OTAKU; FOOD? GIRL? MONSTER? or its nothing but a word

Otaku? WTF is that?!
Well,
Otaku; it's a term(Japanese) used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games.

OTAKU, in modern Japanese slang refers to fan of, or is specialized in any particular theme, topic or hobby. Common uses are anime otaku (a fan of anime) and manga otaku (a fan of Japanese comic books or manga0, posokon otaku(personal computer geeks), game otaku(playing video games), and wota(pronounced 'ota', to as "idol otaku")

that are extreme fans of idols, heavily promoted singing girls.

NORMAL ROOM FOR AN OTAKU

Some of Japan's otaku use the term to describe themselves and their friends semi-humorously, accepting their position as fans, and some even use the term proudly, attempting to reclaim it from its negative connotations. In general colloquial usage however, most Japanese would consider it undesireable to be described in a serious fashion as "otaku";many even consider it to be a genuine insult.

Although stereotypically male, there are also many female otaku fujoshi. A small alleyway of Tokyo's HIGASHI IKEBUKURO district is jnown as "OTOME ROAD". A feature of the area is that there are so many bookstores devoted to Manga and books filled with stories about homosexual men, in a genre called YAOI or SHONEN-AI.

.: IN ENGLISH :.

It is used to refer specifically to any kind of "geek" though it can sometimes refer to a fan of anime and/or manga. It also is used to refer to people who appear to be obsessed with Japan and its culture.

I should be noted that the English term geek is not a precise translation of the Japanese otaku.

The term otaku occasionally suggests a creepy, obsessive loner who rarely leaves the house. In English, geek can possibly suggest a person who may be socially akward but who is also intelligent and may be fairly "normal" aside from their interest in certain typically 'geekish' pursuits.

.: OTAKON :.

Named after the label Otaku, "OTAKON"(short for otaku convention) is a convention known for focusing on anime, manga, East bAsian Culture, and its fandom.

Last Year, Otakon was the largetst convention of its kind in the US.