Ask John: What makes a person an “Otaku?”

Question:
I’m very curious to know what really makes a person become an anime otaku. Do you really need to be into anime to become a real otaku?

Answer:
Naturally, one becomes an anime “otaku” purely out of love for anime. “Otaku” implies a degree of obsession. It’s easy to simply buy a bunch of anime tapes and establish the appearance of being an anime fan, but being an “otaku” requires a degree of emotional and intellectual attachment and involvement in anime that simply collection for the sake of collecting can’t establish. This sort of fanatical devotion simply comes as a natural evolution of watching and enjoying lots of anime.

I’ve used the word “otaku” in quotations to signify that I’m using the word in its Japanese sense. In the true Japanese sense of the word, America has very, very few, if any true “otaku.” The true Japanese anime “otaku” is one whose fascination with anime borders on unhealthy, antisocial obsessive/compulsive behavior. To use the word “otaku” in America, we use it in a watered down, American version of the term. That said, the root and definition of anime otaku are essentially one and the same. An anime otaku is simply a person who genuinely loves anime for personal, individual reasons. While that much is true, the strict definitions I present henceforth are my own personal interpretations.

Simply watching anime broadcast on television, or occasionally watching anime with friends, or collecting anime to seem trendy may show some support for anime, but hardly qualify one as an “otaku.” There may be “yaoi” or “doujinshi” or “garage kit” otaku, but these fans all share in common a deep rooted appreciation of anime as an art form. Naturally, no one will like everything, but a true Western otaku will respect and appreciate everything. In the same way a die-hard comic book collector may only collect certain titles, he or she is simply fascinated with the very concept of sequential illustrated storytelling. In the same way, a true otaku may not like Dragonball or Sailormoon or yaoi or shoujo, but the true otaku will still value the existance of such shows and genres for their contribution to the world of anime. The common American anime fan may watch dubs and broadcast anime, but the die-hard otaku will obsessively and instinctively seek out the Japanese in Japanese animation; watch untranslated and subtitled anime in an effort to experience a greater diversity of anime, and because such shows are simply more “Japanese.”

And this leads to another significant difference between Japanese and American otaku, and a final necessary element of hardcore Western anime fandom. While hardcore Japanese otaku isolate themselves with their anime, Western otaku actively seek to promote and expand the awareness and appreciation of anime. It’s only natural for someone who loves something to want to share that joy with others. Since anime is an import medium and a hobby that revolves around collecting material imported in limited quantity, it’s easy to become selfish and high-strung. The true, die-hard isn’t “holier than thou.” True Western anime otaku are liberal, open-minded people willing to expose themselves to an art form totally foreign to themselves. As an extension of that, die-hard anime otaku are often friendly, generous people that want to share anime with others. Furthermore, true anime otaku aren’t the type to make classifications, generalizations or exclusions. Someone that snobishly refers to him or her self as an “anime otaku” is usually doing so not for personal identity, but to show off to others. A true anime otaku will always want to see more anime. Therefore the true anime otaku knows that there’s no such thing as “the best” anime program because there’s always some other anime show in existance not yet seen. Saying that a program is of poor quality implies the critical judgement of an otaku. Saying that a show sucks simply because one doesn’t like it implies a lack of consideration and respect for the medium of Japanese animation. Watching lots of import anime signifies an otaku’s obsession. Showing off one’s experience simply to impress others suggests a lack of personal investment and interest in the art of anime itself.

In summation, true Western otaku are fans that whole-heartedly love everything about anime, love watching and collecting anime, and love sharing anime. Being an “otaku” isn’t something that can be predetermined or artificially attained. The status of otaku is a natural evolution of one’s fandom. It’s not determined by the size of one’s collection or purely by the amount of anime viewed. The status of “otaku” is determined by experience and devotion. Essentially, if you’re an anime otaku, you know it in your own heart, and that’s all that’s important to you because by that point classifications and status are trivial concerns in comparison to seeing the next episode of your favorite show or getting your friends to watch your latest discovery with you.