Otaku, what is it?
by María Fernanda Rodríguez Chaves
The Otaku culture is an extensive topic that is getting more famous in Costa Rica every day. But what does the word Otaku mean? According to the Urban Dictionary, the word Otaku has a negative meaning in Japanese, as it refers to the people who stay all day long at their house doing nothing and having no social life. On the other hand, the article, Origin of Otaku Culture, explains that in modern Japanese slang this word has been used to refer to the person who is fan of anime, manga, pasokon and so on. Its origin may start with the relation with a Tokyo’s district named Akihabara, which is a well-known place for being the “center of Otaku culture”. In this town, according to the same article, is easy to find people who is fan of electronics. Also, it can be easily found in shops, as outlets, cafes and themed cafes, which fulfill the needs of the Otakus. The article, The 12 Types of Japanese Otaku, talks about the several types of Otakus, some of them are: the Anime and Manga Otaku which is the fan of all the Animes and Mangas. The Cosplay Otaku, is the one who likes to role playing and to wear customs related to a movie, or even an anime or manga. The Game Otaku, is the one who likes video games. The same article continues mentioning about the Figure Otaku, who is the one who likes to collect Anime or Manga figures. The Robot Otaku is interested in everything related to robots. The Pasokon Otaku is obsessed with computer technology. The Wapanese Otaku is the non-Japanese person who is interested in the Japanese culture. Finally, the Voice Actress Otaku is the one who is really into the voices of actors and actresses from any Anime production. Indeed, the Otaku Culture is a very extensive but interesting topic that is getting more famous around the world.
by María Fernanda Rodríguez Chaves
The Otaku culture is an extensive topic that is getting more famous in Costa Rica every day. But what does the word Otaku mean? According to the Urban Dictionary, the word Otaku has a negative meaning in Japanese, as it refers to the people who stay all day long at their house doing nothing and having no social life. On the other hand, the article, Origin of Otaku Culture, explains that in modern Japanese slang this word has been used to refer to the person who is fan of anime, manga, pasokon and so on. Its origin may start with the relation with a Tokyo’s district named Akihabara, which is a well-known place for being the “center of Otaku culture”. In this town, according to the same article, is easy to find people who is fan of electronics. Also, it can be easily found in shops, as outlets, cafes and themed cafes, which fulfill the needs of the Otakus. The article, The 12 Types of Japanese Otaku, talks about the several types of Otakus, some of them are: the Anime and Manga Otaku which is the fan of all the Animes and Mangas. The Cosplay Otaku, is the one who likes to role playing and to wear customs related to a movie, or even an anime or manga. The Game Otaku, is the one who likes video games. The same article continues mentioning about the Figure Otaku, who is the one who likes to collect Anime or Manga figures. The Robot Otaku is interested in everything related to robots. The Pasokon Otaku is obsessed with computer technology. The Wapanese Otaku is the non-Japanese person who is interested in the Japanese culture. Finally, the Voice Actress Otaku is the one who is really into the voices of actors and actresses from any Anime production. Indeed, the Otaku Culture is a very extensive but interesting topic that is getting more famous around the world.