[darktruth]

"You don't look like someone who'd be into anime"

This is what I've been told from a few people when I tell them this. Has anyone else ever had this said to them as well? I find it funny as I've watched Genshiken (anime about otakus) and saw the same thing said to one of the characters in there (Kosaka) and he was regarded as the good looking guy.

So just what is the typical otaku look in the 21st century? If this was asked about 10 years ago then most people would think it'd be a fat person but I've seen one thing that made me come up with this question. David Jones (a big department store here in Aus) had some mannequins out in a display window in a busy mall street months ago and the surprising thing about them was that it was focused on anime, anime fashion that is.

They had the mannequins dressed in checkered shorts if I remember correctly with plain white t-shirts and a bandana around their neck plus a ridiculous mohawk-type of wig on their head. Behind them was a big picture of an anime character with part of a spaceship shown in the background on Mars. I guess that's what the general public perceives an otaku as now don't they? At least in Melbourne anyway XD. If only I had taken a photo that time to show you guys lol.

[Lynk Former]

Otaku = 30yo Japanese male who is overweight, ugly and carries around two of those fullsize body pillows with naked loli laying in bed on them.

At least that's the kind of otaku that makes me LOL

The way I see it, the only time you can be called an otaku is if you are a diehard anime fan and you're Japanese... otherwise, if you call yourself an otaku and you're not Japanese... you're just trying to be Japanese... just like how whiteboys try to be like "niggers" when they're not even close to being african-americans...

[Scar da Kookee]

Plenty of people on my ship are into anime, but i guess seeing everyone wear coveralls isnt quite the distinction of an okatu...

...although i do plan on going to Otacon this year...
|o/ *sways* \o| -whee

[Tacx]

I just finished watching densha otoko last week and according to my observation most otakus have galsses. Well i also think that wearing glasses wont make others say your an otaku, except maybe if you wear something bigger than a golf ball.

[Chimasterwang]

On the internet glasses are a defining feature of Darky i think
@Lynk: Lol at your post about wapanese/weeaboos XD
Wapanese

[Eva]

Otaku = 30yo Japanese male who is overweight, ugly and carries around two of those fullsize body pillows with naked loli laying in bed on them.

At least that's the kind of otaku that makes me LOL

The way I see it, the only time you can be called an otaku is if you are a diehard anime fan and you're Japanese... otherwise, if you call yourself an otaku and you're not Japanese... you're just trying to be Japanese... just like how whiteboys try to be like "niggers" when they're not even close to being african-americans...

I agree. He sums up my views on otaku.

I have never called myself otaku, even though I am half Japanese myself. I do find it odd people that go to conventions and watch a lot of anime start calling themselves otaku, not even aware it's a insult.

[Pho3nix]

The way I see it, the only time you can be called an otaku is if you are a diehard anime fan and you're Japanese... otherwise, if you call yourself an otaku and you're not Japanese... you're just trying to be Japanese... just like how whiteboys try to be like "niggers" when they're not even close to being african-americans...

QFT.

[darktruth]

It is funny as otakus in Japan are considered to be social outcasts yet the product that they buy (anime DVD's, manga, figurines etc) have become sort of a popular export to the rest of the world. Most, if not all, of them couldn't care less of what the society thinks about them.

In Genshiken 2 there was an episode that featured Americans in there attending the Comiket convention in which they're also called otakus. I guess you don't have to be necessarily Japanese to be called one, after all, it's just a Japanese definition of someone who's really into watching anime, reading manga or collecting various anime stuff. So it seems the Japanese are aware there are many western anime fans too.

On the glasses thing lol, I always wear it whenever I leave the house but hardly whenever I'm at home XD. Oh yeah, I bought the first volume of Genshiken today. I'm really curious to read the manga version after watching the anime series. It's also the first manga I've bought in about 5 years, the last was a couple of volumes of Love Hina.

[Lynk Former]

I think you're missing a key point though darky... Otaku aren't considered social outcasts because they like anime and related products... it's because they are seen as people who don't contribute to society.

One of the biggest criticisms Japanese people have against otaku is their lack of interest to start a relationship with the opposite sex which eventually leads to marriage and kids.... the birthrate in Japan is surprisingly low and the population is shrinking. To add to the problem, it's still a very closed off country so the population count doesn't get much of a boost from immigration.

[darktruth]

That's also looked into in Genshiken, the relationship aspect that is. An otaku hooking up with a normal partner usually runs into problems where they're being forced to give up their interests to give all their attention to their partners. However, Genshiken also showed that otakus also try at contributing to the society by applying for jobs whether it's related to their interests or not. Many of them are shown to be applying for normal jobs while still keeping an interest in anime from time to time.

The one thing that I got from watching it was that it showed many otakus struggling to get a job even when they try their hardest and the society giving them a hard time doesn't help. It's almost like they're driving them further into isolation.

[Lynk Former]

That's not surprising, there are more subcultures in Japan than just otaku, and the Japanese way of dealing with it, for the most part, is to turn a blind eye and ignore the people rather than acknowledging them.

But have you also considered that Genshiken might not be the most even handed source of information about these issues?

[darktruth]

I would say it's one anime series that does give me a really good look into it, having watched Comic Party, which also dealt with otaku, that was one lacking and very bad view on it. It didn't really give me anything much to know about other than the Japanese society hating them with no in-depth look into the mindset and interactions of an otaku. You remember I did a review on it (hasn't been posted on the site yet lol).

I might have to look into Densha Otoko as well to gain a little bit information on it but like I said, Genshiken has really opened my eyes on this issue.

[Lynk Former]

That's exactly my point though, darky. It's not the best source of information for this issue... it would be like if I looked at No More Heroes and took that as how society views videogamers.

If you really want to grasp this issue, you're going to have to look at it from all sides of the argument from non-bias sources... otherwise, all you're doing is delving into propaganda...

[kin37ik]

*nods head* yep, good point! :P