Is "otaku" a male term?


I want to determine if the term is gender specific. Thank you.




No, it's not. There are many female otaku, too. Among those who understand the
modern otaku culture, otaku is a fairly gender-neutral term. For example,
about 35% of attendees of [Comiket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comiket) are
female.

That said, otaku is a slang word [with a relatively long and complicated
history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku#Etymology), and it used to have a
very derogatory and narrow meaning. I imagine there are still many people who
believe otaku-like hobby is only for males.




No, it's not. There are many female otaku, too. Among those who understand the
modern otaku culture, otaku is a fairly gender-neutral term. For example,
about 35% of attendees of [Comiket](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comiket) are
female.

That said, otaku is a slang word [with a relatively long and complicated
history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku#Etymology), and it used to have a
very derogatory and narrow meaning. I imagine there are still many people who
believe otaku-like hobby is only for males.

