When asked what anime series or property inspired them to become an otaku, survey respondents gave a wide variety of answers that testify to the diversity of interests in the group. Even the most popular answer, Gundam, was given by just 3.7% of those surveyed. Other anime and game series include Neon Genesis Evangelion (2.7%), Final Fantasy (1%), Tokimeki Memorial (1%), Space Battleship Yamato (.9%), Yū Yū Hakusho (.9%), and Sailor Moon. (.9%) These responses also varied greatly by the age group surveyed. For example, Tokimeki Memorial was a popular selection among 20-30 year olds, while older fans cast more votes for classic titles like Yamato and Urusei Yatsura.

Thanks, enjin2000.

Source: japan.internet.com