Fandom: Otakus

Otaku.
 I first came across this word when I was about 7 years old, when I went with my big sister to the local mall to buy monthly magazines. The one that stood out the most for me was Otakuzine, a monthly anime magazine.

In Japan, Otaku is a term used to describe people who have obsessive interests towards anime and manga. It is one of the subcultures that make up the world of Fandom.

History of Fandom- It is believed that Sherlock Holmes fans were the ones who have comprised the first Modern Fandom. In Japan, the word was used in a more derogatory manner:
Various accounts (Grassmuck 1990, Greenfeld 1993, Schodt 1996) have been vaguely consistent with each other regarding how the term "otaku" came to be associated with fans of anime, manga, etc. Journalist Akio Nakamori is frequently credited as being the individual who first publically wrote about the otaku-zoku ("otaku tribe"). He wrote about those strange, unkempt, and obsessive fans who referred to each other using the word "otaku"--considered to be an overly formal way of saying "you". - The Origins of Otaku Available from: https://www.cjas.org/~leng/otaku-origin.htm 

Conventions have become very popular as those events/places allow members of a particular fandom to gather and share their interests with each other. One of the biggest anime conventions is Otakon,
Cosplay is very popular practice among otakus. They dress up as their favourite anime character and participate in fashion shows and contests at conventions.

Want to know what the life of an Otaku is like? Watch this 3 part documentary below. :) 

Part one of the movie introduces viewers to the world of Japanese pop-culture and its American fanbase. Terms like otaku, cosplay, anime, manga, and lolita fashion are defined. Viewers also learn about many of the things one can see and do at a convention. This section of the documentary largely focuses on Otakon, a convention held in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Part two also introduces viewers to Lauren, a journalist who writes about otaku fandom on www.otakujournalist.com; and the DC Anime Club (dcanimeclub.org) in Washington DC where club members gathered for a performance by the Jedi Guardians.

Additionally, part three explores deeper themes of otaku fandom; hearing from convention attendees, convention organizers, and a cultural ambassador from Japan.