and the concluding, final third piece in the chronicle on what it means to be an "
otaku", and how the trait is nearly-innate for every single
Nippon person to inherit and fulfill (though they may deny it).
Short Summary of its history and meaning across channels:
Quote:
In modern Japanese slang, the term 'otaku' refers to a fan of any particular theme, topic, or hobby.
The loan-word 'maniakku' (from the English "maniac" and "mania") is sometimes used in relation to specialist hobbies and interests. They can indicate someone with otaku leanings. For example, 'Gundam Mania' would describe a person who is very interested in the anime series Gundam). They can also describe the focus of such interests (a 'maniakku gēmu' would be a particularly underground or eccentric game appealing primarily to 'otaku'). The nuance of 'maniakku' in Japanese is softer and less likely to cause offense than 'otaku'.
Some of Japan's otaku use the term to describe themselves and their friends semi-humorously, accepting their position as fans, and some even use the term proudly, attempting to reclaim it from its negative connotations. In general colloquial usage however, most Japanese would consider it undesirable to be described in a serious fashion as "otaku"; many even consider it to be a genuine insult.
Furthermore, in English, the word, which is borrowed from the Japanese language origins, is usually used to refer to an obsessive fan of anime/manga and/or Japanese culture generally, and to a lesser extent Japanese video games.
The term serves as a label similar to Trekkie or fanboy/fangirl. However, use of the label can be a source of contention among some anime fans, particularly those who are aware of the negative connotations the term has in Japan. Unpleasant stereotypes about otaku prevail in worldwide fan communities, and some anime fans express concern about the effect these more extreme fans can have on the reputation of their hobby (not unlike sentiments in the comic book and science fiction fandoms).
Whilst a person who may be socially awkward but who is also intelligent and may be fairly "normal" aside from their interest in certain typically 'geekish' pursuits (video games, comic books, computers, etc.), otaku is closer in connotation to the English nerd, but the closest English-language analogue to otaku is probably the British English term anorak. Both of these English-language terms have more emphatically negative connotations of poor social skills and obsessive interest in a topic that seems strange, niche or boring to others.
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I also know that there nearly 30 differing variations in the Japanese old and new languages that mean something akin to the definition of "obsession", and this is but one (popular) example of the "practice which is both sought and involuntary betwixt".
And with my affinity to give you as much resources as possible, I also came upon a topical article in anecdote about what seems so strange to some, yet still familiar, altogether and over again.
Japanese Obsessions: An Observation into Otaku, Op-Ed | The New York Times