tw: mentions of child sexual assault
If you or someone you know is involved in the anime scene, chances are you have heard time and time again the term "otaku". In American and Western culture, the term has become to mean someone who is really interested in anime and Japanese culture and subcultures such as their street fashion, music scene, tv shows, etc. It has even become an indicative term for the people in this community, being used to describe a community and gatherings (i.e. conventions); however this term is borrowed from the Japanese language, and just like most language borrowing, the term itself has changed in meaning as it has traveled around the world.
Based upon the original meaning, this is why we in the anime community should stop utilizing this term, and find other terms to use. While in America, otaku is used as a term of endearment. It is used in community and to express the enjoyment of Japanese animation and the like; however in Japan, it is a serious derogatory term with some pretty serious social consequences. In Japan the term itself is what we used to consider "nerd" and "geek". It is a term used to socially ostracize, and states that the person in question lacks social skills and stading based on an extreme interest in anime. It has even earned the connotation as someone who lives in their mom's basement drinking mountain dew and eating Doritos while playing World of Warcraft all day. Also based on recent criminology in Japan, the term has also become equivalent with pedophiles and those who commit sex crimes. This is all due to a case in 2004 where a man kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered a seven year old girl. It was stated he was obsessed with "moe" (overly cute) things, and while the police stated he wasn't an otaku, the public was lead to believe that otaku culture was to blame. (link) This also came years after a very infamous murder case titled "The Otaku Murderer" in Japan arose. They blamed anime, video games, horror films, and pornography for a serial killer who abducted and murdered little girls. This case was in 1989 and started a nationwide panic and criticism of these interest and the culture, the likes which can still be seen today where the term is used in self-deprecation and ostracizing. (link)
With this in mind, it seems very ironic that America and western countries would adopt this term and even use it as a marketing ploy towards those of us in the community. With this is in mind, I cannot see why it became such the popular term that it is. In Japan, if used in a serious light, you'd probably have someone calling the cops on you, or at least want someone to check on you and make sure you're okay. It is with this information that I say that we should do without the term otaku, and go with something that's a little less upsetting, like weeaboo.
