otaku
Japanese fandom devotee
Otaku is Japanese slang for someone obsessively devoted to a hobby, especially anime, manga, or video games.
In Japan the term carries negative connotations of social awkwardness and unhealthy fixation, but English speakers—particularly fans of Japanese pop culture—often use it as a badge of identity: I'm a total anime otaku.
Agreed standard of behavior
- cosplayDressing as media characters
- idolObject of worship
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
- fanartUnofficial creative homages
shipping · headcanon · canon · filler · spoiler · normie · weeb · weeaboo
Manga for young males
- seinenManga demographic for adults
- shojoManga aimed at girls
- isekaiTransported-to-another-world narrative
- mechaPiloted giant robot fiction
harem · chibi · yandere · waifu · fansub · simulcast · dub · sub
Small ornamental sculptures
- merchandiseCommercial products offered
- boxsetBundled media collection
- preorderBuy before availability
- shrineSacred devotional place
Consumed by fixation
- reclusiveSeeking isolation from others
- neckbeardSmug online know-it-all
- basement-dwellerSomeone living underground, isolated
- antisocialAverse to socializing
escapism · NEET · shut-in · cringe · sweaty · unwashed · degenerate · simp
convention
Agreed standard of behavior
- cosplayDressing as media characters
- idolObject of worship
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
fanart · shipping · headcanon · canon · filler · spoiler · normie · weeb · weeaboo · k-pop
shonen
Manga for young males
- seinenManga demographic for adults
- shojoManga aimed at girls
- isekaiTransported-to-another-world narrative
mecha · harem · chibi · yandere · waifu · fansub · simulcast · dub · sub · seasonal
figurines
Small ornamental sculptures
- merchandiseCommercial products offered
- boxsetBundled media collection
- preorderBuy before availability
obsessive
Consumed by fixation
- reclusiveSeeking isolation from others
- neckbeardSmug online know-it-all
- basement-dwellerSomeone living underground, isolated
antisocial · escapism · NEET · shut-in · cringe · sweaty · unwashed · degenerate · simp
mangaka
Japanese comic creator
- chaptersMain divisions of text
- volumesAmounts or books
- serializationEncoding objects for transmission
one-shot · panels · raws · webtoon · jump · anthology · spinoff
- Japanese culturesamurai, kabuki, sumo, origami, tea ceremony
- Japanese wordsanime, bento, bonsai, futon, geisha
- Nerdsnerd, geek, dork, dweeb, brainiac
- fansfan, sports fan, superfan, superfans, die-hard fan
- Geek CultureTrekkie, Whovian, cosplay, cosplayer, LARP
- Japanese pop cultureanime, manga, cosplay, kawaii, idol culture
otakucasual viewer
Uncommitted audience member
casual fan · dilettante · dabbler · normie · mainstream audience