You must have heard about the nickname one uses to describe a person who wears anime attributes, such as jackets or even t-shirts using the term weaboo; while people who love to watch anime are called otaku. Every now and then, the people who receive that label, which is intended to bring shame to the person, are taking it lightly, and are, in fact, proud of that social-tag. Yup, those two nicknames are taken rather condescendingly in Japan, which considers the person as a weirdo; and this cultural view has begun to spread globally, including in Indonesia.

Now, do you know what’s the real meaning of weaboo and otaku? What about their origins and differences (most people think that weaboo and otaku are the same things)? Let’s discuss it here.

1. The Definition of Weaboo

Taken from an English slang word, Weaboo is a term that refers to someone who is not from Japan and always sees himself as a Japanese or even recognizes Japanese culture more than their own; ranging from anime, manga, to the language itself. In short, it’s fair to say that these Weaboos are obsessed with everything Japanese. They always try to act like the real Japanese, while the real Japanese, in fact, don’t act that way.

Someone can’t be considered as a Weaboo just by their anime-themed looks, but from their lingo and topics when they’re having a discussion. If they constantly slip in some Japanese with their native language mid-sentence or even ranting in Japanese to their closest friends who don’t even speak it, that person can be indicated as a Weaboo. In addition, a Weaboo will talk about how awesome the Japanese culture is, and speak terrible things about their own culture while still living in their homeland.

2. The History of Weaboo

Up until now, there is no detailed explanation of the origins of the word Weaboo. However, according to the info we got, someone on 4chan (a popular online bulletin) coined the term for the first time in order to berate people who recklessly use broken Japanese; for example: “Watashi come from Japan desu”. Since then, the term Weaboo is used until now.

3. Pengertian Otaku

Unlike Weaboo, the real definition of otaku isn’t always just related to anime and manga. In Japanese, an otaku is a person who has a deep passion for their hobby and is severely obsessed with the said hobby. But since the term has left Japan, people use the term otaku to exclusively refer to anime and manga lovers.

There’s also another meaning of otaku, home; which sounds rather fitting, due to the tendency of otaku to stay at home, shut themselves from the outside world, and prefer watching anime all the time. An otaku also tends to be quiet, rarely socializes, or doesn’t even have a group or club! The nickname Otaku isn’t actually something to brag about, because for Japanese, otaku is seen as a mental illness which could result in social exclusion.

4. Sejarah Otaku

The term otaku has been used in Japan since 1983 and was first coined by Nakamori Akio, a newspaper writer in his article, Otaku no Kenkyu. In the article, the term otaku was used for huge fans of anime and manga at that time. But the term hasn’t been widely known by the public until eventually, a mass media in Japan featured it.

Since then, the use of the term otaku has continued to evolve over time. Such as the use of otaku when referring a person who’s obsessed with their hobbies, hence the modified terms; game-otaku, Gundam-otaku, car-otaku, figure-otaku, and many more. Fortunately, many otakus nowadays dress like other people in general and behave properly; unlike the old days where they’re locking themselves in their room and act like freaks.

Being a Weaboo or otaku has several drawbacks from the society, which is social exclusion. Both Weaboo and otaku isn’t necessarily something to brag about in public. Both of them can be annoying to someone who didn’t sign up for all things Japanese, and often times are seen as the pariahs due to their peculiar acts and behaviors.

On the other hand, being a weaboo or an otaku is a choice one should take without any pressure, and there’s no harm being in the right community where you feel like you belong, especially not doing anything harmful. In other words, moderation is key, guys. If you’re doing something, do it with moderation. Oh right, do you know that some people consider Cinta Kuya or Kevin Aprilio as otakus?

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