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{{Short description|Someone highly interested in anime and manga}}
{{distinguish|Otakou|Kotaku|Ōta-ku}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Akihabara picture.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|The [[Akihabara]] neighborhood of [[Tokyo]], a popular gathering site for ''otaku'']]

{{Nihongo|'''''Otaku'''''|おたく{{lang|en|,}} オタク{{lang|en|, or}} ヲタク|lead=yes}} is a type of Japanese subculture of people with consuming interests, such as [[anime and manga|anime, manga]], [[video game]]s, [[computer]]s, or any other enthusiastically pursued hobby. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by [[Akio Nakamori]] in ''[[Manga Burikko]]''.

''Otaku'' subculture is a central theme of various anime, manga, documentaries, and academic research. The subculture began in the 1980s as changing social mentalities and the nurturing of ''otaku'' traits by Japanese schools combined with the resignation of such individuals to what was then seen as inevitably becoming social outcasts. The subculture's birth coincided with the anime boom after the release of works such as ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'', before it branched into [[Comiket|Comic Market]]. The rise of the internet and media further expanded the otaku subculture, as more anime, video games, and other media catering to otaku interests were created.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Okamoto |first=Takeshi |date=2014 |title=Otaku Tourism and the Anime Pilgrimage Phenomenon in Japan |journal=Japan Forum |volume=27 |pages=12–36 |doi=10.1080/09555803.2014.962565 |s2cid=145267918}}</ref> The definition of {{Transliteration|ja|otaku}} subsequently became more complex, and numerous classifications of ''otaku'' emerged.

{{Transliteration|ja|Otaku}} may be used as a pejorative, with its negativity stemming from a stereotypical view of ''otaku'' as social outcasts and the media's reporting on [[Tsutomu Miyazaki]], "The Otaku Murderer", in 1989. ''Otaku'' discrimination was particularly intense between 1989 (when a serial murder suspect was arrested) and the mid-1990s.<ref name=Miyadai>{{cite journal |last1=Miyadai |first1=Shinji |title=Transformation of Semantics in the History of Japanese Subcultures since 1992 |journal=Mechademia |date=2011 |volume=6 |pages=231–258 |doi=10.1353/mec.2011.0012}}</ref> According to studies published in 2013, the term has become less negative, and an increasing number of people now identify themselves as ''otaku'',<ref name="mynavi" /> both in [[Japan]] and elsewhere. Out of 137,734 teens surveyed in Japan in 2013, 42.2% self-identified as a type of ''otaku''.<ref name="mynavi" /> In 2005, the [[Nomura Research Institute]] divided ''otaku'' into twelve groups and estimated the size and market impact of each of these groups. Other institutions have split it further or focused on a single ''otaku'' interest. These publications classify distinct groups including anime, manga, camera, automobile, [[Japanese idol|J-idol]], and electronics otaku. In 2005, the economic impact of ''otaku'' was estimated to be as high as ¥2 trillion ({{USD|18}} billion).<ref name=money />

==Etymology==
{{Anime and manga}}
{{Transliteration|ja|Otaku}} is derived from a Japanese term for another person's house or family ([[wiktionary:お宅|お宅]], {{Transliteration|ja|otaku}}). The word can be used [[metaphor]]ically as a part of [[honorific speech in Japanese]], as a [[Second person pronoun|second-person pronoun]]. In this usage, its literal translation is "you". It is associated with some dialects of [[Japanese dialects#Eastern and Western Japanese|Western Japanese]] and with [[Housewife|housewives]], and is less direct and more distant than intimate pronouns, such as ''anata'', and masculine pronouns, such as ''kimi'' and ''omae''.{{sfn|Galbraith|2012|p=16}}

The origin of the pronoun's use among 1980s manga and anime fans is unclear. Science fiction fans were using ''otaku'' to address owners of books by the late 1960s (in a sense of "Do[es] [your home] own this book?").<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Tamaki Saitō |title=Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams: Japanese Science Fiction from Origins to Anime|publisher=University of Minnesota Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8166-4974-7 |editor-last=Bolton |editor-first=Christopher |location=Minneapolis |page=xxii |chapter=Introduction |editor-last2=Csicsery-Ronay Jr. |editor-first2=Istvan |editor-last3=Tatsumi |editor-first3=Takayuki}}</ref> Social critic [[Eiji Ōtsuka]] posits that ''otaku'' was used because it allowed people meeting for the first time, such as at a [[Fan convention|convention]], to interact from a comfortable distance.{{sfn|Galbraith|2012|p=16}} One theory posits that ''otaku'' was popularized as a pronoun by science fiction author [[Motoko Arai]] in a 1981 essay in ''Variety'' magazine,{{sfn|Galbraith|2012|p=16}} and another posits that it was popularized by fans of anime studio [[Gainax]], some of whose founders came from [[Tottori Prefecture]] in western Japan (where ''otaku'' is commonly used).{{sfn|Galbraith|2009|p=171}} The pronoun was also used in the popular anime ''[[Macross]]'', first aired in 1982, by the characters [[Hikaru Ichijyo]] and [[Lynn Minmay]], who address each other as ''otaku'' until they get to know each other better.{{sfn|Galbraith|2009|p=172}}<ref name="NRI"/><ref name="SDFMeps3and4"/>

The modern slang form, which is distinguished from the older usage by being written in [[hiragana]] (おたく), [[katakana]] (オタク or, less frequently, ヲタク) or rarely in [[rōmaji]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=Debating otaku in contemporary Japan: historical perspectives and new horizons|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4725-9497-6|editor-last=Galbraith|editor-first=Patrick W.|location=London|pages=7–8|oclc=897946266|editor-last2=Kam|editor-first2=Thiam Huat|editor-last3=Kamm|editor-first3=Björn-Ole}}</ref> first appeared in public discourse in the 1980s, through the work of humorist and essayist [[Akio Nakamori]]. His 1983 series {{nihongo|'''Otaku' Research''|『おたく』の研究|"Otaku" no Kenkyū}}, printed in the ''[[lolicon]]'' magazine ''[[Manga Burikko]]'', applied the term as pejorative for "unpleasant" fans, attacking their supposed poor fashion sense and physical appearance in particular.{{sfn|Galbraith|2019|p=55}} Nakamori was particularly critical of "manga maniacs" drawn to cute girl characters,{{sfn|Galbraith|2019|p=55}} and explained his label ''otaku'' as the term of address used between junior high school kids at manga and anime conventions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alt |first1=Matt |title=Can Otaku Love Like Normal People? |url=http://neojaponisme.com/2008/04/07/can-otaku-love-like-normal-people/ |website=Néojaponisme |access-date=4 August 2021 |date=7 April 2008}}</ref>

In 1989, the case of [[Tsutomu Miyazaki]], "The Otaku Murderer", brought the fandom, very negatively, to national attention.<ref name="essay" /> Miyazaki, who randomly chose and murdered four girls, had a collection of 5,763 video tapes, some containing anime and [[slasher film]]s that were found interspersed with videos and pictures of his victims. Later that year, the contemporary knowledge magazine ''Bessatsu Takarajima'' dedicated its 104th issue to the topic of otaku. It was called {{nihongo|''Otaku no Hon''|おたくの本|lit. The Book of Otaku}} and delved into the subculture of otaku with 19 articles by otaku insiders, among them Akio Nakamori. This publication has been claimed by scholar Rudyard Pesimo to have popularized the term.<ref name="Nippon_Foundation"/>

==Usage==
In modern Japanese slang, the term {{Transliteration|ja|otaku}} is mostly equivalent to "[[geek]]" or "[[nerd]]" (both in the broad sense); a technological geek would be a {{nihongo||技術オタク|gijutsu otaku}} and an academic nerd would be a {{nihongo||文化系オタク|bunkakei otaku}} or {{nihongo||ガリ勉|gariben}}), but in a more derogatory manner than used in the West.<ref name=essay /> It is also applied to any [[Fan (person)|fan]] of any particular theme, topic, hobby or form of entertainment.<ref name=essay /> According to journalist Colette Bennett, "[w]hen these people are referred to as {{Transliteration|ja|otaku}}, they are judged for their behaviors — and people suddenly see an 'otaku' as a person unable to relate to reality."<ref name="Otaku: Is it a dirty word?"/><ref name="gizmodo"/> The term thus has more of a [[Pejorative|negative association]] in Japanese society.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yadao |first=Jason S. |date=2005-04-17 |title=Enter the world of hard-core anime fans |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-otaku-no-video/77478544/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609000252/https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-otaku-no-video/77478544/ |archive-date=2024-06-09 |access-date=2024-06-08 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]] |pages=E8}}</ref>

The word entered English as a [[loanword]] from the Japanese language. It is typically used to refer to a fan of [[anime]] and [[manga]], but can also refer to [[Video games in Japan|Japanese video games]] or even [[Culture of Japan|Japanese culture]] in general. Platforms like [https://www.trackotaku.com TrackOtaku]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.trackotaku.com |title=TrackOtaku - Anime Tracking Platform |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=TrackOtaku}}</ref> and the American magazine ''[[Otaku USA]]'' popularize and cover these aspects.<ref name="Home - Otaku USA Magazine" /><ref name="fan" /> The usage of the word is a source of contention among some fans, owing to its negative connotations and stereotyping of the fandom. Widespread English exposure to the term came in 1988 with the release of ''[[Gunbuster]]'', which refers to anime fans as {{Transliteration|ja|otaku}}. ''Gunbuster'' was released officially in English in March 1990. The term's usage spread throughout the [[Usenet newsgroup|Usenet group]] rec.arts.anime with discussions about ''[[Otaku no Video]]''{{'}}s portrayal of otaku before its 1994 English release. Positive and negative aspects, including the pejorative usage, were intermixed.<ref name="fan" /> The term was also popularized by [[William Gibson]]'s 1996 novel ''[[Idoru]]'', which references ''otaku''.<ref name="Modern boys and mobile girls" />

==Subculture==
Kaichirō Morikawa identifies the subculture as distinctly Japanese, a product of the [[Education in Japan|school system]] and society. Japanese schools have a class structure which functions as a [[Caste|caste system]], but [[School club|clubs]] are an exception to the social hierarchy. In these clubs, a student's interests will be recognized and nurtured, catering to the interests of ''otaku''. Secondly, the vertical structure of Japanese society identifies the value of individuals by their success. Until the late 1980s, unathletic and unattractive males focused on academics, hoping to secure a good job and marry to raise their social standing. Those unable to succeed socially focused instead on their interests, often into adulthood, with their lifestyle centering on those interests, furthering the creation of the otaku subculture.<ref name=essay />

Even prior to the coinage of the term, the stereotypical traits of the subculture were identified in a 1981 issue of ''Fan Rōdo'' (Fan road) about "culture clubs".<ref name="essay"/> These individuals were drawn to anime, a counter-culture, with the release of [[hard science fiction]] works such as ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]''. These works allowed a congregation and development of obsessive interests that turned anime into a medium for unpopular students, catering to obsessed fans. After these fans discovered Comic Market, the term was used as a self-confirming and self-mocking collective identity.<ref name=essay />

The 1989 "Otaku Murderer" case gave the fandom a negative connotation from which it has not fully recovered.<ref name=essay /> The perception of ''otaku'' was again damaged in late 2004 when [[Kaoru Kobayashi (murderer)|Kaoru Kobayashi]] kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered a seven-year-old first-grade student. Japanese journalist Akihiro Ōtani suspected that Kobayashi's crime was committed by a member of the ''[[figure moe zoku]]'' even before his arrest.<ref name="picnic2004"/> Although Kobayashi was not an ''otaku'', the degree of social hostility against ''otaku'' increased. ''Otaku'' were seen by law enforcement as possible suspects for sex crimes, and local governments called for stricter laws controlling the depiction of eroticism in ''otaku'' materials.<ref name="Otaku harassed as sex-crime fears mount"/>

Not all attention has been negative. In his book ''Otaku'', [[Hiroki Azuma]] observed: "Between 2001 and 2007, the ''otaku'' forms and markets quite rapidly won social recognition in Japan", citing the fact that "[i]n 2003, [[Hayao Miyazaki]] won the [[Academy Award]] for his ''[[Spirited Away]]''; around the same time [[Takashi Murakami]] achieved recognition for otaku-like designs; in 2004, the Japanese pavilion in the [[Venice Biennale of Architecture|2004 International Architecture exhibition]] of the [[Venice Biennale]] (Biennale Architecture) featured 'otaku'. In 2005, the word {{Transliteration|ja|moe}} — one of the keywords of the present volume — was chosen as one of the top ten '[[buzzword]]s of the year'."<ref>{{cite book |last=Azuma |first=Hiroki |date=April 10, 2009 |title=Otaku |chapter-url=http://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/otaku |location=Minneapolis |publisher= University of Minnesota Press | chapter= Preface |page = xi|isbn=978-0-8166-5351-5 |access-date=January 31, 2014}}</ref> In 2013, a Japanese study of 137,734 people found that 42.2% self-identify as a type of otaku. This study suggests that the stigma of the word has vanished, and the term has been embraced by many.<ref name="mynavi" /> [[Marie Kondo]] told ForbesWomen in 2020: "I credit being an otaku with helping me to focus deeply, which definitely contributed to my success."<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyschoenberger/2020/08/30/mariekondo/#4c69dc3c4500|title = Marie Kondo on Sparking Joy in a Pandemic and the Life-Changing Magic of Becoming a KonMari Consultant| website = [[Forbes]] | date= 2020-08-30}}</ref>

In the early 1990s, the otaku subculture started to gain traction in the [[Western world]].  According to Lawrence Eng, the first anime that could have caused this to happen was ''[[Gunbuster]]'', and the protagonist, [[Noriko Takaya]], is teased about her otaku behavior.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eng |first=Lawrence |chapter=Strategies of Engagement: Discovering, Defining, and Describing Otaku Culture in the United States |title=Fandom unbound: otaku culture in a connected world |date=2012 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-15864-9 |editor-last=Ito |editor-first=Mizuko |location=New Haven [etc.] |publication-date=February 28, 2012 |pages=85–107 |editor-last2=Okabe |editor-first2=Daisuke |editor-last3=Tsuji |editor-first3=Izumi}}</ref>{{rp|p=88}}  Through ''Gunbuster'', Western audiences would learn about the word ''otaku''.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Sheehan |first=Kendra |title=The otaku phenomenon : pop culture, fandom, and religiosity in contemporary Japan. |date=2017 |access-date=January 19, 2025 |degree=Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities |publisher=University of Louisville |url=https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/2850/ |doi=10.18297/etd/2850 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320132107/https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/2850/ |archive-date=March 20, 2023|doi-access=free }}</ref>  In the late 1990s, otaku was a popular subculture among [[Generation X]]ers in the United States.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beran |first=Dale |title=It Came from Something Awful: How a Toxic Troll Army Accidentally Memed Donald Trump into Office |date=July 30, 2019 |publisher=[[All Points Books]] |isbn=978-1-250-21947-3 |edition=1st |location=New York |page=xiv}}</ref> In the early 2000s, the otaku community in the United States often consisted of [[suburb]]an young people and niche online groups.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beran |first=Dale |title=It Came from Something Awful: How a Toxic Troll Army Accidentally Memed Donald Trump into Office |date=July 30, 2019 |publisher=[[All Points Books]] |isbn=978-1-250-21947-3 |edition=1st |location=New York |page=x}}</ref>

===Places===
The district of [[Akihabara]] in Tokyo, where there are [[maid café]]s featuring waitresses who dress up and act like maids or anime characters, is a notable attraction center for otaku. Akihabara also has dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga, [[Retrogaming|retro video games]], figurines, card games, and other collectibles.<ref name="Akihabara"/> Another popular location is [[Otome Road]] in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Students from [[Nagoya City University]] started a project to help promote hidden tourist attractions and attract more otaku to [[Nagoya]].<ref name="japantimes"/>

===Subtypes===
[[File:Hinagiku Katsura itasha side front 20090726.jpg|thumb|A [[Nissan March]] featuring Hinagiku Katsura from the manga series ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]'']]

There are specific terms for different types of otaku, including {{nihongo|[[fujoshi]]|腐女子||lit. "rotten girl(s)"}}, a self-mockingly pejorative Japanese term for female fans of {{Transliteration|ja|[[yaoi]]}}, which focuses on [[homosexual]] male relationships.<ref name="Mari"/>  {{Transliteration|ja|[[Reki-jo]]}} are female otaku who are interested in [[Japanese history]]. Some terms refer to a location, such as {{Transliteration|ja|[[Akiba-kei]]}} ("Akihabara-style"), which applies to those familiar with Akihabara's culture.

Miyadai describes two big subtypes of the otaku type, a world type and a battle royale type. There is a chronological development from the world type of the late 1990s to the battle royale type of the 2000s but they also coexisted. The antagonism between the world type and the battle royale type emerged in the age in which reality and fiction are regarded as equivalent tools for self-defense. He further describes the internet society as a rhizomic structure which invalidates the distinction between "reality" and "fiction". The world type treats fiction as an equivalent of reality (real-ization of fiction), while the battle royale type treats reality as an equivalent of fiction (fictionalization of reality).<ref name=Miyadai/>

===Media===
Otaku often participate in self-mocking through the production or interest in humor directed at their subculture. Anime and manga otaku are the subject of numerous self-critical works, such as ''Otaku no Video'', which contains a live-interview [[mockumentary]] that pokes fun at the otaku subculture and includes [[Gainax]]'s own staff as the interviewees.<ref name="Buried Treasure - In Praise of Nerdiness"/> Other works depict otaku subculture less critically, such as ''[[Genshiken]]'' and ''[[Comic Party]]''. A well-known [[light novel]], which later received a manga and anime adaptation, is ''[[Welcome to the N.H.K.]]'', which focuses on otaku subcultures and highlights other social outcasts, such as {{Transliteration|ja|[[hikikomori]]}} and [[NEET]]s. Works that focus on otaku characters include ''[[WataMote]]'', the story of an unattractive and unsociable [[otome game]]r otaku who exhibits delusions about her social status;<ref name="animenewsnetwork"/> and ''[[No More Heroes (video game)|No More Heroes]]'', a video game about an otaku assassin named [[Travis Touchdown]] and his surrealistic adventures inspired by anime and manga.<ref>{{cite web |title=Travis Touchdown has a comfortable home life |url=http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/travis-touchdown-has-a-comfortable-home-life/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711134618/http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/travis-touchdown-has-a-comfortable-home-life/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2012 |publisher=Joystiq |first=JC |last= Fletcher |access-date=2007-09-21 |date=2007-08-29 }}</ref> Media about otaku also exist outside of Japan, such as the American documentary ''[[Otaku Unite!]]'' which focuses on the American side of the otaku culture,<ref name="animenewsnetwork2004"/> and the Filipino novel ''[[Otaku Girl]]'', which tells the story of a virtual reality world where otaku can [[Role-playing|role-play]] and use the powers of their favorite anime characters.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

[[File:GuP itansha.jpg|thumb|alt=Girls und Panzer cosplayers take photos in the itasha exhibition area of the doujinshi sale.|[[Girls und Panzer]] cosplayers take photos in the itasha exhibition area of the [[doujinshi convention]].]]

=== Habits ===
A term used in the otaku fandom is {{nihongo|[[wotagei]] or otagei|ヲタ芸 or オタ芸}}, a type of cheering performed as a group. Another term is {{nihongo|''[[itasha]]''|痛車|4=literally "painful (i.e. cringeworthy) car(s)"}}, which describes vehicles decorated with fictional characters, especially [[bishōjo game]] or [[eroge]] characters.<ref name="Itasha: Japan's Creepiest Car Fetish" /><ref name="Behold. A Fleet of Cars Owned by Nerds." />

{{-}}
==Classification==
[[File:Railfantokyo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Anorak (slang)|Anorak]]s taking photos of trains at an annual depot open-day event in Tokyo in August 2011]]
The [[Nomura Research Institute]] (NRI) has made two major studies into otaku, the first in 2004 and a revised study with a more specific definition in 2005.<ref name="nri2004"/><ref name="nri2005"/> The 2005 study defines twelve major fields of otaku interests. Of these groups:

* Manga otaku were the largest group, with 350,000 individuals and an ¥83&nbsp;billion market scale.
* Idol otaku were the next largest group, with 280,000 individuals and ¥61&nbsp;billion.
* Travel otaku were third, with 250,000 individuals and ¥81&nbsp;billion.
* PC otaku were fourth, with 190,000 individuals and ¥36&nbsp;billion.
* Video game otaku were fifth, with 160,000 individuals and ¥21&nbsp;billion.
* Automobile otaku were sixth, with 140,000 individuals and ¥54&nbsp;billion.
* Anime otaku were seventh, with 110,000 individuals and ¥20&nbsp;billion.

The remaining five categories include [[mobile device]] otaku, with 70,000 individuals and ¥8&nbsp;billion; audio-visual equipment otaku, with 60,000 individuals and ¥12&nbsp;billion; camera otaku, with 50,000 individuals and ¥18&nbsp;billion; [[fashion]] otaku, with 40,000 individuals and ¥13&nbsp;billion; and [[Railfan|railway]] otaku, with 20,000 individuals and ¥4&nbsp;billion. These values were partially released with a much higher estimation in 2004, but this definition focused on [[consumerism]] and not the "unique psychological characteristics" of otaku used in the 2005 study.<ref name="nri2004" /><ref name="nri2005" />

The NRI's 2005 study also put forth five archetypes of otaku:

* The first is the family-oriented otaku, who has broad interests and is more mature than other otaku; their object of interest is secretive and they are "[[Coming out#Non-LGBT contexts|closet]] otaku".
* The second is the serious "leaving my own mark on the world" otaku, with interests in mechanical or business personality fields.
* The third type is the "media-sensitive multiple interest" otaku, whose diverse interests are shared with others.
* The fourth type is the "outgoing and assertive otaku", who gain recognition by promoting their hobby.
* The last is the "fan magazine-obsessed otaku", which is predominately female with a small group of males being the "[[Moe (slang)|''moe'']] type"; their secret hobby is focused on the production or interest in fan works.<ref name="nri2005" />

The Hamagin Research Institute found that {{Transliteration|ja|moe}}-related content was worth ¥88.8&nbsp;billion ($807&nbsp;million) in 2005, and one analyst estimated the market could be as much as ¥2&nbsp;trillion ($18&nbsp;billion).<ref name="money" /> Japan-based ''Tokyo Otaku Mode'', a place for news related to otaku, has been liked on [[Facebook]] almost 10&nbsp;million times.<ref name="Tokyo Otaku Mode has 10 million Facebook fans but now what" />

Other classifications of otaku interests include [[Vocaloid]], [[cosplay]], [[Model figure#Japanese figures|figures]], and [[professional wrestling]], as categorized by the Yano Research Institute, which reports and tracks market growth and trends in sectors heavily influenced by otaku consumerism. In 2012, it noted around 30% of growth in [[dating sim]] and [[Online game|online gaming]] otaku, while Vocaloid, cosplay, idols and [[Maid café|maid services]] grew by 10%, confirming its 2011 predictions.<ref name="Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2012" /><ref name="Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2011" />

=== Ōkina otomodachi ===
{{nihongo|''Ōkina otomodachi''|大きなお友達}} is a [[Japanese language|Japanese]] phrase that literally translates to "big friend" or "adult friend".<ref>When this phrase is actually pronounced, the colloquial form {{nihongo|''okkina otomodachi''|おっきなお友達}} is often used.  The phrase {{nihongo|''ōkii otomodachi''|大きいお友達}} is also used with the same meaning.</ref> Japanese otaku use it to describe themselves as adult fans of an [[anime]], a [[manga]], or a TV show that is originally [[Children's anime and manga|aimed at children]].<ref>[http://www.paradisearmy.com/PASOK10.HTM#341 Dōjin Lingo ({{lang|ja|同人用語の基礎知識|nocat=true}})] {{in lang|ja}}<!--Japanese--> Retrieved on August 4, 2006.</ref> A parent who watches such a show with their children is not considered an ''ōkina otomodachi'', nor is a parent who buys anime DVDs or manga volumes for their children; ''ōkina otomodachi'' are those who consume such content by themselves.

== Otaku outside Japan ==

Based on a survey with 1,800 responses conducted by [[Dentsu]] in July 2022, an extrapolated 34% of [[Americans|American]] [[Gen-Z]]s (around 15 million people) identify themselves as anime ''otaku''.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 December 2023 |title=The Numbers Speak for Themselves! Anime is Killer Content for Gen Z |url=https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/showcase/anime_is_killer_content.html |website=Dentsu}}</ref>

Kim Morrissy of the media company [[Crunchyroll]] wrote that, in the anime fandom, some [[Western culture|Westerners]] believe that identifying as an otaku constitutes [[cultural appropriation]], and that it can only refer to a Japanese person.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morrissy |first=Kim |date=22 August 2016 |title=Feature: Found in Translation - The Evolution of the Word 'Otaku' [Part 1] |url=http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2016/08/22/feature-found-in-translation-the-evolution-of-the-word-otaku-part-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824140634/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2016/08/22/feature-found-in-translation-the-evolution-of-the-word-otaku-part-1 |archive-date=24 August 2016 |access-date=26 August 2016 |newspaper=[[Crunchyroll]]}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Speculative fiction|Video games}}
<!--PLEASE DO NOT ADD LINKS HERE THAT ARE BROAD IN SCOPE, WORDS SUCH AS "FAN" and "GEEK" ARE ALREADY LINKED IN THE ARTICLE.-->
* {{anl|Chinese language}}
* {{anl|Daicon III and IV Opening Animations|''Daicon III and IV Opening Animations''}}
* {{anl|Hentai}}
* {{anl|Japanese language}}
* {{anl|Japanification}}
* {{anl|Japanophilia}}
* {{anl|Moe (slang)|''Moe''}}
* {{anl|Nijikon|''Nijikon''}}
* {{anl|Waifu|''Waifu''}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="Akihabara">{{cite web | url=http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html | title=Akihabara | publisher=japanguide.com | date=July 24, 2013 | access-date=August 19, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427005552/http://japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html | archive-date=April 27, 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="Behold. A Fleet of Cars Owned by Nerds.">{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5848520/behold-a-fleet-of-cars-owned-by-nerds/ | title=Behold. A Fleet of Cars Owned by Nerds. | publisher=Kotaku | date=11 October 2011 | access-date=13 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824161631/http://kotaku.com/5848520/behold-a-fleet-of-cars-owned-by-nerds/ | archive-date=24 August 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Buried Treasure - In Praise of Nerdiness">{{cite news | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2007-11-15 | title=Buried Treasure - In Praise of Nerdiness | work=Anime News Network | date=15 November 2007 | access-date=13 August 2013 | author=Sevakis, Justin | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729055645/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2007-11-15 | archive-date=29 July 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Home - Otaku USA Magazine">{{cite web | url=http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/Main/Home.aspx | title=Home - Otaku USA Magazine | publisher=Otaku USA | access-date=14 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913140014/http://otakuusamagazine.com/Main/Home.aspx | archive-date=13 September 2013 }}</ref>

<ref name="Itasha: Japan's Creepiest Car Fetish">{{cite web | url=http://jalopnik.com/5320386/itasha-japans-creepiest-car-fetish/ | title=Itasha: Japan's Creepiest Car Fetish | publisher=Jalopnik | date=23 July 2009 | access-date=13 August 2013 | author=Hardigree, Matt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727111338/http://jalopnik.com/5320386/itasha-japans-creepiest-car-fetish/ | archive-date=27 July 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Mari">{{cite book | title=Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams | publisher=University of Minnesota Press | first= Tamaki | last= Saitō | author-link= Tamaki Saitō | year=2007 | page=224 | isbn=978-0-8166-4974-7 | editor-last=Bolton | editor-first=Christopher | editor-last2=Csicsery-Ronay Jr. | editor-first2=Istvan | editor-last3=Tatsumi | editor-first3=Takayuki | location=Minneapolis | translator-last=Bolton | translator-first=Christopher | chapter=Otaku Sexuality}}</ref>

<ref name="Modern boys and mobile girls">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/apr/01/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.features | title=Modern boys and mobile girls | newspaper=[[The Observer]] | date=2001-04-01 | access-date=August 19, 2013 | last=Gibson | first=William | location=London | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706143608/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/life/story/0,6903,466391,00.html | archive-date=July 6, 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="NRI">{{cite book | title=オタク市場の研究 (Otaku Shijou no Kenkyuu) / Targeting Otaku | publisher=野村総合研究所 (Nomura Research Institute) / Shang and Zhou (Chinese Edition) | author=Zhen, Jiang Yu | date=January 2000 | isbn=978-986-124-768-7}}</ref>

<ref name="Nippon_Foundation">{{cite book|last=Pesimo |first=Rudyard C. |title=Reflections on the Human Condition: Change, Conflict and Modernity |publisher=The Nippon Foundation |year=2007 |page=167 |chapter="Asianizing" Animation in Asia: Digital Content Identity Construction within the Animation Landscapes of Japan and Thailand}}</ref>

<ref name="Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2011">{{cite web | url=http://www.yanoresearch.com/press/pdf/1002.pdf | title=Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2011 | publisher=Yano Research | access-date=12 August 2013 | date=15 October 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218055751/http://www.yanoresearch.com/press/pdf/1002.pdf | archive-date=18 December 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2012">{{cite web | url=http://www.yanoresearch.com/press/press.php/001002 | title=Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2012 | publisher=Yano Research Institute | date=October 15, 2012 | access-date=12 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630031233/http://www.yanoresearch.com/press/press.php/001002 | archive-date=30 June 2017 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Otaku harassed as sex-crime fears mount">{{cite news|title=Otaku harassed as sex-crime fears mount|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20050206t3.html|newspaper=The Japan Times|access-date=August 19, 2013|first=Michael|last=Hoffman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216162834/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20050206t3.html|archive-date=December 16, 2007 |date=February 6, 2005}}</ref>

<ref name="Otaku: Is it a dirty word?">{{cite web | url=http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/12/otaku-is-it-a-dirty-word/ | title=Otaku: Is it a dirty word? | work=cnnblogs.com | date=12 September 2011 | access-date=19 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522190438/http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/12/otaku-is-it-a-dirty-word/ | archive-date=22 May 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Tokyo Otaku Mode has 10 million Facebook fans but now what">{{cite web | url=http://www.startup-dating.com/2013/02/tokyo-otaku-mode-has-10-million-facebook-fans-but-now-what | title=Tokyo Otaku Mode has 10 million Facebook fans but now what | publisher=Startup-dating.com | date=February 1, 2013 | access-date=August 19, 2013 | author=Martin, Rick | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816072102/http://www.startup-dating.com/2013/02/tokyo-otaku-mode-has-10-million-facebook-fans-but-now-what | archive-date=August 16, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="animenewsnetwork">{{cite news | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2013-07-09/sentai-filmworks-licenses-watamote | title=Sentai Filmworks Licenses WataMote ~ No Matter How I Look at it, It's You Guys' Fault I'm not Popular! | work=Anime News Network | date=9 July 2013 | access-date=13 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824094230/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2013-07-09/sentai-filmworks-licenses-watamote | archive-date=24 August 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="animenewsnetwork2004">{{cite news | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/otaku-unite | title=Otaku Unite! - Review | work=Anime News Network | date=2 March 2004 | access-date=13 August 2013 | author=Dong, Bamboo | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824174339/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/otaku-unite | archive-date=24 August 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="essay">{{cite journal | url=http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/5zb9r8cr# | title=おたく/ Otaku / Geek | website=Center for Japanese Studies UC Berkeley | date=20 April 2012 | access-date=13 August 2013 | author=Morikawa, Kaichirō | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103210102/https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5zb9r8cr | archive-date=3 November 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="fan">{{cite book | last=Eng | first=Lawrence | editor1-last=Ito | editor1-first=Mizuko | editor2-last=Okabe | editor2-first=Daisuke | editor3-last=Tsuji | editor3-first= Izumi | title=Fandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected World | publisher=Yale University Press | date=February 28, 2012 | pages=85–104 | chapter=Chapter 4: Strategies of Engagement: Discovering, Defining, and Describing Otaku Culture in the United States | isbn=978-0-300-15864-9}}</ref>

<ref name="gizmodo">{{cite web | url=https://gizmodo.com/5321350/japans-2+d-lovers-falling-in-love-with-a-body-pillow | title=Japan's 2-D Lovers: Falling In Love with a Body Pillow | work=gizmodo.com | date=July 23, 2009 | access-date=August 19, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131201121104/http://gizmodo.com/5321350/japans-2+d-lovers-falling-in-love-with-a-body-pillow | archive-date=December 1, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="japantimes">{{cite news | url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/02/02/national/cosplay-students-promote-nagoyas-highlights/ | title='Cosplay' students promote Nagoya's highlights | newspaper=The Japan Times | date=2013-02-02 | access-date=2013-02-08 | author=Chunichi Shimbun credited | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701164211/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/02/02/national/cosplay-students-promote-nagoyas-highlights/ | archive-date=2013-07-01 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="money">{{cite web | url=http://web-japan.org/trends/business/bus050830.html | title=Otaku Business Gives Japan's Economy a Lift | publisher=Web-Japan.org | date=30 August 2005 | access-date=19 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314144838/http://web-japan.org/trends/business/bus050830.html | archive-date=14 March 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="mynavi">{{cite web|url=http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2013/04/27/076/ |title=自分のことを「オタク」と認識してる人10代は62%、70代は23% |trans-title=62% of Teens identify as "otaku", 70's 23% |publisher=Mynavi |date=27 April 2013 |access-date=4 February 2014 |first=Michael |last=Jakusoso |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703184904/http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2013/04/27/076 |archive-date=3 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="nri2004">{{cite web | url=http://www.nri.co.jp/english/opinion/papers/2004/pdf/np200484.pdf | title=The Otaku Group from a Business Perspective: Revaluation of Enthusiastic Consumers | publisher=Nomura Research Institute | date=1 December 2004 | access-date=12 August 2013 | author=Kitabayashi, Ken | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507221927/http://www.nri.co.jp/english/opinion/papers/2004/pdf/np200484.pdf | archive-date=7 May 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="nri2005">{{cite web | url=http://www.nri.co.jp/english/news/2005/051006.html | title=New Market Scale Estimation for Otaku: Population of 1.72 Million with Market Scale of ¥411 Billion — NRI classifies 5 types of otaku group, proposing a "New 3Cs" marketing frame — | publisher=Nomura Research Institute | date=6 October 2005 | access-date=12 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713033155/http://www.nri.co.jp/english/news/2005/051006.html | archive-date=13 July 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="picnic2004">{{cite web |url=http://picnic.to/~ami/ool.htm |title=公開質問状 (Open letter ) |work=NGO-AMI |date=2004-12-09 |access-date=2008-03-04 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501103354/http://picnic.to/~ami/ool.htm |archive-date=2008-05-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="SDFMeps3and4">{{Cite episode |title=Episodes three (スペース・フォールド/Supēsu Fōrudo/Space Fold) and four (リン・ミンメイ/Rin Minmei/Lynn Minmay) |series=超 時空 要塞マクロス (Chō Jikū Yōsai Makurosu/Super Dimensional Fortress Macross) |series-link=The_Super_Dimension_Fortress_Macross |network=MBS (Mainichi Broadcasting System) |date=October 1982 |season=1 |language=ja}}</ref>

}}

===Works cited===
* {{Cite book |last=Galbraith |first=Patrick W. |date=2009 |title=The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan |others=Foreword: Frederik L. Schodt |location=Tokyo |publisher=Kodansha |isbn=9784770031013 |oclc=318409815}}
* {{Cite book |last=Galbraith |first=Patrick W. |date=2012 |title=Otaku Spaces |others=Photographer: Androniki Christodoulou |location=Seattle |publisher=Chin Music Press |isbn=978-0-9844576-5-6 |oclc=709681091}}
* {{Cite book |last=Galbraith |first=Patrick W. |year=2019 |title=Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan |location=Durham, NC |publisher=Duke University Press |doi=10.2307/j.ctv1220mhm |isbn=978-1-4780-0509-4 |jstor=j.ctv1220mhm |oclc=1148100778 |s2cid=240980856}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/otaku-e.htm "I'm Alone, but Not Lonely"]—An early article about Japanese otaku by Volker Grassmuck, December 1990
* [https://www.academia.edu/35783297/Léthique_otaku_Tous_seuls_ensemble_la_crise_de_contact_et_autres_troubles_des_sens_1999 "L'éthique otaku : Tous seuls ensemble (la crise de contact et autres troubles des sens) 1999"]—Article in French by [[Maurice Benayoun]]
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/otaku-p.htm The Politics of Otaku]—A general commentary on the usage and meanings of "otaku" in Japan and internationally, September 2001
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120306022123/http://www.brunel.ac.uk/4042/entertext4.1/lamarre1.pdf An Introduction to Otaku Movement], paper by [[Thomas Lamarre]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111120225555/https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/posts.html?pg=5 "Meet the Geek Elite"], ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', July 2006
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071010073854/http://www.transcript-verlag.de/ts313/ts313.htm "Otakismus"] by Michael Manfé {{in lang|de}}

{{Japanese social terms}}
{{Fandom}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Otaku| ]]
[[Category:1983 neologisms]]
[[Category:English-language slang]]
[[Category:Epithets related to nerd culture]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Japanese slang]]
[[Category:Japanese values]]