Japano-files
The Best Thing About Being an Otaku?
This OhMoeGawddd picture is guaranteed to kill you. Beware.
“is becoming good at Nihongo”, says one of the contestants in the recently concluded Nihongo Speech Contest – Open Division category during the Q&A portion, whose speech was entitled “Welcome to the Otaku World”. No offense, but I found this answer to be a sellout, since well, the reason why someone could be part of the Nihongo Speech Contest finalists and could have a greater chance of winning is because he/she is good at Nihongo, amirite?! Ok, enough sarcasm, and the contestant I’m stabbing behind her back even won 1st place so who am I to argue.
While I know that this is indeed one of the benefits of, well not really being an otaku per se, but being interested in Japanese culture in general, I won’t consider this to be the “best” thing about it. Yes, some people become hardcore in studying Nihongo and pass JLPT because of this *ahem*, but you know the best thing about being into this whole fandom for me, far more than having l33t Nihongo skillz? …It keeps me a kid at heart — someone who can still enjoy watching 2D stuff, laugh at jokes, enjoy watching retarded shows, be passionate about something, no matter how ridiculous they might seem to others. It adds spice to what could’ve been a dull and uninspired life, COOL AND SPICY!
If you’re wondering what the speech was about, well the otagirl contestant told the world how fun it is to be an otaku. She discussed about the 3Cs in the “otaku world” — collection, creativity, and community (more like the “otaku marketing model” used by producers for milking wealthy otakus) — and talked about her Gunpla and gashapon toy collection (among other collection she has stored on her treasure trove shelves) lol. She basically had this “I R PROUD TO BE AN OTAKU/FANGIRL” stamped on her forehead, and it was fun seeing her all excited as she went about narrating her otaku story. She also mentioned about how otakus are stereotyped to be weird and whatnot by people, though she didn’t delve into this so much anymore.
Now back to the question, what do you think is the best thing about being an otaku, or being an anime/manga/game fan (to those who don’t like being called one)? Don’t tell me it’s “being good at Nihongo”, unless you want me to smack you or call you “BOO! WEEABOO!” >:[ Well I guess it’s understandable if the super MOEE~ Kona pic fries your brain or something 
Credits to はひふへ for the super moeee Kona pic :3
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29 comments for “The Best Thing About Being an Otaku?”
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Shaking the habitI mean, personally I don’t consider myself an otaku. But if you were to ask me what the best thing about being a fan of anime & manga was, I’d say that it’s probably the comedy of the constant feeling of incongruity. I am among the last people I would expect to be interested in anime and manga.I’m guessing that’s probably a very idiosyncratic answer, though.
For me its really that it keeps my art going. Anime art is cute enough that I enjoy drawing it…without that I probably wouldn’t draw anymore.
COMMUNITY. It’s always better in a group, and where I live there are about 2 people I know who are into anime. The Internets is a wonderful, wonderful thing as is anime and blogging.
Anime; connecting people.
i would say the best part would be “there is always something NEW”. even if it is not 2009 new, there are plenty of animes and manags out there that you can’t possibly get to them all. once you finish your certain series, someone will suggest 5 more after that.
never a dull moment.
not to mention…it’s a pretty cute hobby to have. *Snuggles plushies and figurines*
I’m pretty sure I caught one of your recent posts or comments that was plastered with weeaboo. Don’t be so hard on the girl, but she’s definitely a strange brand of wota. <_<
People who know exactly what you mean, and mean exactly what you know.
The idea that I am unique, and with that uniqueness, I can be someone.
I already considered myself an otaku when I started collecting anime figures. Basically, the whole otaku term is referenced to doll collecting. Then, it spawned into fandom of certain games, anime genres, manga, etc.
I remember the first time I used short words like arigatou or konnichiwa, thinking I knew everything about anime and the Japanese culture. That was then though. ^^;;
Now, I have more respect because it was anime that made me into an artist I am now as well as the love of seeing other people enjoy what I like.
Back on topic, I’m surprised that person talked about otakuism. I know some people who love anime, RPGs, game systems, JPop, etc., but are embarrassed to say so. I guess I’m kind of glad she feels proud about it. I think it would have been more obvious about what she might say if she cosplayed. =^^=
I think it’s kind of ridiculous in a hilarious kind of way.
That, like you, it keeps me a kid at heart, yet at times it manages to push me into a “mature” state of mind (I hate using that word but “adult” isn’t any better). I know there’s a danger in seeing reality through fiction, but what I see in anime has really made me perceive the world differently time and time again, be it like a child who finds out something new for the first time, or as someone revisiting what I thought I knew but really I didn’t.
Sounds like a lot of pretentious garbage, but such is the power of animu (for me XD)!!!
LOVE!
You can love things in a silly way, you can rage and hate in a funny way. You can entertain people just by talking about the shows you watch, and get so much fulfillment when you see others enjoy themselves from the recommendations you’ve made.
Animu made me new friends!
I’m sorry, being an otaku does not make you good at Nihonggo. Watching countless hours of anime does not equal a Japanese lesson. But if you are inspired by the subculture to take Japanese lessons then that’s a valid argument.
I can only imagine how BAD the other contestants are if someone who answers like that wins. Or maybe I’m just underestimating her based on that answer alone. But it kinda reminds me of that girl in that beauty pageant who lacked the actual skills to make sense and still won.
I really don’t know what the best part of being an anime enthusiast is, but it’s one of those things I never get tired off because even if I get tired of one genre, there’s always another to make up for it. E.g. I got tired of the reverse harem shoujo genre so turned to mecha for a period of time. And yeah.. as GL said, it made me have more friends.
Shouldn’t it be the other way around? The best thing about learning Nihongo is that you can watch anime without subtitles and you can read manga in raw.
Oh, you actually posted about huh?
It sometimes pushes me into some actual thought too. For example – Ever17 had me thinking on all these things like dimensions and such; CHAOS;HEAD made me research on quantum physics. It’s pretty shallow, but being an otaku sometimes serves as a catalyst for learning stuff too (ie: Japanese).
Well, as Owen has already written about – in a rather scathing, but direct-to-the-point way – anime does not a Japanese speaker make. People who think so are disillusioned, crazy, lunatics. But enough about that.
As for what makes all this stuff, anime, manga, et al. so great… I’d say it makes for one hell of a good time waster. I’m not really a literature kind of person, shame on me, so I find that the best way to tell me a story is to show me something visual or audio-visual. Ergo, anime, manga, visual novels, and their ilk.
As you said, it also keeps me a kid at heart – but then I’m still a kid, so that point’s moot!
In fact, a lot of the stuff I know and do now stems from my otaku roots. Basically, I probably wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t discovered all this stuff a few years back. I’d probably turn out to be a better person!
Plus, if I never got into it, I wouldn’t have met all you wonderful guys <3
Whoops, typo orz
she just won an English speech contest and not japanese speech contest. How can she attest that she is good in it?
Anyway, what keeps me on watching and loving anime would be the story itself and the imagination of the authors. I generally love slice of life anime(s) because it stirs my imagination about reality.
Well I know that staying on the dreamy Lala Land won’t do any good for the watcher but it is just a scapegoat when you don’t have something to do other than to STUDY. But hey, you can also learn lots of things from anime you won’t be able to read in a textbook and that what makes it more fun!
I’d say it’s the community. I can take a break from anime if I need to, but I can’t say the same for the community that surrounds it.
@IKnight: A living paradox be not? Then again, there are far more unlikely things in this world…
@Omisyth, N, Zeroblade, GL: Anime blogging makes the otaku world go round and filled with BURNING LOVE!
@Owen: and if I don’t get what you mean, what does that make me?
@bluemist: that sounded elitist, but yeah I get what you mean
@bianks and foomafoo: well she was actually good, fluent in Japanese and all that jazz, but the answer was just… MEH.
@absolute0: don’t go twisting my question (and the answer) now! pfft >:[
Jen: That makes you mean what I don’t get! Or get what I don’t mean! Or something.
In all seriousness, I’d say it’s “Mutual understanding” that defines what I enjoy about being an otaku, if that phrase stumped you.
You’re right. Best thing about it is being a kid at heart with the pocket of an adult. I can’t enjoy being an otaku with just anime alone. I need the merchandise (yep, that’s a need) that goes along with it. HAHAH! Now that’s truly being a kid both in mind and heart
@Owen: yeah, got what you mean, was just being silly, and I also wanted to make sure before pulling this “so you can believe in the people who believes in you, or let them believe in you who believes in them!” card or something!
@BeLe: and that will be the end of you! or rather us
@usagijen
Whoa I didn’t meant it to sound that way!
@bluemist: I know! I wasn’t being serious about that, and neither should you
The best thing about it is perspective. I live in FL, this place isn’t very cultural aside from Miami and Cinco de Mayo… it’s very limited. Having an interest in Japanese media sort of opens up a different side of the world, which otherwise I’d be limited to what? US television, movies, newspapers, magazine, books, comics, etc … they have their moments, but the percentage of solid expression in another culture is quite limited.
Some might say, well the States are diverse with culture, but not everywhere is like San Francisco, NYC, Seattle, and notably Honolulu, etc. (btw, SF is really awesome when it comes to culture, because it’s all there, distinct, but still mingling very well… lolikit is lucky to be at UCB).
So culture exposure… of course anime/manga is limited and to get a fuller feel I try to find interesting books (non-fiction), read blogs about food, design, or daily life, watch NHK, and experience films (like Ozu’s stuff). Of course, anime/manga often has a high return on effort put in, simple pleasure.
ALLURE!
May things, actually.
On one end yes, kid at heart when I watch simple comedies and stuff.
On the other, I love films and there’s just this charm about anime that just y’know appealed to me, along with the arts and all, that’s just lacking in general TV serials.
I download fansubs, graphics, and a little anime mp3 here and there on a religious basis so I guess that’s an otaku for you.
I don’t buy anime merchandise nor do I talk about them to people irl. So I guess I’m a closet otaku
u always get something new !!!
I would say the best part is being able to enjoy the very interesting and creative storyline, character development, and world development that I can’t find anywhere else. For most anime, I would get the feeling of wanting to explore and live in their world!
yeah, animes are awesome that way *__*