What is Otaku?

Otaku is a type of Japanese subculture of people with consuming interests, such as anime, manga, video games, computers, or any other enthusiastically pursued hobby.

# What is Otaku?

The term “Otaku” comes from the Japanese word for “you” or “your home.” In 1983, writer Akio Nakamori used it in a new way, calling obsessed anime fans “Otaku” in a joking manner. Over time, the term has come to describe people with a strong interest in specific topics, especially anime and manga. It reflects both obsession and social withdrawal, showing how deeply otaku immerse themselves in their hobbies. Many view otaku as socially awkward. They often like to explore their interests using media and technology rather than traditional socializing.

Otaku culture is more than just hobbies; it’s a key social phenomenon. It shows broader cultural and tech trends. This culture has greatly influenced the entertainment industry, including film, TV, fashion, and technology. Understanding otaku culture helps us see how media and technology shape social interactions and cultural identity.

Characteristics of Otaku Culture

• Deep Focus: a strong and lasting interest in narrow cultural fields (anime, manga, games, idols, technology, trains, etc.).
• Knowledge Depth: a detailed grasp of works, creators, sub-genres, production history, and fan culture.
• Consumption and Curation: Enjoying media, collecting items (both physical and digital), and carefully organizing favorites.
• Community Engagement: actively participating in online forums, anime conventions, fan clubs, doujin (fan-made) circles, and local meetups.
• Many otaku make doujinshi, fan art, fan fiction, and cosplay. They also create anime music videos, remixes, and doujin magazines.

What do otaku like?

• Anime: including TV animations, theatrical animations, and OVA. Content covers plot analysis, character archetypes, introductions to animation studios and directors, as well as episode discussions.
• Manga: covering serialized works and graphic novels of various genres (shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, daily life, etc.). Collectors cherish first editions, graphic novels, and rare volumes.
• Light novels: illustrated novels that are often adapted into anime; loved for their original works and author fan bases.
• Video games: console games, PC games, mobile games (gacha games), and retro arcade games. Competitive games, speedrun games, and perfect collection games are common.
• Idols and voice actors: focusing on their careers, attending live events, purchasing handshake photos/photo books, and collecting autographs. The voice actor fan base highly overlaps with the anime fan base.
• Doujin culture: creating or purchasing self-published works—fan comics, music CDs, games—at events like Comiket.
• Cosplay: making and wearing costumes at conventions and photo shoots, usually combining character study and performance.
• Merchandise sales and collections: purchasing figures, keychains, posters, art books, and limited edition items. Displaying and maintaining collections is crucial.
• AMVs, fan art, fan fiction, remixes: remix culture is central—reinterpretation of media and creation of derivative works that spread online and at events.
• Niche hobbies: mecha design, idol culture, visual novels, BL/yuri, Vocaloid music, train/rail fandom culture, and retro otaku hobbies like model kits and Gundam modeling.