Poll: Can girls be otaku?

[Parasitic_Chick]

First let me state that I do know that the term otaku has several meanings (depending who you ask) but I am strictly inquiring about the gaming-lovin', anime/manga enthusiast, and merch collecting type of otaku.
Now that I got that out of the way I'll continue.

The reason why I ask is that throughout my years of being into JRPGs/anime/manga I have yet to see a girl being referred to as otaku. Being a girl myself I found this quite odd. Of course girls can be into games, Japanese pop-culture, anime etc etc but they don't usually seem to be referred to as otaku (both in real life and fictional). Why is that? Is it only guys that can be otaku? If so, then what are girls? Otakette?

Now either I'm a really oblivious, anti-social, basement hermit with no concept of otakus (which I am and don't) OR something else is going on. Either way I thought I'd ask the escapist community. And yes I know this is a extremely dumb question but in my experience the dumb questions are the most entertaining to answer.

Also I'm super sorry for the poor-ass grammar in this thread but I'm currently coming down from a Red-bull/foreign slasher movie binge and not exactly in the best state of mind.

 

[Zontar]

Don't know how things are in (*stand in for your location since I don't know it*) but here in Montreal there are quite a few girls who are otakus (Otakuthon, our annual anime convention, has a LOT of women there). There has also a lot of women in the anime clubs of my high school and of my collage when I attended them.

I don't know what the exact stats are, but I'd be so bold as to say that the hobby is quite a lot closer to gender parity then core gaming's 1 in 5 core gamers being women.

 

[Story]

...Yes?
I'm a little confused has to how the quilfications of being an Otaku is gendered anyone can collect merch, enjoy anime ect. I'm not even really sure why you think it is male centric to be honest.

 

[Tony2077]

i really don't see why it would be locked to one gender

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

The reason why I ask is that throughout my years of being into JRPGs/anime/manga I have yet to see a girl being referred to as otaku. Being a girl myself I found this quite odd. Of course girls can be into games, Japanese pop-culture, anime etc etc but they don't usually seem to be referred to as otaku (both in real life and fictional). Why is that? Is it only guys that can be otaku? If so, then what are girls? Otakette?

To address this Konata Izumi from Lucky Star is definitely an Otaku, and she's one of many examples in anime.

But if I as a trans-girl can be referred to as an Otaku, than I'd assume it'd be applicable to ladies who are assigned female at birth too.

 

[geK0]

Most of the people who attend the anime convention I go to in Toronto are chicks; they are some of the most loud, obnoxious and enthusiastic Otakus/Yaoi fan girls. Try going to one, they can be pretty fun.

 

[Elfgore]

Well yeah, I can't think of a single good reason why not. Shit... that's about all I got. Guess now I'll just complain how I really dislike when people not from Japan refer to themselves as one. The word is called a nerd here in these parts.

My bad, the word would actually be geek to refer to them.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Well yeah, I can't think of a single good reason why not. Shit... that's about all I got. Guess now I'll just complain how I really dislike when people not from Japan refer to themselves as one. The word is called a nerd here in these parts.

Otakus are more meganerds and megafans rolled together, usually with a very targeted interest range. So regular nerd just fails to cover it.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

i really don't see why it would be locked to one gender

Yeah, I see people who self identify as otaku on both sides of the border on this one.

 

[Elfgore]

Well yeah, I can't think of a single good reason why not. Shit... that's about all I got. Guess now I'll just complain how I really dislike when people not from Japan refer to themselves as one. The word is called a nerd here in these parts.

Otakus are more meganerds and megafans rolled together, usually with a very targeted interest range. So regular nerd just fails to cover it.

Pulled from Wikipedia.

Otaku- is a Japanese term for people with obsessive interests

Geek- be or become extremely excited or enthusiastic about a subject, typically one of specialist or minority interest.

No mention of megafan or meganerd in Otaku on wikipedia. Seems like its a way for Japanese obsessed people to attempt to relate more to their culture in my book.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

This is the first I heard of this. I always assumed otaku can be used for any gender. That's what Lucky Star, as well as most anime taught me. Are you telling me that everything I learned in anime is a lie?

 

[Foolery]

Otaku is more or less exclusively reserved for Japanese people. Like Elfgore said, the word is nerd. Or geek. Or anime nerd, anime geek, if you want to be specific.

 

[Zontar]

Otaku is more or less exclusively reserved for Japanese people. Like Elfgore said, the word is nerd. Or geek. Or anime nerd, anime geek, if you want to be specific.

I don't know about other places, but here in Montreal Otaku is used for anime lovers the same way Gamer is for core gamers or Trekkies is for Star Trek fans.

 

[Redd the Sock]

I've been into anime since the mid 90s and have never seen hesitation to call a girl Otaku if she seemed obsessive enough, unless they were into yaoi enough to prefer "fujoshi".

 

[NeutralDrow]

Of course. I'm honestly confused how that was a serious question.

They even have their own categories, like fujoshi (yaoi/BL fans).

Otaku is more or less exclusively reserved for Japanese people.

If the Japanese get to borrow words from us, we get to borrow words from them.

 

[Creator002]

I've literally never considered gender when hearing, seeing, writing, or saying Otaku. I assumed it was the same all round.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I always picture a man with the word but I suppose it can go both ways.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Of course.

I can think of two examples but again people can dismissed those as not otaku specifically.

 

[FalloutJack]

Come on! Of course they can! This is part of the equality they're looking for!