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I know the term is widely used in America as a term for someone who has a love
and anime and all things related to it. So in the US it's a term of
endearment.

However in Japan the term is known more or less to be used to describe a shut-
in / loner. But it actually originated from a few variations. One being the
name of a stalker / murderer another just meaning someone with a love for
Japanese culture.

So is the term really bad, good or more or less up to the individual to find a
meaning?


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culture terminology
Is the term Otaku derogatory?


This is somehow related to my
[question](https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/2953/do-otaku-tend-to-be-
bullied) which has been closed (and I wonder why but I respect the
administrator's decision). As far as I know, in Japan, the term _otaku_ isn't
positive at all. It means the same as being a _geek_ or _nerd_ or someone
who's _obsessed_ with something. And according to
[TVTropes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Otaku),

> Otaku come in many flavors, but one thing can be said for each and every one
> of them. They've each staked out their own favorite thing, and they obsess
> over it relentlessly. Regardless of other intelligence, an otaku will have
> an obsessive, unhealthy, and almost encyclopedic knowledge of their chosen
> topic.
>
> There are almost as many flavors of this type of character as there are
> things under the sun, but a few of the major ones are:
>
>   * Anime or Manga Otaku
>   * Cosplay Otaku
>   * Gaming Otaku
>   * Idol Otaku (wota)
>   * Military Otaku
>   * Technology Otaku
>

>
> Essentially, someone could be an otaku about just about anything: politics,
> sports, history, etc. When otaku is used by itself by a Westerner, 99% of
> the time it will mean "anime/manga otaku".
>
> Neither geek nor nerd is an adequate translation. However, in modern use,
> both words may carry a shadow of the right connotations of obsessive
> interest and/or social ineptitude. Think of the older, more pejorative
> senses of geek and you're on the right track - the British term anorak is
> also a close translation. **In Japan, the term Otaku does not carry a
> positive meaning, at all.**
>
> A semi-related term is hikikomori, which refers to a teenager or young adult
> who withdraws completely from society for an extended period, typically
> isolating themselves within their parents' house and become psychologically
> fixated to particular hobbies; hikikomori in media are usually otaku of some
> sort. Hikikomori are also critically viewed as lazy and outright creepy,
> which doesn't help the perception of otaku much. Especially after 1989, when
> serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki was shown to be both an otaku and hikikomori,
> leading to a moral panic.

So I think the term _otaku_ and being _otaku_ yourself connotes something
negative in Japan. Though, there are a lot of anime nowadays that features
otaku characters. A major example is [Lucky
Star](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Star_%28manga%29) so I think they are
somehow removing that negative connotations about being an otaku, though not
generally.


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The English term "trainspotter" gives some idea of how otaku are viewed in
Japan; a trainspotter is essentially a "train otaku". That is, weird,
antisocial, and not really "like the rest of us". Phrases like "gun nut" carry
a similar flavour of being obsessed with something in a not-entirely-healthy
way.

Given the Japanese culture values conformity, being "weird" is something more
of a social stigma than it is in most Western countries.

As such, in the Japanese culture, being described as an otaku is almost
universally negative.


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It may not be derogatory for people who describe themselves as "otaku" and who
take pride in it, but it is without a doubt derogatory for other people.

Lots of japanese people who like anime/manga tend to avoid describing
themselves as otaku, because to them it still carries the sense of that guy
obssessed with anime who wears a collared plaid shirt tucked into their jeans,
with a large backpack from which rolled posters can be seen. For example, you
could see the slang きもオタ (kimo ota = abbreviation for "kimoi otaku" =
disgusting otaku) on various japanese websites, including those like
nicovideo, 2ch or futaba, which are, even so, famous places where those same
"otaku" (western definition) dwell.

I would suggest watching the semi-anime, semi-documentary "Otaku no Video",
which is kinda old, but still a lot accurate about how "normal" japanese
people are conscious of their hobby.


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I'm surprised that none of the other answers here provide reliable citations
regarding the Japanese language or Japanese culture.

## Meanings of the Japanese Word " _Otaku_ "

The Japanese Language SE has considered this question
[here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/6989/is-being-called-
an-%E3%82%AA%E3%82%BF%E3%82%AF-derogatory),
[here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/6986/when-is-it-
appropriate-to-use-%E3%81%8A%E5%AE%85-to-refer-to-the-second-person), and
[here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/25284/4547), pointing out that

  * The original meaning of 「お宅」( _o-taku_ ) is one's household/home/family/husband/organization and is, in this usage, employed by Japanese politicians or near-strangers to imply that the relationship between the speaker and the other person is not close and possibly estranged
  * The word is used as a passive form for politeness when talking to other members of your in-group about something that someone who is socially above you (such as a teacher) has done for you
  * In the context of a fanboy/fangirl, the word is not considered strongly negative by everyone in Japan, but **does bear some connotations** such as "narrow interest," "not caring about anything except for a specific topic," "not sociable," and "strong interest on a particular field and spend more time for knowing the subject or collecting the related goods" that **many Japanese would view negatively**.

Japanese people would not generally think to use _otaku_ to refer to people
outside of Japan who are passionate about hobbies.

## Negative View of Anime/Manga Fandom in Japanese Culture

In general Japanese culture, an interest in anime and manga is looked down
upon, as I posted [here](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/22612/8134):

> Unlike in many parts of the world where manga and anime are considered
> esteemed art forms, in Japan most parents consider manga to be junk and
> discourage their kids 1) from reading manga, since they should be reading
> literary novels instead, and 2) from becoming a mangaka when they grow up.
> So most Japanese do not read manga as adults, and most who had a dream of
> being a mangaka gave up on it. Teens and adults who are involved in
> subculture are generally viewed negatively by the general populace [...]

It is due to this cultural perception that anime/manga fans have a somewhat
negative association, and **as a result** why some were derogatorily referred
to as _otaku_ by others and/or some took on the term _otaku_ to refer to
themselves. It is not simply that _otaku_ is a rude term used by haters that
got thrown onto anime/manga fans, but early anime/manga fans themselves felt
some embarrassment/shame over being such and described themselves **self-
deprecatingly** as _otaku_.

## Current Perception & Japanese Anime/Manga Fans' Preferred Term

The current generation of young adult anime/manga fans in Japan are still
viewed as **oddball** by others; they have not reached the level of acceptance
by society at large that Western otaku enjoy (for example, the popularity of
the TV sitcom _The Big Bang Theory_ or that in American people could mention
in passing that they're going to a con or RenFair this weekend and many others
won't judge them for it). However, the demographic is not as negatively viewed
as it was in past generations. Now, they might jokingly refer to themselves as
_otaku_.

But the **Japanese adults who are unabashed anime/manga fans do not usually
refer to themselves as _otaku_ , but rather prefer using the term
[「サブカルチャー」](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%96%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC)([subculture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subculture))**
to describe their interest and what they are involved in. This term, **rather
than focusing on oneself, focuses on being part of a group that differentiates
itself from the parent culture** to which it belongs in particular,
intentional ways. This usage of subculture is used not only for anime/manga
fans but for other [demographics of Japanese
people](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%96%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC#.E6.97.A5.E6.9C.AC.E3.81.AB.E3.81.8A.E3.81.91.E3.82.8B.E3.80.8C.E3.82.B5.E3.83.96.E3.82.AB.E3.83.AB.E3.83.81.E3.83.A3.E3.83.BC.E3.80.8D),
such as those interested in [the occult, clubbing, or
reggae](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%96%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC#.E5.88.86.E9.A1.9E),
which are likewise not mainstream hobbies in Japan.

## _Otaku_ ≠ _Hikikomori_

In Japanese language and culture, **the word _otaku_ by itself does not
include the meaning of [「引き籠もり」](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori)** (
_ **hikikomori**_ , sometimes translated as "shut-in" or "acute social
withdrawal"), which is a social and psychological phenomenon defined by the
Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as those who people [who
refuse to leave their house for a period exceeding six
months](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori#Definition) (further
definitions have and are being created by researchers and mental health
professionals). **Some _hikikomori_ have an interest in anime/manga/gaming,
but others do not.** Some became _hikikomori_ after having experienced
bullying at school, but the cause for others is unknown. According to [the
Japanese
Constitution](http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Japan/English/english-
Constitution.html#CHAPTER_III), children have a right to education, in other
words, a right to attend school, but they are [not legally required to attend
school](http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/%7Eja8i-brtl/Legal_Issues.htm) in order to
make use of this right (this is why [homeschooling is legal in
Japan](http://www.asahi-
net.or.jp/%7Eja8i-brtl/Keiko.htm#Homeschooling%20and%20the%20Law%20in%20Japan)).
As a result, becoming _hikikomori_ is not illegal activity.

> **Article 26:** All people shall have the right to receive an equal
> education correspondent to their ability, as provided for by law.  
>  2) All people shall be obligated to have all boys and girls under their
> protection receive ordinary education as provided for by law. Such
> compulsory education shall be free.
>
> **Article 27:** All people shall have the right and the obligation to work

When I joined the Manga and Illustration Research Society at my Japanese
university, I was a bit surprised to find out that most members are strongly
socially awkward in ways which I hadn't seen prevalent among American
fanboys/fangirls. There is an overlap between social awkwardness and social
withdrawl and the Japanese anime/manga fan community, but it is not a simple
and well-understood correlation. It could be that the less-socially-adept veer
toward niche interests, or it could be that when a _hikikomori_ is in his/her
bedroom for years on end, it **makes sense that he/she would gain an interest
in hobbies that can be done alone at home using the TV or computer** for
entertainment and for reaching out to fellows through the web.

It makes good marketing sense that the growing number of _hikikomori_ , of
whom a sizable percent are interested in anime/manga/light novels, has created
**enough consumers who would relate to _hikikomori_ protagonists that the
Japanese companies are responding to this market** by producing more titles
that feature _hikikomori_ in a positive light. This may figure into a cycle in
which people who are considering making the switch to being _hikikomori_ feel
more like it is not a terribly shameful that that only losers do but that
there are a lot of other people in the same boat (it's still too early to know
whether these titles have any effect on increasing the numbers of _hikikomori_
).


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