Is Otaku a Dirty Word?

I think it sounds elitist. Kinda' like Americans trying to sound cute by saying "kawaii".

Otaku is a man/woman who has a passion for anime figures etc. and they buy it for the sake of their own satisfaction, anymore more to that is obsessiveness, nowadays people always tend to think that

Otaku = obsessive(insert product/figure/anime name here).

it kinda sounds sad, and more like insulting if you put it that way.

Been seeing the word in anime shows and its just a hobby...
many people misjudge the fact that its a dirty word...
for example hentai means weird or in a rude term perverted....
but otaku has a neutral meaning so for my guess its not a dirty word..

Im guessing Otaku really means hobby for collecting stuff and its popular with the guys buying female dolls so people think it belongs together

Basically what I've picked up from this thread is that in Japan 'otaku' is associated with 'weirdo'. As if it's assumed if you're an 'otaku' you might have a blow up doll in the closet or some other weird stuff.

Here in America it just means 'anime fan'.

Meanwhile the actual definition simply translates to 'geek', 'nerd', or 'obsessive fan of x'.

Sounds like a typical case of lingual morphology due to changing cultural landscapes, crossing cultural boundaries, 'lost in translation', and possible large scale underlying social issues beneath all of it. Yay! It's fun time!

Otaku is one of those words that were bastardized to mean a broad range of things like hentai.. which just means pervert or perverted.. not a single item like pron anime or manga. Even thought otaku is suppose to be a neg term for nerds and geek who like anime culture to a single obsessive thing like manga or trains.. they turn the neg to a pos.. like here in the west.. gay or fag. Similar to the word nigga people turn a term meant in hate or to disgusts into a term they call each other in terms of respect or acknowledgement.

It's a category title which represents this culture, not fixated on one thing but a variety of things based around anime (in terms of an 'anime-otaku'). Otaku is just a word to express your passion for something, it isn't limited to anime; there are densha otaku (train otaku). It only emits a negative connotation when the media get hold of it and use it to kick us down because they don't understand the anime culture, so we're labelled in a bad way, perhaps as 'dirty otaku' which is just moronic, and anyone is a moron if they use the word as an insult. Think about how retarded calling a a cyclist a dirty cyclist is.



With regard to this:

I have this issue of OtakuUSA here.....
So if Otaku means anime or nerd or even being obsessed with Hentai thats cool...
I dont know I guess its based on how people see.

Too many people look at "Otaku" wrong. ^truth.

In Japan, Otaku is as rude a word to use and Geek is in America.
Many people embrace otakuism and geekdom. I do.
It's all on how you look at it, but the word in itself is not inherently "dirty."

Why do CNN hates the word OTAKU. DO they prefer the word 'WAR in the U.S?" instead. i wonder?

Sorry guys but my social anxiety tells me that it is a dirty word... an insult... if anything else.

I personally do not like being called a Otaku mostly because my friends aren't and I dont want to feel even more alienated than I already was.
(Grammar problem perhaps)
Plus if you think about it, the fanbase can seem pretty terrible for most people... mostly because people are quick to judge and always view Anime as extremely childish, and very creepy (I'm looking at you Fat Naruto Cosplayer).

But thats just the surface of things

It does, but in Japan it's seen as a bad trait. Notice that in anime an "otaku" typically hides this fact, or pairs off with others like them and it's a focus point of the anime?

One the reasons this is the case is because of culture pressure.


When I first came across this word, it was seen as overly obsessive. Not just a casual obsession, but being so much of a habit that it causes serious functional problems. Money management skills, eating and cooking for oneself, etc.. these typically take a back seat to the habit.

You have to remember, to the japanese people, this can be a real thing, and would be very shameful.

Thus, calling one an "otaku" was very offensive, as it basically was like saying they are so focused on a habit that they need aid to survive on a capable level.

The Japanese government brought this to light as a major problem in it's populace, often paired with one being a NEET, or a Hikikomori. Once they did so, western culture grabbed hold of this "obsessiveness" which was usually associated with anime at the time, and used it as an empathizes to imply their level of fandom was far beyond normal.


It is now seen as a testament of fandom here, but based on how it crossed over, there is some confusion, and thus, it's somewhat open to interpretation. That's why even over in western culture you might get "Oh, your one of those people" or "Me too! Isn't it great to be an anime fan?"

Because of this, I personally don't use the word otaku lightly. It wasn't originally meant to be positive, and can be offensive if used without context.

So, to answer the question the thread asks, while not inherently a "dirty word" it is my view some care should be taken in how and where it is used, because the history attached to it is rather involved.

Well, sounds like even for Japan, the times they are a changin'!

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-10-26/yano-research/1-out-of-4-japanese-say-they-are-otaku

Huh. Who'd have thunk it.

Otaku is a western term with a western meaning. Just because the Japanese use the word doesn't mean we haven't coined its own meaning into our culture. I don't know one normal Japanese person who uses the term to refer to a fan of nerd culture. This is unique to our culture in my opinion.

>Otaku is also a western term... fixed that for you.

But yeah, you're right.

Another example is "hentai". The original meaning of hentai in Japan isn't just perverted, it's a bit more severe; more along the lines of almost, if not, to the point of where it's criminal.

However, it's been adopted into the English language and it's been given it's own English meaning. The meaning is very similar, and the spelling is the same, but they're two different words.

Another example is pork. Pork is pig meat, duh, hasn't it always been like that? Pork comes from the French, "porc" meaning pig. The meanings are very close, essentially spelled the same, but it's English now.

the word Otaku only sound dirty to some people because of the hypocrites who doesn't even know the meaning and afraid of the word so the label this a dirty word

I regard an otaku as someone who is disconnected from the real world and only focuses on their ワイフ and other unforstandy nonsense.

Words meanings vary depending on culture, background and how it is precieved by another
for example to many of us the word "Otaku" is a mere nickname to those who are Anime fans and those who are so are proud to be called Otaku, however if you use it against someone who isnt a fan and use it as its slang term "Geek" then some people may be offended by it.

Its the same for a particular word that for safety will just say "The N Word" but I am sure we all know what is it, Now if a Black person says it to another black person that word is precieved to be like say "Mate or Brother" and thus isnt considered a rude word, However if I (as a white man) were to say the same word even if i meant it in the same way I would be classed a Racist and probably chased down the street.

You will know the answer after watching this anime.