Otaku is aJapaneseslang word, deriving from the honorific "お宅[1]" (otaku), meaning "your house". It has come to mean someone who obsessively exerts time, money, and energy into ahobby. Otaku have a deep, complex knowledge around a particular subject or area of study It is oftentimes (esp. inthe West) used to refer to avid consumers ofanime andmanga. The term can also be compared withHikikomori.
In Japan,otaku is generally regarded as an offensive word, due to the negative cultural perception of withdrawal from society. However, the otaku philosophy of living has gained traction among Japanese youth and adolescents, likely as a reaction to the established culture of intense work and academic studies. Under 30’s have developed a neo-otaku identity with more positive associations of being ageek ornerd.[2][3] In the West, the word usually describes an anime or manga "fanatic". It is not typically seen as derogatory.
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