The term "otaku" has several meanings, depending on who uses it and where. In Japan, it means one thing, in America or Russia - a little different. In addition, concepts have changed over time – and continue to change.
History and origins
Until the 1980s, otaku was a form of honorific in Japanese, like -sama, -kun or -senpai. This word was often used as a 2nd person pronoun, in this way, for example, it was used by the heroine of the anime "Macro", which first appeared on screens in 1982.
In today's world, however, the word "otaku" is a Japanese slang term for several different things:
- a person who is very passionate about something - hobbies can be anything from manga and anime to games and collecting;
- a person who is passionate about anime or manga;
- there is also a third case - resulting from confusion between otaku and hikikomori.
So, otaku - who is this? In its modern meaning, this word was first used in the 1980s, in the works of humorist and writer Akio Nakamori. In 1983, he published the series "Research"otaku"" in which he used the term in relation to fans.
At the same time, animators Haruhiko Mikimoto and Shouji Kawamori used the word as a polite form of address (same 2nd person pronoun) between themselves beginning in the late 1970s.
Supposedly some members of the subculture did the same (while others moved to less formal communication), and that is why Nakamori chose him (this reason was indicated by Morikawa Kaichiro, explaining the origin of the term).
The second version of the origin of the concept is the science fiction works of Motoko Arai, who used -otaku as a respectful form of address, and eventually readers adopted this habit.
Modern Japan
In the 90s of the last century, the negative connotation of this word smoothed out, and they began to use the word otaku differently. Who is it now? The definition has become quite clear - "a fan of something", an enthusiast who is very fond of some particular business. Now this term refers to fans of anything, it is also often associated with Akihabara and the fashion for "cuteness".
A Japanese dictionary offers a different interpretation of this word: according to it, "otaku" was originally used in the 80s among friends, denoting a person who is very knowledgeable in some matter.
In Japan, this word can be equated with such concepts as "fan", "specialist", "researcher" or even "obsessed". All these terms express different levels of knowledge andinterest.
What's the difference? Which word is best depends on what society considers normal and what is not.
An archaeologist keen on searching for ancient cities, or Dr. Alan Grant from the movie "Jurassic Park" are therefore considered explorers. They look positive for society. And someone like Professor Brown from "Back to the Future" would be called an otaku - meaning that his hobby, the time machine, does not fit into the "norm".
USA
All these complexities of Japanese society are perceived in a completely different way in the West. People in the States have a different meaning for the term otaku. Who is this here - one can say unequivocally and definitely: a person who is passionate about anime and manga. Fans of Japanese animation themselves have nothing against it - outside of Japan, this word does not carry a negative meaning.
What a modern otaku looks like
Westerners don't think being an anime fan is bad. Vice versa. Here, an otaku is most often a person who has "seen everything". A "walking encyclopedia" on anime or manga (and it doesn't matter if a person watches any one genre or everything), able to advise what to watch, based on the tastes of the questioner.
As a result of his passion, willy-nilly, he becomes a specialist in anime genres, and also knows and watched or read most popular works - the latter trait is typical of otaku. Who it is from the point of view of society is absolutely all the same: fromthe same success can be a schoolboy, an office worker or an athlete.
In addition, the otaku, even without studying anything special, has an understanding of Japanese culture and fashion, both modern and previous eras, and also knows a few words in the language of the Land of the Rising Sun.
With this appearance, habits, the degree of immersion in hobbies can vary greatly. Some otaku collect a collection of TV series CDs, images of their favorite characters, regularly attend meetings with like-minded people, play cosplay and know the names of famous seiyuu and mangaka authors.
Others are able to watch a 25-episode anime (about 6 hours straight) without stopping. Still others take Japanese courses to be able to read manga in the original.
Among anime fans there are talented writers who create quite interesting stories - among them Sergey Kim, Konstantin Brave, Coviello, Ander Tal Sash, otaku Felix. Self-publishing with the participation of these and other authors attracts no less readers than the anime itself.
Classification of Japanese otaku
The Nomura Research Institute (NRI) conducted two in-depth studies, the first in 2004 and the second in 2005. As a result, scientists were able to identify 12 main areas of interest:
- for the largest group, 350 thousand otaku - manga;
- about 280k were pop idol and celebrity fans;
- 250,000 considered traveling as a hobby;
- 190k geeks;
- 160k addictedvideo games;
- 140 thousand - cars;
- 110K - anime.
The other five categories included mobile, audio/video, camera, fashion and train geeks.
If you look directly at anime lovers, you can highlight another curious group - hentai.
Among the genres of Japanese animation, there is what other nations might call pornography - but in the Land of the Rising Sun, the attitude to the issue is slightly different. Thanks to this, there is also a rather specific group of otaku. Hentai is what is of interest and hobby for these people.
Celebrity otaku
Anime isn't just for ordinary people, there are also fans of this genre among celebrities. Among them are the popular Japanese singer Shoko Nakagawa (directly calling herself a manga and anime otaku), singer and actress Mari Yaguchi, actresses Toshiki Kashu, Natsuki Kato and actress and fashion model Chiyaki Kuriyama.
Fanfiction and self-publishing
Where there is creativity, there is also fanfiction - this works the same way for Western novels or series, and for anime and manga. And in some cases it results in samizdat. Otaku create their own works, in the form of drawings, stories or novels, and most often publish them on the Internet or in specialized publications at their own expense.
However, sometimes as a result of such amateur performances, a new “star” appears - and the circle begins anew: fanfiction is now created based on the works of a new popularauthor.
Samizdat otaku is popular, especially among fans of original works. Occurring plots - the main character is a stranger in the world of an anime or manga source, or the author introduces a new GG from the same world, or the author takes the main characters from the original work, while completely changing the plot to his liking.
The Russian "community" of fiwriters (the largest number of which can be found on lib.ru) has the most anime fanfiction. Not many people write about "Japanese comics" - among them, for example, the well-known otaku Felix in these circles, whose assets include works on the world of Bleach and Sekirei.
On the issue of social adaptation
The most famous anime that provoked the appearance of dozens and hundreds of fanfictions are Naruto, Bleach, Evangelion, Code Geass, Shaman King, One piece. In the same list, you can add "Dark Butler", "Death Note", "Fullmetal Alchemist", "Vampire Knight". The aforementioned otaku Felix, for example, wrote several works on the world of Bleach popular among fans of fanfiction - "Captain" and the "Empty" cycle.
In Japan itself, being a mangaka (author of manga) means having a completely respected profession, and depending on the publisher or fame, receive decent pay.
However, as soon as the author begins to receive payment for his work, he ceases to be an amateur. However, it doesn't stop being an otaku. Felix, whose self-publishing on the net is represented by quite good works, has not yet crossed this line. But, for example, Nadezhda Kuzmina (the author of the cycle about the dragon empress andTimiredis) is already publishing his books as a professional writer.
