D&R: Anime Fans – Otaku vs. Weeaboo
https://www.theverge.com/2012/5/9/3004622/otaku-spaces-patrick-galbraith-manga-anime-review
While anime and manga may seem to be just another form of media and entertainment, there is a huge community laying underneath with more problems and controversy.
In the year 1989, the first derogatory use of the word Otaku was born out of murder. A man named Tsutomu Miyazaki attempted to molest a young girl in a park. He was caught by the girl’s father and upon being arrested and having his apartment inspected, the remains and evidence of four girls were found. Along in his apartment were thousands of copies of manga, anime, graphic films, and porn. After being arrested, he was dubbed the name, “the Otaku Murderer.”
The word Otaku can easily be translated to “geek,” or “nerd,” but carries a more derogatory tone attached to it. Otaku are seen as people who are disconnected from reality and anti-social. While this is slowly being changed in Japan’s culture, overseas the word has morphed.
In the United States, for example, Otaku are people who watch and consume anime, manga, and other forms of Japanese media in a respectful manner. Usually learning the language and culture along the way and develop a sense of art critique or admonition for the art form. Unlike in Japan, these people who self-identify as Otaku are seen as well kept and proud fans.
On the other side of that coin, there are also Weeaboos, a word created in popularity on 4chan to describe a person of non-Asain descendant who has an over obsessive compulsive with anime and manga. Similar to Otaku, these people are often seen at the forefront of the anime community for their extreme personalities, as well as their disrespect towards others outside of the community. While living in a bubble of their own reality, these Weeaboos tend to mock and appropriate Japanese culture, while at the same time engoring themselves in as much anime and manga that they possibly can.
Pena, Eric. “What’s the Difference between a Weeaboo and Otaku?” Quora, Quora, 11 Dec. 2017.
May 1st, 2019 at 1:19 PM
I didn’t know about the first derogatory use of Otaku. I agree with “this is slowly being changed in Japan’s culture”. From my experience in Japan, Otaku was seen as only people who are passionate about Anime or Manga. But, yes, it is changing. We say, for example, “Baseball-Otaku”, “Camping-Otaku” who loves camping and who is professional about camping. Not only for manga or anime. This topic reminds me of how important it is to understand the meaning of the words form other countries and culture because language and words are also own culture.
May 1st, 2019 at 1:27 PM
wow, i did not know about this! I was happy to hear you discuss this in our small group Wednesday morning! Super interesting!!