Otaku - who it is

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 bit different. In addition, over time, concepts have changed - and continue to change.

History and origin

Until the 1980s, otaku was a form of respectful treatment in the Japanese language, like -sama, -kun or -senpai. This word was often used as a pronoun of two persons, in this way, for example, it was used by the heroine of the anime "Macros", which first appeared on the screens in 1982.

In the modern world, however, the word "otaku" is a slang term in Japanese, meaning several different concepts:

• A person who is very keen on anything - a hobby can be anything, from manga and anime to games and collectibles;
• A man keen on anime or manga;
• There is also a third case - resulting from a confusion between the concepts of otaku and hikikomori.

So, otaku - who is this? In the modern sense, this word was first used in the 1980s, in the works of the humorist and writer Akio Nakamori. In 1983, he published in the journal Manga Burikko cycle "Study" otaku ", in which he used this term in relation to the fans.

At the same time, cartoonists Haruhiko Mikimoto and Shouji Kawamori used the word in communication with each other as a polite form of treatment (all the same personal pronoun 2 persons), since the late 1970s.

Presumably, so did some representatives of the subculture (while the rest went on to less formal communication), and that's why Nakamori chose him (this reason was pointed out 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 treatment, and as a result readers adopted this habit.

Modern Japan

In the 1990s, the negative coloring of this word was smoothed out, and the word otaku was differently used there. Who is this now? The definition has become quite clear - a "fan of something", an enthusiast who is very addicted to a particular case. Now this concept refers to fans of anything, it is also often associated with Akihabara and fashion for "nyashnost."

The Japanese dictionary offers another interpretation of the word: according to him, "otaku" was originally used in the 80s in the circle of friends, denoting a person very informed in some matter.

In Japan, this word can be equated to such concepts as "fan", "expert", "researcher" or even "obsessed". All these terms express a different level of knowledge and interest.

What is the difference? Which word is best suited depends on what is considered normal in society and what is not very.

An archaeologist, fascinated by the search for ancient cities, or Dr. Alan Grant from the movie "Jurassic Park" are therefore considered, therefore, researchers. They look positive for society. And someone like Professor Brown from "Back to the Future" would be called 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 put a different meaning in the term otaku. Who is here - can be said unequivocally and definitely: a man, keen on anime and mangas. The fans of Japanese animation themselves do not have anything against it - outside Japan this word does not have a negative connotation.

What a modern otaku looks like

Residents of Western countries do not believe that being an anime fan is bad. On the contrary. Here otaku is most often a person who "saw everything". "Walking Encyclopedia" for anime or manga (and it does not matter whether a person looks at one or the other genre), able to advise what to look, based on the tastes of the questioner.

As a result of his hobby, willy-nilly, he becomes a specialist in anime genres, and also knows and watched or read most of the popular works - the last feature is typical for otaku. Who is this from the point of view of society - absolutely the same: with the same success can be a schoolboy, an office worker or an athlete.

In addition, otaku, without even studying anything specifically, has an idea 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.

In this case, the appearance, habits, degree of immersion in the hobby can vary greatly. Some otaku collect a collection of discs with serials, images of favorite heroes, regularly visit meetings with like-minded people, play cosplay and know the famous famous seiyu and mangak authors.

Others are able to watch 25-episode anime (about 6 hours in a row) without stopping. Still others go to the Japanese language courses to be able to read the manga in the original.

Among the admirers of the anime there are talented writers who create quite interesting stories - among them Sergey Kim, Konstantin Hrabrykh, Coviello, Ander Tal Sash, otaku Felix. Samizdat 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 280 thousand were fans of pop idols and celebrities;
• 250 thousand considered their hobby of traveling;
• 190 thousand - computer fans;
• 160 thousand were addicted to video games;
• 140 thousand - by cars;
• 110 thousand - anime.

The other five categories included mobile equipment, audio and video equipment, fans of cameras, fashion and trains.

If you look directly at the fans of anime, you can select one more interesting group - hentayschikov.

Among the genres of Japanese animation is what the rest of the nation could call pornography - but in the Land of the Rising Sun the attitude to the question is slightly different. Due to this, there is a rather specific group of otaku. Hentai is what is interesting and a hobby for these people.

Celebrities of otaku

Anime is not just addicted to ordinary people - among celebrities there are also fans of this genre. Among them - popular Japanese singer Seko Nakagawa (directly called himself manga and anime otaku), singer and actress Mari Yaguchi, actress Toshiki Kasyu, Natsuki Kato and actress and photo model Tiyaka Kuriyama.

Fanfiction and samizdat

Where there is creativity, there is also fanfiction - it works equally in relation to Western novels or serials, and in relation to anime and manga. And in some cases, poured into 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 performance a new "star" appears - and the circle begins on a new one: fanfiction is now created according to the works of a new popular author.

Samizdat otaku is popular, especially among fans of original works. Occurring stories - the main character - a hitman in the world of 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, the story is completely changing to your liking.

In the Russian "community" of fikrajterov (the largest number of which can be found on lib.ru) most fanfanshena on anime. According to the "Japanese comic books", not many write, among them, for example, the otaku Felix, known in these circles, whose works include works on the world "Bleach" and "Sekirei".

On the issue of social adaptation

The most famous anime, which provoked the appearance of tens and hundreds of fanfics - "Naruto", "Bleach", "Evangelion", "Code Geass", "Shaman King", "One piece". In the same list, you can add and "Dark Butler", "Death Note", "Steel Alchemist", "Knight Vampire". The aforementioned otaku Felix, for example, wrote several popular among fans fanficshen works around the world "Bleach" - "Captain" and the cycle "Empty".

In Japan itself, being a manga (the author of mangas) means having a completely respected profession, and depending on the publisher or fame, getting a decent payment.

However, as soon as the author begins to receive payment for his work, he ceases to be an amateur. However, otaku does not cease to exist. Felix, samizdat of which in the network is represented by quite good works, has not yet crossed this line. But, for example, Nadezhda Kuzmina (the author of the cycle about the empress of dragons and "Timirdis") is already publishing her books as a professional writer.