In Japan, the term 'otaku' is a kind of insult, it refers to a person who is so involved with a particular type of fan subculture that he or she becomes obsessed, even insane. One way 'otaku' gets translated into English is with the somewhat derogatory term 'fanboy' .In America, fans of Japanese animation often call themselves otaku with pride, although they are quick to point out that the term is, in fact, insulting. Otaku get appended to any number of fan subculture categories to indicate one's allegiance to them. For example, a motorcycle fan would be 'motorcycle otaku' and fan of Japanese animation would refer to themselves as 'anime otaku' or 'manga otaku'. In Japan, otaku refer to someone with an obsessive interest in something. For example, Computer otaku, quiz otaku In America, otaku refer only to those who are crazy about anime. Japanese anime and manga are significantly different from their counterparts in
America. First, cartoons and comic books in America are thought of as geared towers as youngsters. Cartoons and comic books in Japan are geared towards all ages. While there is a large amount of American animation and comic books which are intended for older, more mature readers without the need for building superheroes, they are seen as something separate from the conventional line of comic books. Second, Japanese anime refer to explicit violence, sexuality, 'adult situation' which American media have not often attempted.
Emi
Last updated 6-Dec-2001