How do you know if you're an Otaku?

[HayashiTakara]

Ok, this has been bugging me for a long time now... where does it border between being a fan and being an Otaku? I always wondered if I was an Otaku or not... I don't collect posters, statuettes, stickers, sound tracks, etc etc... all I do is watch shows and read manga, and I enjoy talking about the shows I like... I'm pretty adamant about watching the shows though, I keep on top of things, and become attached sometimes... Does that make me an Otaku?

[Lonestar9]

I could be wrong, but I always thought an Otaku was someone basically obsessed with some show or genre or something. They would have all sorts of collectibles of their favorites, and on extreme ends, they are portrayed as very socially awkward, even with bad hygenie!

Then again, I could be wrong!
I too keep up a lot with shows, but I have no collectibles, and sadly, I often times end up forgetting names, situations, etc...of stuff i've watched in the past. Darn my bad memory!

[cyth]

In English context, there's nothing wrong with claiming you're an otaku. If you think you are an ardent anime devotee, then you must be an anime fanatic, in other words, an otaku.

Some people think being called an otaku is a badge of honor, others a badge of shame. Needless to say, it's a silly notion. I also do not agree with people well-versed in Japanese social studies who claim we should disassociate ourselves with the term because it's a bad kind of word among the Japanese populace. I believe there's nothing wrong with calling ourselves otaku as long as it's done among the members of our fandom, which is the case among Japanese otaku as well.

This manufactured dilemma exists because of a certain segment of people who like to proclaim their hobby to the world. Sorry, but reading comics and watching cartoons isn't exactly what a grown-up member of the society should be happily proclaiming in the open. In my opinion, the hardcore anime fandom should be kept behind closed doors, but the rather opposite situation in the U.S. is a consequence of the niche anime industry overextending itself among normal consumers.

The real question is whether you're a hardcore fan or a casual fan. But that's something you need to come up based on your own introspection. I recommend being honest with yourself. o.ob I was seventeen at one time and thought of myself as a casual fan because I had kept up my social life, studies, and my hygene. Yet I was watching every anime title I could find, frankly speaking, spending too much time on my hobby. Doesn't really matter whether you spend money on your hobby or not. Time will tell whether you'll venture into those seas. Most of the time, regularly purchasing anime goods is an inevitable consequence of being enamored with your hobby.

[Mushi]

You know you're otaku if you find yourself on an internet forum devoted to the love of anime asking how to tell if you're otaku.

[HayashiTakara]

There in lies the problem... I religiously watch anime. And I have been for 20 years now. I'm of Japanese decent, well at least half, my other half is chinese. But, I've been spending my summers at my grandparents there since I was about 5 till I was out of High School. And funny thing is, when I was there, I never watched anime, only read manga. But yet, I'm still leading a healthy social life, am engaged to be married soon, have a steady career... but yet, I'm hitting this wall of confusion if my hobby of watching anime and reading manga marks me as an Otaku.

[Slice of Life]

Do you personally think your devotion to anime is a bad thing? Do you have the feeling that the time, money, or energy you spent on your hobby should or even has to be spent on more important things? But you don't have the willpower to do so? If no, then everything is OK. If yes, then you have a problem.

[Rengemaru]

The way I see things is like this: An otaku is the Japanese equivalent of the English word "nerd", meaning someone who is specialized in a certain field on the expense of others (let it be other hobbies, social skills, etc). That is, however, is not a really bad thing as most people might think. Take for example scientists, they devoted all their time and effort into studying and experimenting on the expense of, usually, socializing with others, staying fit, developing skills or hobbies, etc. As bad or boring as it might seem to others, scientists are, in fact, leading a very wonderful lives. They're enjoying what their doing while securing a very beneficial careers.

And now, try to compare otakus to them. Otakus are people who are specialized in anime, manga, novels and games. They devote most of their time and effort into, in general, enjoying and analyzing anime, manga, novels and games. But on the other hand, they too are not socializing with others, not staying fit and not developing skills or hobbies. But the big difference lies here, unlike scientists, otakus are not securing a career for themselves and instead are devoting that effort into their hobbies. That's why they are viewed with a bad image.

I think that being an otaku is completely fine; under the strict condition of not letting it effect your life. Just play hard and work hard, I've been doing that for the past years.

But back on topic, I say that the only way is to know if you're an otaku or not is by asking other otakus. I never claimed myself as an otaku until a couple of Japanese students at my university started nicknaming me "<real name> otaku". They both were real otakus, even worse than the guys in Genshiken. I think of this method as the most appropriate because: you can't claim yourself to belong to a group of people, they have to acknowledge you as one of them to truly belong to them.

So look around for any otaku friends and ask them, do they think that you're at a level to be an otaku?

Let the flaming beging~

P.S: Yes, I am a 4th year science student.

[HayashiTakara]

I'm a psuedo closet Otaku.. I think. People know I'm into anime somewhat, but I never talk to them about it, nor has the topic ever come up in every day conversation. I do have about 2 or 3 friends that I sometimes talk to with about Anime. but, its pretty seldom.

I don't view being interested as a bad thing, I'm just curious as to where I stand. I think I'm in that gray area where its hard to say.

[Kyuusai]

Are you an otaku? It really depends on who you ask.

Some one who has no problems seeing animation as valid entertainment certainly wouldn't see you as one just for watching it like you would another show. On the other hand, there are many who would immediately lump you in with hard-core otaku just because you watch anime, period.

The real question is... as long as you're getting along with society at large, why does it matter?

[KholdStare]

That depends. Make a list on the factors that might contribute to being an otaku and judging from the answers, make the decision yourself. For example:

1) Do I watch anime every day?
-Yes
2) Do I think about anime often when not watching it?
-Yes
3) Do I own anime figurines?
-No
4) Is most of my time on my computer devoted to anime?
-Yes
5) Do I get more than half of the references of Lucky Star/Hayate no Gotoku?
-No
6) Have I ever been to an anime convention?
-No
7) Do I make AMVs?
-Yes
8) Do I cosplay?
-No
9) Do I make dōjinshi?
-No
10) Is anime among my top two hobbies?
-Yes
11) Have I spent money on anime? (significant, not 1-2 dollars)
-Yes
12) Do I play visual novels/eroge?
-No

Well, the list goes on and on. Judging from my own responses, I would say I'm half way there, but you yourself will decide the point when you become an otaku. All I can say is this: You're not an otaku from just watching a lot of anime.

[Z3120]

Depends on your definition of an otaku. Because of my vast interest in series from Rockman to Code Geass to Lucky Star, I'm looked upon as an otaku by my friends unanimously, which isn't exactly correct considering my interest into anime doesn't extend to the level of a what I'd deemed to be a "fanatic otaku" (same thing?). Like for example, because I'm tight on money and other interest, I usually buy some series like Air TV or Gankutsuou instead of Hajime no Ippo or Hikaru no Go, even though I like them. If I had a part-time job instead of doing temp jobs, I would reconsider, but unfortunately, nope. Also, I'm not much of a hardcore manga reader, or one at all.

I'm sure there are other qualifiers to designate someone as an otaku, and I'm sure as hell ain't one of them. I'm a mere fan

[octobomb]

Otaku Stereotype
The stereotype of an Otaku is a fat man with wide glasses who stays inside their room taping shows, commercials, and has a great interest in hentai. Usually male and has capsule kits and manga filled to the ceiling. They are also known to use both the TV and the Computer at the same time while trying to put together small model kits they bought of a zoid, gundam, or car.

However this is only a small group of people in the Otaku subculture who let them selves be lost in the media without recognizing any other parts of life.

Personal Definition
I think that the second you gone and seen something other then Naruto or Bleach you have become a Otaku... Otaku are not the same as extremists because over the time the original stereotype is becoming way to targeted towards those who are interested in hentai. Whats the different stages of obsession? lets think about it

1. If you have seen more then just Naruto or Bleach you are an Otaku.

2. If you Cosplay...
you gain 1 OCD point

3. If you own Model Kits, Capsule Toys, or Keychains...
you gain 1 OCD point for each one of the 3

4. If you own CCGs, Postcards, or Pencil Boards
you gain 1 OCD point for each one of the 3

5. If you own wallscrolls, posters, or anime wallpaper
you gain 1 OCD point for each one of the 3

6. If you listen to anime music and nothing else
your just narrow minded... and lost in your anime

7. If you use anime terms in every day conversation and start acting like them
you gain 1 OCD point

8. If you can do the Lucky Star or Haruhi Dance...
you gain 1 OCD point

9. If you seen even really bad anime even being forewarned...
you gain 3 OCD points

10. If you goto work or school dressed up as a anime character...
you gain 3 OCD points

11. If you know more then 12 anime quotes
you gain 1 OCD point

12. if you are apart of an Anime or Manga forum
you gain 1 OCD point

13. if you attend your local Anime Convention, School club, or Weekend Anime Meetings
you gain 1 OCD point for each of the 3

14. If you write fanfics, draw fanart, make anime music videos, or make remixes of anime songs...
you gain 1 OCD point for each of the 3

15. Do you watch anime every day
you gain 1 OCD point

16. Do you use anime stationary
you gain 1 OCD point

17. Is there a girl or guy you are a fangirl or fanboy of?
you gain 1 OCD point

18. Do you prefer hentai,yaoi, or yuri over real life adult videos?
you gain 1 OCD point
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honestly i see nothing wrong with being an otaku, I think that how Obsessive Compulsive you are about your hobby is more of the thing to fear really. Even if you are all these things no one should JUDGE you... its just if only these things run your life people are going to think... because it would be sad if all this is in your hobby but you are jobless and not attending school... but some people manage : / i know a few people who follow nearly all these and still have a life. It just gets harder to manage the farther you are in ANY hobby really ^_^U...

my personal score was 11 out of 30 OCD points

then you also gotta start thinking if you are cut into even smaller groups of anime otaku : /...

some people speciallize in Mecha and Military anime... some Bish, some magical pretty girl, some hentai... and some School Girl... and the list goes on and on...

in Otaku No Video it is separated between the the main difference in 80s otaku which was
Military Otaku- who were at the time obsessed with Macross, Bubblegum Crisis, and Captain Harlock
Otaking- which is the ultimate nerd... also known as the one who helps the Anime/Manga subculture by making some sort of product, store, entertainment... etc... to further expand their view on Otakuism

In genshiken they show there are speciallization based on Talents
Cosplay Otaku- those interested in being seen in cosplay or creation of cosplay.
Model Kit Otaku- which are people who stricly love making model kits...
Perverted Otaku *stereotype*- those who are in anime and manga for the sake of hentai dounjin and anime.

i personally believe people will only start subcategorizing if you only specialize in that particular skill or anime interest of one type of genre. Most people who are in the hobby usually have dabbled in at least a few of these once to see it they liked it ^_^U.. so just cause you cosplay doesnt mean your going to be categorized unless thats ALL you do. However there are a few people i know in florida that only cosplay and dont actually like anime :X i found it to be so strange, but whatever floats there boat ^_^U

[Kamui4356]

It's really easy to tell if you're an otaku. Look up at your walls. Do they have at least 51% of their surface area covered with anime posters and/or wall scrolls? *Note that you only count the visiable surface area, any behind furniture doesn't count* If you answered yes, you're an otaku. If not we move on to question two.

Are your dvd and book collections comprised of at least 70% anime or manga? If yes you're an otaku. If not we move on to the last question.

Do you own any anime related merchandise like figures, body pillows, cosplay materials, or the like, even just 1? If yes you're an otaku.

Remember, even if you answered no to all of these questions, you may still be an otaku. However, it's not in the final stages yet so you can still get treatment.

[chison]

chison's my personal Definition
if you pay your life to comic/animation and think highly of it,than you often spend most of the times with C&A
up to a point that you found your lover in the inside world and you will kill yourself without comic/animation becasue you lost all your family member in there


alone the line in the terms of this,
you will work 24/7 and put all your money to buy the stuff that keeps you life going.
that is why japanese otaku are so worrying ,the names of otaku is not any medal...
keep yourself clean,and you will be a fans of animation with some supports

[Vexx]

I tend to align with Toua and Slice_of_Life's definitions... except I just prefer not to use the term because of its meaning in Japanese. It may have a milder interpretation in other parts of the world but I don't want to have to switch mental gears.
Otaku are still pretty scary to "Kenji and Seiko Public" to whom it basically means "social shut-in and possible serial killer" even though they may have salary jobs. There's a reason those street dancers and cosplayers often wear masks.

So I'm a fan of japanese culture, both traditional and pop.

[octobomb]

there really isnt too much more to the different kinds of definitions then the ones already here ^_^U... I think all of us have dived pretty far in all our person definitions of what an Otaku is. Pic and choose which one you agree with... ABANDON THE REST! let god sort out the rest! :O

[HayashiTakara]

After reading all of these post.. I think I would make a classification on myself as a mild Ero-Otaku, lol.

I have no wall scrolls/posters
I have no figurines / models / etc
I have little to none anime sound tracks
I don't cosplay, I usually laugh about it, but I admire those that are done really really well.
I think really well done hentai/Ecchi is hot, Tony Taka comes to mind.
My life consist of more than just anime, but I do watch a lot though, as much as a person watches T.V. although.. I don't watch T.V.
I only read manga if it really catches my attention, I'm not into it as watching anime though.
I've been considering doing fan art for some time now, I think I'm gonna start doing so. XD
I've been to an anime convention once.
Even though I've watched anime for 20 years, I didn't start getting into it till about 5 years ago.

I think thats about it.

[KholdStare]

This is actually very interesting what different people considers to be an otaku.

[Slice of Life]

I find it interesting that what started with a serious question is getting more and more absurd.

I think that the second you gone and seen something other then Naruto or Bleach you have become a Otaku

That's the highlight so far.

[qtipbrit]

Originally Posted by octobomb

1. If you have seen more then just Naruto or Bleach you are an Otaku.

So true. A good percentage of the world became otaku back when Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, and Pokemon were all over television.

And my score was 6. Do I win, lose, or neither?

I think that if you're trying to get people to judge whether or not you're an otaku though you've already made an answer for yourself makes you quite an otaku.

And really, once you are not able to easily deny that you are an otaku, I would say you've reached some new low (that I reached months ago).