What is Otaku?!
My American friend recommended that I watch "Napoleon Dynamite". He said it is a kind of American Otaku guy movie. Is that the regular American people's image of Otaku? This site define what Okaku is. People think Otaku is an animation fan, game fan, PC geek, figurine collecter, costume play fan like that? Here is another site in which an American guy explains about Otaku. Actually it is difficult to define "this is Otaku". I always want to write about Otaku, but I was at loss where should I start. So today I will introduce one guy for a short note. Then I may talk more later.
When I am asked about Otaku culture, I recommend reading books written by Toshio Okada. (unfortunately his books are not translated into Japanese though) He is called "Otaking", he was a president of Gainax of Evangelion. he is an authority on "Otaku cuture". Actually he had lectures at the Tokyo University about Otaku culture. (MIT anime club invited him too). Then he said "Otaku is a person who love something (anything is okay) so strongly. Otaku has ability to estimate the worth and appreciate it, Otaku has eyes of Smartness, Cognoscenti, and Master."
Of course there will be Gundam Otaku, Shokugan Otaku,Ramen Otaku, StarWars Otaku (Japanese mood wallpaer is nice!). And I know a guy who can talk forever (?!) about JR train timetable, a guy who can tell which shop's cake can be eaten with one bite (even though there are countless cake shops in Tokyo.), a guy who is obsessed with Gas tunks. Fortunately I found an interview with Tshio Okada in English here. Please check it out. (* what is moe? here and here are some information.)
Yesterday Yahoo news said a strange test has just appeared. It is an Otak (Otaku) proficiency exam. They said they will check your Otaku level. I suppose the questions will be a trivia about animation, movies, Akiahbara, 2ch or something. See? even Japanese seem to think Otaku is just anime fans, game fans or those type of people.
Hi Mari,
I know this post of yours is almost year old, but I just discovered it and wanted to thank you for linking to one of my articles ("The Politics of Otaku", in the link labeled "Toshio Okada"). In case you or your readers are interested, here is a different link to the same article on my own website, where I have more articles on otaku, including one about my experience meeting Toshio Okada when he visited MIT: The Politics of Otaku (aka, "There's nothing wrong with being an otaku!")
Posted by: Lawrence | Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 02:32 PM
Napoleon Dynamite isn't really a sterotypical otaku, as far as I am concerned. I have to agree with another poster, he's really just a nerdy guy living in the middle of nowhere.
I've seen the movie only once. While it has a few "stealth jokes" and some memorable lines and scenes, it's not one that I'd watch again.
Posted by: Wolf | Thursday, January 12, 2006 at 11:38 PM
hmmm...
otaku seems to denote any type of atypical obssessive behaviour centred on things Japanese.
here are some of my symptoms...
i figured out what my name is in japanese is and use it now.
i like gundam. (except Wing! blech!)
and almost every Squaresoft game since FFVII.
does that make me otaku?
maybe i should take the otaku test. hahahah!
Posted by: shiro | Wednesday, July 13, 2005 at 10:20 AM
My friend say I have something close to Otaku, actually sometimes i can addict to something like internet, gym. But I don't think I am Otaku, because I don't try analyse any, I am just enjoying. I think this approach is not Otaku, just "a fan".
Posted by: Mari | Saturday, July 09, 2005 at 02:42 PM
I have been told that it is not necessarily a good thing to be called otaku in Japan, as it is considered strange to be obsessed with .
I like a number of things, including books, anime and computers, but I wouldn't say I'm an otaku. I don't think I live up to Okada-san's definition, anyway.
Maybe otaku-ism fits in with some of the other things we see in the news today, like Aspergers syndrome, and the rise in the incidence of hikikomori. Perhaps our cultures are beginning to turn inward upon themselves in unexpected manners?
Posted by: クレア (Claire) | Friday, July 08, 2005 at 10:45 AM
so is this an age related designation? do they call old otaku "oyajitaku"? Or does anyone claim otakuism after a certain age. Do they just call them "sad, nerdy character living in the middle of nowhere" and leave it at that? I remember seeing a show called "Otaku no Video"..I wonder if admitting that in a public forum is the same as admitting I am Otaku? I'm no expert at anything and my fanaticism is limited to my attention span. 33 bottle caps is a lifetime to me. No wonder I feel like an oyaji. Ah...orz
I'll Otalk2u l8er
®
Posted by: robert | Friday, July 08, 2005 at 10:24 AM
Even in Italy the word "otaku" is used above all for anime/games/manga's fans.Ciao!
Posted by: zioabu | Friday, July 08, 2005 at 06:09 AM
Hm? Amazing... So they're like the masters of... rather mundane/non-essential things in life? Heh... Nevertheless I'm very impressed!
Posted by: Cath | Thursday, July 07, 2005 at 08:08 AM
If I understand correctly, otaku means fanatic. I don't think Napoleon Dynamite is a great example of American otaku. He is just a person who can't fit himself into society, does not mean he is otaku. I hate that movie by the way ...
The only example I can think of are people who play computer/console games a lot (like me), or pay thousands of dollars just to own a comic book. That would be "otaku" ...
Posted by: Gwen | Thursday, July 07, 2005 at 01:26 AM
The Gainaxlink doesn't seem to work
Posted by: Martin | Thursday, July 07, 2005 at 12:14 AM
Napoleon Dynamite is one sad nerdy character living in middle of nowhere...I fell to sleep after the first half hour.
Posted by: AzianBrewer | Wednesday, July 06, 2005 at 11:48 PM