Any English, Foreign Language or Communications teacher will tell you there is a difference between denotation (the dictionary meaning) and connotation (the associated meaning - how people use it). It is not up to a select few to determine how a culture should use a word, but up to that culture to determine it themselves, which is exactly what we have done!

As SomeGuy said, "Languages change and cross-language loan-words change meanings". This couldn't be more true. Look at words we use now, and how they were used 20, 50, or even 100 years ago. Look at the difference between UK English and American English, dialect within just the U.S. regions, or even dialect between different sub-cultures in the same area.

I think I may have heard of this documentary before as well, although I have not seen it. The thing with documentaries though, like any media really, is that the creators can use the information they have and put the slant they want to on it. In this case they did it by allowing little word from people who are truly part of the culture and putting emphasis on those people would see as an authority on the subject because of their position.

But regardless, we are who we are, and it doesn't matter how others see us, or what they think we should be doing or saying, as long as we're happy and enjoy ourselves with what we do. There will always be those who think we're freaks, but there will also always be those who find what we do really cool.

As the word 'otaku' becomes more known, it's almost inevitable that it would become a label for people to use, but one thing about 'otaku' that isn't true about other 'labels' is that absolutely anyone can be otaku. It doesn't matter who you are, what your other interests are, you can still be otaku. =)

I'm not sure how far this will take me, but I hope to make some sort of point.

Roughly two years ago, I had read an article that claimed no one on this site was an otaku. According to this definition, an otaku meant that one was a dirty, creepy Japanese man who obsesses over questionable things. This concept is indeed tied into the connotations of the etymology of the Japanese word "otaku" (roughly, 'to house'). I definitely accept that I can in no way be what that word etymologically defines or suggests, in the same way that writer cannot literally be an anime "enthusiast". I'll get back to this later.

When people make appeals to definitions in backing up an argument, especially dictionary definitions, they fail to notice that dictionaries do not necessarily define words; rather, they record how a word was used in certain contexts, mainly social. Thus, some time ago (and it still exists in some uses) the word "left" had negative connotations: left-handed was somehow related to being clumsy, or insincere; "left" politics is sometimes seen as meaning "anything goes!". I myself am left-handed, and it's a wonder how I manage to paint or write with all of my necessarily inherent clumsiness! "Left" after all comes from "lyft", that is, "weak". If a word had one and only one use, language would be incredibly weak (or "lyft"). In English, I would not be able to iron my cosplay shirt with an appliance named an iron, which may actually contain said metallic element. How could an action be a name for two separate things?! Huh? How can my use of the noun name be used in this manner: "I name this site 'theOtaku'!" What I'm saying in my own absurd way is that words do not have one strict use or definition. Functional shifts do occur. Otherwise, the Sun could only be called the Sun, and not a star -- and homonyms just add more to the fun of language!

Now, let's steer this language to new waters -- namely, North American waters. I do not know of too many people who use the word otaku in a derogatory manner. When I use it, the social world I am a part of agrees that it means something along the lines of an anime/manga fan. When I say "agree", I mean that they understand right away what I mean when I use the word. My usage of that word in a North American social-linguistic context is open to standards of correct usage, in the same way my sentences themselves are open to socially correct usage (People understand me when I say, "I bought a keychain", but they do not understand me when I say, "A keychain bought I"). What we do is subject to an external check, and this check is society. And this brings us to culture.

The notion of a culture would make little sense if it did not refer at all to certain social groups who share something in common, like a general principle or belief. What most of us on this site share in common seems obvious to the extent that it would embarrass me to say what it is. We did not join this site because it's meant for dirty Japanese guys with questionable social skills. Rather, we joined it because we are girls, boys, men, woman, catgirls, etc., who enjoy the culture that we have adopted and adapted to our own cultural backgrounds to make it our own unique otaku culture. Our use of the word "otaku" points us to the knowledge that it is indeed "more of a culture than a word."

If we take our definitions literally, as with the case of "otaku", I cannot be a dirty Japanese guy, anymore than a North American teenage girl on this site can be (this also applies to a hardcore Bleach fan in the U.K., or a hyper catgirl from Australia). Returning to my opening paragraph, I could not be an anime enthusiast because that word derives from enthusiasm, which etymologically means "god-filled", or "god-possessed". Which god would actually possess my body? I would certainly hope it would be a kind god, or a totally awesome god! I would be happy to be the conduit of Osamu Tezuka when I draw with my clumsy left hand. Maybe Matsuo Basho can assist me in my creative writing.

I agree that we are no longer defined by a past usage of a word, used in a different social context. We are all well aware that the love of anime and manga is no longer inclusive to Japan only. To deny that would be to deny the existence of this site and to call into question the "error" of all who joined this site.

Hmm... Once a long while ago I read a thing on the web in my search to understand the word otaku... i really hate that word. simply becauase I cannot pinpoint it's meaning. The word originates from the japanese word for house. And is used to describe people who spead to much time indoors. It's then been adpated to describe particurally anime fans... Or people obsessed with japanese things.. as opposed to all nerds.And occording to my jap/eng-eng/jap dictionary it's also the polite version of you. I dislike the word otaku for not being entirely sure of it's meaning (even though it may seem like I know), but I can't help but use when describing myself. I really enjoyed reading this... I found it entertaining.. But you're wrong I have little to no interst in anything that isn't anime, videogames, or tennis (which comes from the amount of tennis I've seen in anime).

Still it was quite interesting...

That's right. Fans of any kind are people!

It's pretty much impossible to win a debate over the "definition" of otaku these days. Languages change and cross-language loan-words change meanings ("Goths" used to be a Germanic barbarian group in Europe, "Yankees" are teenaged delinquents in Japan, and "stuffing" means something far different in Australia than it does in North America). But it's true, when you do a documentary, you will generally go deep into the roots of these sorts of things so that's fine.

However, in total I have to say this documentary sounds pretty bad. I do feel I should check it out some day because it seems like something worth seeing and knowing about (such as I am).

Funny enough, I do know of one amazing fan documentary . . . it's called "Star Wait" and is basically camcorder video of a group of Star Wars geeks in line for Episode 2. During the six weeks they fight with abusive hecklers, confront late-night musicians while they try to sleep . . . it gives a nice sense that it takes all kinds to make the whole.

Hehe . . . we should shoot our own documentary some day . . .

I love that you wrote this. My family thinks I'm a freak because I'm an otaku. I love to cosplay and write fanfics, but I do like other things too. I love music I read everything I can get my hands on, and I love animals. We define the word otaku, otaku doesn't define us.

You know, I've heard of that documentary, and I'm glad I haven't seen it yet, I won't waste my time on that kind of trash.

You know, I can relate to being outcast for association with particular fandoms, I was and am a Trekkie (the Star Trek equivalent to anime's "otaku"), and there are lots of programs out there that go out of their way to make Star Trek fans look bad, and the sad part is, they deliberately do it. It sounds like the same can be said of this particular anime fandom program does the same thing, it makes the fans look bad.

Back in October, I was worried about how my Mom would react to seeing Cosplayers at the convention we went to, so I had her look up some photos online, and she was positive about the whole thing. That surprised me because here in WV we don't have a lot of that kind of thing, certainly not up where I am. I'm not a cosplayer myself, mostly due to budget constraints, but having someone who's not into the genre like I am have a positive reaction to the fans who do that is a good sign.