Otaku (おたく/オタク) is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games. A female otaku is occasionally referred to as a fujoshi
First and foremost, let me clarify one thing. I am not an otaku. I never was an otaku, and I never referred to myself as one. I have never been a hardcore fans of animes/mangas; I just like to watch them, but never to the point of obsessive interest. Even though this blog is mostly about Japanese anime news and such, I just did it for fun. And thus why I think I have the right on commenting about this issue. What issue do you ask? Well it’s about the so called Malaysian “Otakus”
This issue first arose when I was talking with Emina’s Fazri about the lack of sales for the recent May’n concert tickets. We were lamenting that while there are a lot of Anime fans in Malaysia, not many know of her and her relationship with Macross Frontier. And we were also laughing about the fact that most of these fans are calling themselves otakus, even tho just about the things that they know about animes were, in no particular order, Bleach and/or Naruto.
As quoted above, an otaku is someone who is really obsessed with something. Ask them about their particular line of interest, and they will sure be able to tell and describe to you any facts about it. As such, an AniWota in Japan is regarded as one of the most important core target in terms of merchandising and DVD/Blu-Ray sales, since these are the guys who will fork out whatever and however much is needed to acquire that item. Thus why we are seeing how the direction of anime as a whole itself is changing, as they are trying to cater to the needs of these group. What they want, is what the anime studios will give them.
Certainly they are quite a powerful group, but why are we talking about them in the first place? Well easy. It’s for comparison. If you are a so called otaku from Malaysia, try asking yourself, how much do you really know about the anime you watch? Honestly in Malaysia there lies a misconception that if you watch anime, you’re automatically an “otaku”. WTF wei, most of you don’t even know what the word really mean but you classify yourself as one? Do you know the names of every seiyuu? Do you buy all the DVD/Blu-Ray releases of the series? Oh wait, talking about that, let me clarify that Bootleg DVDs from Hong Kong does not count. More on that later on, but seriously, ask any Nartuo or Bleachfags about the Seiyuu from the series and chances are, only a minority can name them.
Talking about seiyuus, how many of the so called local otakus knows name like Sakamoto Maaya? Fukuyama Jun? The awesome Tomokazu Sugita? Hayashibara Megumi? Or even Norio Wakamoto? I am thankful that we have someone like j1m0ne in Malaysia. Her blog is a good read for any seiyuu fans, and what made me started to learn about the seiyuus behind the a series in the first place. There is, however, just so much that a blog can do, and most of the so called “otakus” out there don’t even bother to visit sites like these.
Merchandising is also something that I really feel these so called “otaku” fail at. Miserably. Reading threads like this, this and this, I wonder if they really KNOW what original merchandise really means. I don’t think they are THAT stupid to not realise that the HK bootlegs DVD/VCDs are not original. But then again this is Malaysia. How do you show support for that particular series? Sure, by buying bootlegs of it, and proudly show them off…
Belilah Barangan Buatan Malaysia
A real otaku would go and try to buy the original release of that particular series. Ini kalau beli DVD cap ayam, pastu nak mengaku otaku? PTUI! Heck, even the figurines they buy are the Chinese knock off that cost just a fraction. And they are saying they are proud to be fans. Fans that are making the pirates richer by leeching off the hard work of others? Bah!
Seriously, if you think you’re a REAL otaku, try compare your level to one awesome non-otaku, Shinn87. If you find yourself not on par on his level, then dream on. Heck, the only person in real life that I can consider a real otaku is a friend of mine. Not only he’s knowledgeable in many animes, he also frequents Japanese discussion boards, thus he’s usually my source of news.
So what’s this article is about actually? Well not much. I just feel like talking about it. Drop me a comment if you feel that I am doing it wrong.
Article of truth.
[Reply]
panjangnye tembing kata
[Reply]
or was it tembok? lolwat
[Reply]
Otaku? KIMOI!
[Reply]
Quazacolt
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 19:45:05
go eatshit
[Reply]
I daresay I be an otaku…heck, I wear that badge proudly since I was labeled by a few Japanese management execs while in Japan. My bro too!
But yer right…not many can lay claim to such a title and, by right, not many should. It’s quite derogatory on many levels. Good read tho’. May want to repost it somewhere else if you don’t mind?
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 15:51:31
Sure, be my guest lol
[Reply]
tl:dr
jk…. Well, otakus are the real hardcore anime fans, most of us actually just stopped at level A instead of level B
[Reply]
I agree -.-
I lol’ed at the figurines part though. sad.
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 17:44:18
You’re a cosplay otaku.
*salutes*
[Reply]
Moco
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:34:06
LOLLLLL i shall disagree on that
I’m totally not up to date with recent series, and there are a lot of awesome cosplayers/ cosplay skills which I don’t know
yet
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:41:24
Lol, at least you girls know more about cosplays than I can ever wish for T.T
[Reply]
Moco
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:48:01
hmm then u, shawn shawn, razrig, etc are photographer/ camera otakus? ‘.’ (muahahahaha)
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:49:24
Sadly I am a PC otaku lol. I need 2 PCs to cater all of my HDD, and my 8TB HDDs are nearing full capacity edy
[Reply]
Moco
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:51:10
lolllllll we all have our inner otaku-ness for different things *w*
Humanoid
Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 10:49:34
8.. 8TB ….still not enuf? *shocked*
This is why we have the Otaku Elimination Game mischieviousgiggle.jpg
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:10:14
Oh you! *giggle.mkv*
[Reply]
Quazacolt
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 19:46:12
/r/ sauce for giggle.mkv
[Reply]
I can understand and felt the same way regarding your rage against those who say they are Otaku without knowing what is it, But regarding the HK dvd’s and stuff are like raged at kids when they act childish. If there are people who want to start getting into Anime, Their only way to start is through TV or those bootlegs. Even if the licensed/original product manage to get noticed and avaliable here, It’s expensive for a high school mid-class kid so they go for cheaper alternative. You can’t really blame them. Also You don’t just expect them to be full knowledgeable like we do. Even i had that stage before until i had unlimited access to internet.
If you’re questioning their minds, They’re still kids. Half of them will evolve to become like us and another half will end up ignorant but not losing anything of value to the fandom.
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 18:25:40
read again. I am just saying that these so called “OTakus” are proud of their pirated Hongkie collection. If they shut up about it, fine. Just don’t go out there, start saying you’re an otaku, and show off your bootlegs. Case of fact, this post
[Reply]
reppu_kiri
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 19:11:04
Well, forgive me for not reading in detail. But look at it, They’re posers and it’s normal. They’re just overhyped and they just want to express their feelings.
But on the bright side(?), This is internet. A place where dream are shattered to pieces. If one are proven not worthy will be damned which is in fact, something we can always laugh at. Just laugh at those who show off their Stickered CD-Rs, they’ll get the point
[Reply]
I doubt anyone would want to be compared to me anyway.
[Reply]
Quazacolt
Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 19:47:24
you’re my role model in being a fag
[Reply]
To an extent we are all obsess at something be it culinary, arts, movie making, audio directing and so forth. The title can be wear by anyone who are really into something they are passionate about. For instance I can call Einstein an Otaku for loving physics.
For the title to be wear by those who claim they know about anime & are passionate about them is small in size from what I know and my interpretation. Recently, my friend got addict to Macross Frontier which is one of the title I recommended to him a month ago and now he said to me he had collected all the Macross Frontier DVDs. So, I asked where does he get it from and was not surprise that he brought at Speedy that everything is below RM50 only. I know it’s killing the industry T_T
The only way for Malaysian to buy the original is to go online because it’s hard to find any license sale agent selling original version.
Just my 2 yen
[Reply]
linkinstreet
Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 06:46:33
There is a saying, hendak seribu daya, taknak seribu dalih
[Reply]
I’m pretty sure Naruto fan knew about Mizuki Nana.
[Reply]
Yes, this is the truth…aku insaf lepas baca article ni…
[Reply]
I smile when I saw you said that Sugita is awesome. That he is.
only wannabe will called themselves an otaku. Also it just a perspective that Malaysian have. When they know you watch anime, you’re automatically dubbed as an otaku. *shakes my head*
[Reply]
totally agree ~!
go die u fake otakus..
[Reply]
Back in the day, I remember reading one blog post(I don’t really remember where it waas from, but the blog post was circa 2006-2008 roughly) that made a comparative 7-levels of anime fandom, ranging from the normalfag(majority of Naruto/Bleach readers who think that they know everything like its the back of their hand) to the maniacs(most of the blog posters ranging from Darkmirage, Riuva, Shinn, W.A.H. and even you, Linkin) to the often despised anime/manga otaku, which can mostly be found in Japan.
These days, I rarely do see the ho-hum people who claim they know everything in the anime(I had those aplenty in my secondary/highschool times), but only in the internet, can we find some of the best things in the world, and sewer scum. Just going on to troll these people somehow makes me feel guilty(like kicking a disabled person in the crotch) because I’m a good guy in real life, but oh, does it feel good to shut them up. All I can say is, if someone in Malaysia says that they are great anime “otaku”, pose them these questions:
a)Do you know who is Kawajiri Yoshiaki, Nagai Go, Ishiguro Noburo or Terasawa Buichi?
b)Can you summarize for me the synopsis of Gundam(the U.C. variation)?
c)Can you name me a voice actor, and other roles he/she may have played?
d)How many attempts of cosplay have you achieved successfully?
e)Do you own any real media for the anime you love(the Region D.V.D.s, Western releases, Japanese releases, etc…)?
f)Do you know what is the Legend of the Galactic Heroes?
A person who can answer a majority of these questions(3-5 questions correctly) are spared normally. Heck,even knowing 1 is good enough. If they decline or can’t answer at all, you know what to do to them…..
Damn, that was one long comment. Maaf ya, abang Linkin……
[Reply]
Sorry for the double post, Abang Linkin. When I saw what this “xeonbox” typed, the fires in my eyes raged. In the past(geez, I guess I really do have lots to talk), I used to walk ’round places like Popular, Speedy, Artist Gallery and the likes to look at all the anime and think of them as shit(do note, I was 14 years old back then and I thought Ragnarok the Animation was better than Ghost in the Shell, of all things). When my friend urged me to “support the industry” and buy the Gundam Wing ciplak D.V.D.s,it was as if I payed RM 200 for a RM 15 product. I swore never to buy stuff anymore, and only downloaded forever, until my knowledge of the industry increased. Man, all I can say is, that the more we buy of these “original” stuff, I’m pretty sure we’re paying more Ah Longs/pirates/child-smugglers in Malaysia/China/Taiwan/H.K. to do more shit. You want loli? Can’t find them. They’ve been smuggled by the Triads(not the cool guys from Black Lagoon, mind you, but those people said who are willing to throw red paint unto your front porch/door for being an arsehole).
Minta beribu-ribu ampuan, Abang Linkin. I’ve said too much.
[Reply]
Gradients! Involvement in interests and hobbies have gradients…
Balance! Everyone has a finite time (and within it a finite amount of wealth). One can spend all that resource in such interests, but one will lose out in other parts of life.
Happiness! In the end, if ye feel that you can die with no regrets, then what yer doing is ok.
[Reply]
fuckyouall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Reply]
ah, do buying any stuffs related to animanga without thinking counts? i always find myself grabbing those novel graphics (originally from japan but translated into BM) from gempakstarz and stashed them away, taking my time to read it.
the same thing happens when i go to Borders or Kinokuniya. Always buy original manga then regretting about it later because in the end, I don’t have enough money to eat.
i’m a CG otaku. my right hand always bear the brunt of my daily CGs grabbing (damn you, Danbooru for making me hooked!)
started figurine collecting last year. again, i think i lacked restraint. for this year, i limit myself into buying figmas ONLY.
anime? back then i consumed everything. now, i’m being selective. my source? youtube (i know the quality sucks but hey i’m not that otaku when it comes to anime).
i’m otaku but not that otaku enough :3 you can call me CG otaku, VOCALOIDs otaku, eroge otaku and general knowledge otaku (wikipedia is my friend).
Norio Wakamoto? (hello, every-nyan. how are you?)
Megumi Hayashibara? (I fapped to Rei, does that count?)
May’n? (Shit, i spent all my money for figmas D: But I prefer Fukuyama-san to perform here.)
oh btw, the so-called “otakus”, they only know mainstream anime. i always gritted my teeth in frustration when most of them don’t know what am i talking about. talk about being otakus but they don’t even embrace otakkism.
thankfully, i have a friend that is a real otaku (quite knowledgeable about a lot of anime, a real hikkikomori, RPG otaku, and even know how to respond to my jokes about obscure anime). at least my life is not that ronery…
a long comment is long…
[Reply]
its the same here in Austria. Kids nowadays think they just watch some horrible butchered episodes of naruto on German tv and buy some bootleg dvds and cheap buttons for their bags and think they are otaku plus it seems like its about being cool because you are watching it instead of just watching it because you enjoy it. /facepalm
[Reply]
Artikel ni macam nak menggalakkan orang jadi otaku…
Kepada yang tak dapat nak halang diri sendiri tu, nak buat macam mana kalau dah dasar otaku, tapi pada orang yang masih normal tapi NAK jadi otaku, tak payah la. Ni bukan lagi soal Nasionalisma, tapi orang Jepun sendiri pun ramai tak suka geng geng otaku ni weyyy.
Nak tengok atau baca, terpulang la. Jangan sampai lebih 80% masa lapang hangpa dihabiskan dengan benda ni. Lain la kalau hangpa boleh buat duit, a.k.a. melukis.
Cuma nak mengingatkan diri sendiri dan orang lain. Wallahualam.
P.S.: Wey linkinstreet, hang ada jadi regular kat website lain sama kan…? Kalau tak silap aku, Sankaku Complex…
[Reply]
Nothing but the truth.
[Reply]
Most of Malaysian Otakus are not really otaku when you compare them to those Japs
[Reply]
i guess cannot beat the original “otaku”, imo its like comparing an anime with jap voice and dub anime version :p
[Reply]