What is an Otaku?

Otaku (お宅 / おたく) is a Japanese word that originally refers to another's "home" or family.

Animators like Haruhiko Mikimoto and Shōji Kawamori used the term among themselves as an honorific second-person pronoun since the late 1970s.

But later, it is used to people who has interests in things that are done at home.
Such as watching anime, reading manga, and playing video games.

Who would've known?

In modern times though, the word "otaku" has now been widely used as a Japanese slang which mean "geek". The connotation of it is that it's only for people who're addicted to anime, manga, cosplay and video games. But this word can also be used to people who is a "fan" of a certain hobby or past time, even for watching sports, cooking food, shopping, and even martial arts.

The former Prime Minister of Japan Taro Aso also claimed himself to be an otaku, using this subculture to promote Japan in foreign affairs.

Sadly the word has turned to be an offensive term used for people who're set apart from the world because of liking something that is not the 'reality'.

Stop the ignorant stereotyping.