posted
The connotation is a negative one to begin with - it doesn't mean just hobbyist, it means 'obsessed to the point of recluse'. Otaku literally means 'house' - and the connotation, I believe, arises from someone who doesn't leave their house.
In America, people hold that title as a badge of honor, and think it means "I know a lot about Anime and Manga!" - it doesn't. It means you're a reclusive freak.
..which, come to think of it, actually really fits some people I've come into contact with who proudly hold that title.
posted
Eh, whatever. It isn't applied to reclusive people generally, only to hobbyists. And it is applied to hobbyists whether or not they're actually reclusive. I think that "house" is to refer to the fact that the person pursues an interest from home (as opposed to at work).
Apparently, the term was coined by the hobbyists themselves, since it uses an informal honorific form.
I still wonder what's so vivid about it. And why it's "really, really cool". I mean...other than the fact that it is Japanese in origin.
How about "Bacca"? Why isn't that one super cool and all?
Posts: 100 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Actually, the word came about because otaku does mean house, and it is an insanely polite way of saying "I" in Japanese, like referring to yourself. The usage is really uncommon except from people who don't spend a lot of time out in public. Like insanely obsessive fans of any given thing.
Yeah, it's not just for anime, it can be for nearly anything. And though it was in recent history a very derogatory term, it's become slightly less deragotary in recent years. But only slightly.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
In Japanese, an otaku can be pretty much any kind of fanatic. In English, it has the more-or-less exclusive meaning of "anime fanatic". Presumably because fanatics in other areas aren't as likely to be familiar with Japanese slang. In English it's not derogatory at all.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Over here in Brazil, an "otaku" is someone who loves/knows a lot about anime, manga and some aspects of Japanese culture, throws random japanese words left and right and don't know how to speak about anything else.
(in case you're wondering...no, I am not.)
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