What does it mean to be an Otaku?

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Konata']What do you mean by this ='(

My community has very few otaku. And when I do meet one, it's very awkward, as if I don't fit in. We'll get along but it's just so uncomfortable. Like sitting at Borders reading a manga or illustration book next to others (When I tried that, I felt so embarassed for some reason, hence why I don't sit on the floor to read these things anymore), meeting or talking to people at anime conventions (Last time I did that, the man who had spoken with me followed me throughout the whole entire anime convention (exception for one day because I was running about for one hour buying all of the merchandise I had planned to get) and still IMs me (He's a nice man but... he sorta creeped me out >_>)), or even talking to fans in my city. Maybe I'm just a different otaku? Or maybe I haven't been exposed to any true otaku? Like, I sorta wish I was in an anime club like Genshiken, lol. But then I dunno either. I think it might be a bit creepy. Besides, clubs like anime/manga/game clubs aren't allowed at my school anyway, ha-ha...



I personally think that someone could quit being an otaku if they wanted to. Because sometimes being an otaku might interfere with things like education, jobs, etc. That is, if you refer to my definition of the term. And maybe that person realizes that obsessing over anime and manga won't accomplish much in his/her life, so he/she decides to quit his/her addiction.[/QUOTE]


[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ah. i see. So you're [B]Kanji[/B] from [B]Genshiken[/B]. you simply haven't found your way yet.

Anyway, if someone has the mindset that they can quit being an otaku, or that being an otaku is a hindrance then they aren't an otaku. The whole point is that you enjoy anime - if it is destructive to you then you aren't an otaku. Just a guy who likes anime.

I am a considerably strange person even among otaku - I have developed a very outgoing personality and a LOT of peole know me at school and the people I hang out with are not otaku (or they might aspire to be but are still in the Naruto stage) but last year i met an actual otaku (and back then, I hadn't really become one yet. I was into music)

I only saw him 4 days last year cuz of his problem with cluster headaches but this year now that I'm on his level, we happen to have lunch together every day (that he comes in) and we immediately became friends (whom no one else could follow the conversations of lol) and now we talk on YIM and he's helped me a LOT with my computer and stuff. If there's w=one thing I've always found to be true about otaku it's that they are the nicest people in the world. [/COLOR]

[OtakuSeeker]

[quote name='Konata']What do you mean by this ='(

My community has very few otaku. And when I do meet one, it's very awkward, as if I don't fit in. We'll get along but it's just so uncomfortable. Like sitting at Borders reading a manga or illustration book next to others (When I tried that, I felt so embarassed for some reason, hence why I don't sit on the floor to read these things anymore), meeting or talking to people at anime conventions (Last time I did that, the man who had spoken with me followed me throughout the whole entire anime convention (exception for one day because I was running about for one hour buying all of the merchandise I had planned to get) and still IMs me (He's a nice man but... he sorta creeped me out >_>)), or even talking to fans in my city. Maybe I'm just a different otaku? Or maybe I haven't been exposed to any true otaku? Like, I sorta wish I was in an anime club like Genshiken, lol. But then I dunno either. I think it might be a bit creepy. Besides, clubs like anime/manga/game clubs aren't allowed at my school anyway, ha-ha...

[/QUOTE]

Lately I've been throwing around the term "public" and "private" Otaku, or "casual" and "excessive" Otaku to determine varying degrees of being a "fan" or whatever definition people want to use. Just a quick question, but, would you consider yourself more of a "private" Otaku because its a bit awkward when you find other fans (with the exception of the OtakuBoards, obviously) ? Or is that simply because there aren't many Otaku around that you've been able to connect with? (Besides creepy guys at conventions, of course. There are always a few socially awkward ones at the cons that are a bit "creepy." )

---Sorry for all the quotation marks. I'm trying so hard here to be politically correct since I'm trying to take an intellectual stance on all of this; but I inevitably just end up sounding very vague on everything. :animestun

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='OtakuSeeker']Lately I've been throwing around the term "public" and "private" Otaku, or "casual" and "excessive" Otaku to determine varying degrees of being a "fan" or whatever definition people want to use.[/QUOTE]

This sounds like some interesting terminology. It seems pretty accurate, but "public" and "private" almost make it sound like it's taboo to be an otaku (I know what you're gonna say, Konata. You really don't have to.) I just think it's kind of funny picturing "Private" otaku coming out of the closet.

[OtakuSeeker]

[quote]I just think it's kind of funny picturing "Private" otaku coming out of the closet.

[/quote]

XD. Yeah, well, I guess I'm just asking for that if I use that terminology >_<

But hey, I'm sure there are some Otaku there that would say its a pretty difficult endeavor to admit they're an anime fan to friends/family who think of it in a negative way. So in that way its almost like "coming out of the closet"..........why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret saying that....

[eleanor]

[quote name='OtakuSeeker']Yes, this is a topic I've come across before; there are definitely girl otakus (or anime fans or whatever you'd like to call them) out there, but I seem to have noticed that they are very often absent from more public displays of anime fandom, such as school anime clubs, etc. Now, this is not always the case, as anyone at a convention (especially a Yaoi con) could see; but I am definitely interested to see how many girls will respond to this thread.
[/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] Because being associated with liking anime is not incredibly good to most high schoolers, and girls are more aware of their social standing (especially in school). Even if I were an 'otaku', I sure as hell wouldn't announce it to my entire class.
There are plenty of people in the anime fandom that embarrass 'closet' fans or whatever you want to call them. [/font]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='OtakuSeeker']XD. Yeah, well, I guess I'm just asking for that if I use that terminology >_<

But hey, I'm sure there are some Otaku there that would say its a pretty difficult endeavor to admit they're an anime fan to friends/family who think of it in a negative way. So in that way its almost like "coming out of the closet"..........why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret saying that....[/QUOTE]

Because I exist. Actually, you're probably right. Both of my sisters have an inherent dislike of Anime in general. They don't really care that I watch it, and I can understand where they're coming from. Try explaining to a non-otaku the basic premise of Fullmetal Alchemist. We don't think that much of it, but most of this stuff is just weird.

In other news:
Son: "Hey, dad? I have a confession to make."
Father: "What is it, son?"
Son: "I like Anime."
Mother: "WHERE did we go WRONG?!?!??!"
Father: "Consider yourself disowned, stranger."

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] Because being associated with liking anime is not incredibly good to most high schoolers, and girls are more aware of their social standing (especially in school). Even if I were an 'otaku', I sure as hell wouldn't announce it to my entire class.
There are plenty of people in the anime fandom that embarrass 'closet' fans or whatever you want to call them. [/font][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ya'll go to some weird schools. Every damn goth kid at my school wears anime shirys and stuff. And we make up a good 7-8th of the school population. The girls are far more flambouyant about it than the guys.[/COLOR]

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ya'll go to some weird schools. Every damn goth kid at my school wears anime shirys and stuff. And we make up a good 7-8th of the school population. The girls are far more flambouyant about it than the guys.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Goths enjoy being hated. They basically design themselves to be offensive to others, because they love the attention.

[eleanor]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]Ya'll go to some weird schools. Every damn goth kid at my school wears anime shirys and stuff. And we make up a good 7-8th of the school population. The girls are far more flambouyant about it than the guys.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] What can I say? I live in suburbia, and it's just the truth here. I have gone to my school's anime club once, and I was seriously just embarrassed. I didn't realize that the anime elitists that were online actually acted like that in real life.[/font]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Aceburner']Goths enjoy being hated. They basically design themselves to be offensive to others, because they love the attention.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Um, have you ever even met a goth kid? Your description is powerfully off.

Also, Lunox, my school doesn't have an anime club so I guess I wouldn't know, though most of the nerds I've met are really uptight offline and then let loose online, lol. Though I guess I myself am the opposite, but then again other nerds/otaku think I'm weird lol. [/COLOR]