Otaku

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The Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo, a popular gathering site for otaku Akihabara picture.jpg
The Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo, a popular gathering site for otaku

Otaku (Japanese: おたく, オタク, or ヲタク) is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in Manga Burikko .

Contents

Otaku subculture is a central theme of various anime, manga, documentaries, and academic research. The subculture began in the 1980s as changing social mentalities and the nurturing of otaku traits by Japanese schools combined with the resignation of such individuals to what was then seen as inevitably becoming social outcasts. The subculture's birth coincided with the anime boom after the release of works such as Mobile Suit Gundam , before it branched into Comic Market. The otaku culture could also be seen as a refuge from the nanpa culture. In 1980, around the Kabuki-chō district of Shinjuku in Tokyo, there was a boom of nyū fūzoku, or new sex services employing female college or vocational school students. The burusera boom and the compensated dating boom in the 1990s were extensions of this. In this sense, the period from 1980 to the mid-1990s was the "age of sexual love". The higher the sexual love boom rose, the more people were disappointed in sexual love for not giving them that comprehensive acceptance. The advent of information technology and databases, first and foremost, enriched the means for the homeostasis of the self, that is, self-defense; and, secondly, it thereby rapidly weakened the sense that "reality" (or embodied communication) is more fruitful than "fiction" (or virtual reality). [1] The otaku subculture grew with the expansion of the Internet and media, as more anime, video games, shows, and comics were created. [2] The definition of otaku subsequently became more complex, and numerous classifications of otaku emerged.

Otaku may be used as a pejorative, with its negativity stemming from a stereotypical view of otaku as social outcasts and the media's reporting on Tsutomu Miyazaki, "The Otaku Murderer", in 1989. Otaku discrimination was particularly intense between 1989 (when a serial murder suspect was arrested) and 1996 (when the compensated dating boom was at its peak). [1] According to studies published in 2013, the term has become less negative, and an increasing number of people now identify themselves as otaku, [3] both in Japan and elsewhere. Out of 137,734 teens surveyed in Japan in 2013, 42.2% self-identified as a type of otaku. [3] According to a nationwide U.S. survey conducted by Dentsu in July 2022, 34％ of American Gen-Zs (around 15 million people), acknowledged themselves as anime otaku. [4] In 2005, the Nomura Research Institute divided otaku into twelve groups and estimated the size and market impact of each of these groups. Other institutions have split it further or focused on a single otaku interest. These publications classify distinct groups including anime, manga, camera, automobile, J-idol, and electronics otaku. In 2005, the economic impact of otaku was estimated to be as high as ¥2 trillion (US$18 billion). [5]

Etymology

Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another person's house or family (お宅, otaku). The word can be used metaphorically as a part of honorific speech in Japanese, as a second-person pronoun. In this usage, its literal translation is "you". It is associated with some dialects of Western Japanese and with housewives, and is less direct and more distant than intimate pronouns, such as anata, and masculine pronouns, such as kimi and omae. [6]

The origin of the pronoun's use among 1980s manga and anime fans is unclear. Science fiction fans were using otaku to address owners of books by the late 1960s (in a sense of "Do[es] [your home] own this book?"). [7] Social critic Eiji Ōtsuka posits that otaku was used because it allowed people meeting for the first time, such as at a convention, to interact from a comfortable distance. [6] One theory posits that otaku was popularized as a pronoun by science fiction author Motoko Arai in a 1981 essay in Variety magazine, [6] and another posits that it was popularized by fans of anime studio Gainax, some of whose founders came from Tottori Prefecture in western Japan (where otaku is commonly used). [8] The pronoun was also used in the popular anime Macross , first aired in 1982, by the characters Hikaru Ichijyo and Lynn Minmay, who address each other as otaku until they get to know each other better. [9] [10] [11]

The modern slang form, which is distinguished from the older usage by being written in hiragana (おたく), katakana (オタク or, less frequently, ヲタク) or rarely in rōmaji, [12] first appeared in public discourse in the 1980s, through the work of humorist and essayist Akio Nakamori. His 1983 series 'Otaku' Research (『おたく』の研究, "Otaku" no Kenkyū), printed in the lolicon magazine Manga Burikko , applied the term as pejorative for "unpleasant" fans, attacking their supposed poor fashion sense and physical appearance in particular. [13] Nakamori was particularly critical of "manga maniacs" drawn to cute girl characters, [13] and explained his label otaku as the term of address used between junior high school kids at manga and anime conventions. [14]

In 1989, the case of Tsutomu Miyazaki, "The Otaku Murderer", brought the fandom, very negatively, to national attention. [15] Miyazaki, who randomly chose and murdered four girls, had a collection of 5,763 video tapes, some containing anime and slasher films that were found interspersed with videos and pictures of his victims. Later that year, the contemporary knowledge magazine Bessatsu Takarajima dedicated its 104th issue to the topic of otaku. It was called Otaku no Hon (おたくの本, lit. The Book of Otaku) and delved into the subculture of otaku with 19 articles by otaku insiders, among them Akio Nakamori. This publication has been claimed by scholar Rudyard Pesimo to have popularized the term. [16]

Usage

An otaku room after the 11 March Earthquake Disordered Otaku room.jpg
An otaku room after the 11 March Earthquake

In modern Japanese slang, the term otaku is mostly equivalent to "geek" or "nerd" (both in the broad sense; a technological geek would be a gijutsu otaku (技術オタク) and an academic nerd would be a bunkakei otaku (文化系オタク) or gariben (ガリ勉)), but in a more derogatory manner than used in the West. [15] It is also applied to any fan of any particular theme, topic, hobby or form of entertainment. [15] "When these people are referred to as otaku, they are judged for their behaviors — and people suddenly see an 'otaku' as a person unable to relate to reality." [17] [18] The term thus has more of a negative association in Japanese society. [19]

The word entered English as a loanword from the Japanese language. It is typically used to refer to a fan of anime and manga, but can also refer to Japanese video games or even Japanese culture in general. Platforms like TrackOtaku [20] and the American magazine Otaku USA popularize and cover these aspects. [21] [22] The usage of the word is a source of contention among some fans, owing to its negative connotations and stereotyping of the fandom. Widespread English exposure to the term came in 1988 with the release of Gunbuster , which refers to anime fans as otaku. Gunbuster was released officially in English in March 1990. The term's usage spread throughout the Usenet group rec.arts.anime with discussions about Otaku no Video 's portrayal of otaku before its 1994 English release. Positive and negative aspects, including the pejorative usage, were intermixed. [22] The term was also popularized by William Gibson's 1996 novel Idoru , which references otaku. [23]

Subculture

Kaichirō Morikawa identifies the subculture as distinctly Japanese, a product of the school system and society. Japanese schools have a class structure which functions as a caste system, but clubs are an exception to the social hierarchy. In these clubs, a student's interests will be recognized and nurtured, catering to the interests of otaku. Secondly, the vertical structure of Japanese society identifies the value of individuals by their success. Until the late 1980s, unathletic and unattractive males focused on academics, hoping to secure a good job and marry to raise their social standing. Those unable to succeed socially focused instead on their interests, often into adulthood, with their lifestyle centering on those interests, furthering the creation of the otaku subculture. [15]

Even prior to the coinage of the term, the stereotypical traits of the subculture were identified in a 1981 issue of Fan Rōdo (Fan road) about "culture clubs". [15] These individuals were drawn to anime, a counter-culture, with the release of hard science fiction works such as Mobile Suit Gundam . These works allowed a congregation and development of obsessive interests that turned anime into a medium for unpopular students, catering to obsessed fans. After these fans discovered Comic Market, the term was used as a self-confirming and self-mocking collective identity. [15]

The 1989 "Otaku Murderer" case gave the fandom a negative connotation from which it has not fully recovered. [15] The perception of otaku was again damaged in late 2004 when Kaoru Kobayashi kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered a seven-year-old first-grade student. Japanese journalist Akihiro Ōtani suspected that Kobayashi's crime was committed by a member of the figure moe zoku even before his arrest. [24] Although Kobayashi was not an otaku, the degree of social hostility against otaku increased. Otaku were seen by law enforcement as possible suspects for sex crimes, and local governments called for stricter laws controlling the depiction of eroticism in otaku materials. [25]

Not all attention has been negative. In his book Otaku, Hiroki Azuma observed: "Between 2001 and 2007, the otaku forms and markets quite rapidly won social recognition in Japan", citing the fact that "[i]n 2003, Hayao Miyazaki won the Academy Award for his Spirited Away ; around the same time Takashi Murakami achieved recognition for otaku-like designs; in 2004, the Japanese pavilion in the 2004 International Architecture exhibition of the Venice Biennale (Biennale Architecture) featured 'otaku'. In 2005, the word moe — one of the keywords of the present volume — was chosen as one of the top ten 'buzzwords of the year'." [26] Former Prime Minister of Japan Taro Aso has also claimed to be an otaku, using this subculture to promote Japan in foreign affairs. [27] In 2013, a Japanese study of 137,734 people found that 42.2% self-identify as a type of otaku. This study suggests that the stigma of the word has vanished, and the term has been embraced by many. [3] Marie Kondo told ForbesWomen in 2020: "I credit being an otaku with helping me to focus deeply, which definitely contributed to my success." [28]

In the late 1990s, otaku was a popular subculture among Generation Xers in the US. [29] In the early 2000s, the otaku community in the United States often consisted of suburban young people and niche online groups. [30]

Places

The district of Akihabara in Tokyo, where there are maid cafés featuring waitresses who dress up and act like maids or anime characters, is a notable attraction center for otaku. Akihabara also has dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games, and other collectibles. [31] Another popular location is Otome Road in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Students from Nagoya City University started a project to help promote hidden tourist attractions and attract more otaku to Nagoya. [32]

Subtypes

A Nissan March featuring Hinagiku Katsura from the manga series Hayate the Combat Butler Hinagiku Katsura itasha side front 20090726.jpg
A Nissan March featuring Hinagiku Katsura from the manga series Hayate the Combat Butler

There are specific terms for different types of otaku, including fujoshi (腐女子, lit. "rotten girl(s)"), a self-mockingly pejorative Japanese term for female fans of yaoi , which focuses on homosexual male relationships. [33] Reki-jo are female otaku who are interested in Japanese history. Some terms refer to a location, such as Akiba-kei ("Akihabara-style"), which applies to those familiar with Akihabara's culture.

Miyadai describes two big subtypes of the otaku type, a world type and a battle royale type. There is a chronological development from the world type of the late 1990s to the battle royale type of the 2000s but they also coexisted. The antagonism between the world type and the battle royale type emerged in the age in which reality and fiction are regarded as equivalent tools for self-defense. He further describes the internet society as a rhizomic structure which invalidates the distinction between "reality" and "fiction". The world type treats fiction as an equivalent of reality (real-ization of fiction), while the battle royale type treats reality as an equivalent of fiction (fictionalization of reality). [1]

Media

Otaku often participate in self-mocking through the production or interest in humor directed at their subculture. Anime and manga otaku are the subject of numerous self-critical works, such as Otaku no Video, which contains a live-interview mockumentary that pokes fun at the otaku subculture and includes Gainax's own staff as the interviewees. [34] Other works depict otaku subculture less critically, such as Genshiken and Comic Party . A well-known light novel, which later received a manga and anime adaptation, is Welcome to the N.H.K. , which focuses on otaku subcultures and highlights other social outcasts, such as hikikomori and NEETs. Works that focus on otaku characters include WataMote , the story of an unattractive and unsociable otome gamer otaku who exhibits delusions about her social status; [35] and No More Heroes , a video game about an otaku assassin named Travis Touchdown and his surrealistic adventures inspired by anime and manga. [36] Media about otaku also exist outside of Japan, such as the American documentary Otaku Unite! which focuses on the American side of the otaku culture, [37] and the Filipino novel Otaku Girl , which tells the story of a virtual reality world where otaku can role-play and use the powers of their favorite anime characters. [38]

Girls und Panzer cosplayers take photos in the itasha exhibition area of the doujinshi convention. GuP itansha.jpg
Girls und Panzer cosplayers take photos in the itasha exhibition area of the doujinshi convention.

Habits

A term used in the otaku fandom is wotagei or otagei (ヲタ芸 or オタ芸), a type of cheering performed as a group. Another term is itasha (痛車, literally "painful (i.e. cringeworthy) car(s)"), which describes vehicles decorated with fictional characters, especially bishōjo game or eroge characters. [39] [40]

Classification

Railfans taking photos of trains at an annual depot open-day event in Tokyo in August 2011 Railfantokyo.jpg
Railfans taking photos of trains at an annual depot open-day event in Tokyo in August 2011

The Nomura Research Institute (NRI) has made two major studies into otaku, the first in 2004 and a revised study with a more specific definition in 2005. [41] [42] The 2005 study defines twelve major fields of otaku interests. Of these groups:

The remaining five categories include mobile device otaku, with 70,000 individuals and ¥8 billion; audio-visual equipment otaku, with 60,000 individuals and ¥12 billion; camera otaku, with 50,000 individuals and ¥18 billion; fashion otaku, with 40,000 individuals and ¥13 billion; and railway otaku, with 20,000 individuals and ¥4 billion. These values were partially released with a much higher estimation in 2004, but this definition focused on consumerism and not the "unique psychological characteristics" of otaku used in the 2005 study. [41] [42]

The NRI's 2005 study also put forth five archetypes of otaku:

The Hamagin Research Institute found that moe-related content was worth ¥88.8 billion ($807 million) in 2005, and one analyst estimated the market could be as much as ¥2 trillion ($18 billion). [5] Japan-based Tokyo Otaku Mode, a place for news related to otaku, has been liked on Facebook almost 10 million times. [43]

Other classifications of otaku interests include Vocaloid, cosplay, figures, and professional wrestling, as categorized by the Yano Research Institute, which reports and tracks market growth and trends in sectors heavily influenced by otaku consumerism. In 2012, it noted around 30% of growth in dating sim and online gaming otaku, while Vocaloid, cosplay, idols and maid services grew by 10%, confirming its 2011 predictions. [44] [45]

Ōkina otomodachi

Ōkina otomodachi (大きなお友達) is a Japanese phrase that literally translates to "big friend" or "adult friend". [46] Japanese otaku use it to describe themselves as adult fans of an anime, a manga, or a TV show that is originally aimed at children. [47] A parent who watches such a show with their children is not considered an ōkina otomodachi, nor is a parent who buys anime DVDs or manga volumes for their children; ōkina otomodachi are those who consume such content by themselves.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akihabara</span> Urban shopping area in central Tokyo, Japan

Akihabara is a neighborhood in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan, generally considered to be the area surrounding Akihabara Station. This area is part of the Sotokanda (外神田) and Kanda-Sakumachō districts of Chiyoda. There is an administrative district called Akihabara, located north of Akihabara Electric Town surrounding Akihabara Neribei Park.

<i>Otaku no Video</i> 1991 original video animation

Otaku no Video is a 1991 Japanese original video animation (OVA) produced by Gainax. The anime spoofs the life and culture of otaku, individuals with obsessive interests in media, particularly anime and manga, as well as the history of Gainax and its creators. It is noted for its mix of conventional documentary film styles with a more traditional anime storytelling fashion. It is licensed in the United States by AnimEigo. The DAICON III and IV Opening Animations from the early 1980s are also featured in this OVA.

<i>Lolicon</i> Genre of sexualized young girl characters

In Japanese popular culture, lolicon is a genre of fictional media which focuses on young girl characters, particularly in a sexually suggestive or erotic manner. The term, a portmanteau of the English-language phrase "Lolita complex", also refers to desire and affection for such characters, and their fans. Associated mainly with stylized imagery in manga, anime, and video games, lolicon in otaku culture is generally understood as distinct from desires for realistic depictions of young girls, or real young girls as such, and is associated with moe, or affection for fictional characters, often bishōjo characters in manga or anime.

<i>Bishōjo</i> Cute girl character in manga and anime

In Japanese popular culture, a bishōjo, also romanized as bishojo or bishoujo, is a cute girl character. Bishōjo characters appear ubiquitously in media including manga, anime, and computerized games, and also appear in advertising and as mascots, such as for maid cafés. An attraction towards bishōjo characters is a key concept in otaku subculture.

<i>Doujin</i> Japanese term for a group of friends

In Japan, doujin is a group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. The word is sometimes translated into English as "clique", "fandom", "coterie", "society", or "circle". Self-published creative works produced by these groups are also called doujin, including manga, magazines, novels, music, anime, merch, and video games. Print doujin works are collectively called doujinshi.

<i>Moe</i> (slang) Affection for manga and anime characters

Moe, sometimes romanized as moé, is a Japanese word that refers to feelings of strong affection mainly towards characters in anime, manga, video games, and other media directed at the otaku market. Moe, however, has also gained usage to refer to feelings of affection towards any subject.

<i>Tsundere</i> Affectionate path of character development

Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with an initially harsh personality who gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side over time.

The following is a glossary of terms that are specific to anime and manga. Anime includes animated series, films and videos, while manga includes graphic novels, drawings and related artwork.

<i>Akiba-kei</i> Japanese slang term for Akihabara style

Akiba-kei or Akiba-chan (アキバちゃん) is a Japanese slang term for Akihabara style. Akihabara is a district in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It is a prominent gathering place for dedicated fans of anime, video games and idols.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maid café</span> Subcategory of cosplay restaurants

Maid cafés are a subcategory of cosplay restaurants found predominantly in Japan and Taiwan. In these cafés, waitresses, dressed in maid costumes, act as servants, and treat customers as masters as if they were in a private home, rather than as café patrons. The first permanent maid café, Cure Maid Café, was established in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan, in March 2001, but maid cafés are becoming increasingly popular. The increased competition drove the cafes to employ more diversified themes, gimmicks and even unusual tactics to attract customers. They have also expanded overseas to several countries around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otome Road</span> Area of Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan

Otome Road is a name given to an area of Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan that is a major shopping and cultural center for anime and manga aimed at women. The area is sometimes referred to as Fujoshi Street, referencing the name given to fans of yaoi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boys' love fandom</span> Fanbase of the homoerotic fiction genre

Boys' love (BL), a genre of male-male homoerotic media originating in Japan that is created primarily by and for women, has a robust global fandom. Individuals in the BL fandom may attend conventions, maintain/post to fansites, create fanfiction/fanart, etc. In the mid-1990s, estimates of the size of the Japanese BL fandom were at 100,000 to 500,000 people. Despite increased knowledge of the genre among the general public, readership remained limited in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eiji Ōtsuka</span> Japanese social critic, theorist, and novelist

Eiji Ōtsuka is a Japanese social critic, folklorist, media theorist, and novelist. He is currently a professor at International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto. He graduated from University of Tsukuba with a degree in anthropology, women's folklore, human sacrifice and post-war manga. In addition to his work with manga he is a critic, essayist, and author of several successful non-fiction books on Japanese popular and otaku subcultures. He has written the Multiple Personality Detective Psycho and The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service manga series. One of his first animation script works was Mahō no Rouge Lipstick, an adult lolicon OVA. Ōtsuka was the editor for the bishōjo lolicon manga series Petit Apple Pie.

<i>Otaku no Musume-san</i> Japanese manga series

Otaku no Musume-san is a manga series by Japanese author Stu-Hiro. It tells about a young 26-year-old otaku, who is suddenly visited by a young girl claiming to be his daughter. It was first serialized in Fujimi Shobo's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age in 2006. The last chapter has been released in the 11th issue of Monthly Dragon Age on October 8, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anime and manga fandom</span> Fan community

The anime and manga fandom is a worldwide community of fans of anime and manga. Anime includes animated series, films and videos, while manga includes manga, graphic novels, drawings, and related artworks. The anime and manga fandom traces back to the 1970s and has an international reach.

<i>The Otaku Encyclopedia</i> Encyclopedia of anime, manga, and fandom topics

The Otaku Encyclopedia is a 2009 encyclopedia written by Patrick Galbraith and published by Kodansha which provides an overview of anime and manga topics, and interviews and profiles of important people in Japanese fandom.

ACG is a term used in some subcultures of Greater China and East Asia. Because there is a strong economic and cultural interlinkage that exists between anime, manga, and games in Japanese and East Asian culture at large, the term ACG is used to describe this phenomenon in relative fields. The term refers in particular to Japanese anime, manga, and video games. The term is not normally translated into Chinese; if the meaning needs to be translated, it is usually "two-dimensional space"

<i>Zettai ryōiki</i> Area of bare skin in the gap between overknee socks and a miniskirt or shorts

Zettai ryōiki refers to the area of bare skin in the gap between overknee socks and a skirt or shorts. It can also be used to describe the clothing combination. The term first became widespread in otaku slang as one of the attributes of moe characters in anime and manga, but it is now used by the general public in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Otaku Expo Association</span> Convention cooperative association

The International Otaku Expo Association (IOEA), stylized as I.O.E.A, is an international cooperative association of otaku fan event organizers from around the world. The term otaku is used to indicate enthusiasm for Japanese pop culture and subculture surrounding anime, manga, games and fashion. The association does not limit membership to events that focus solely on Japanese culture. Any association that wishes to embrace otaku culture, whether it be Japanese or non-Japanese, is welcome to apply for membership with the IOEA.

Database consumption refers to a way of content consumption in which people do not consume a narrative itself, but rather consume the constituent elements of the narrative. The concept was coined by the Japanese critic Hiroki Azuma in the early 2000s.

References

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  33. ↑ Saitō, Tamaki (2007). "Otaku Sexuality". In Bolton, Christopher; Csicsery-Ronay Jr., Istvan; Tatsumi, Takayuki (eds.). Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams. Translated by Bolton, Christopher. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 224. ISBN   978-0-8166-4974-7.
  34. ↑ Sevakis, Justin (November 15, 2007). "Buried Treasure - In Praise of Nerdiness". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  35. ↑ "Sentai Filmworks Licenses WataMote ~ No Matter How I Look at it, It's You Guys' Fault I'm not Popular!". Anime News Network. July 9, 2013. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  36. ↑ Fletcher, JC (August 29, 2007). "Travis Touchdown has a comfortable home life". Joystiq. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
  37. ↑ Dong, Bamboo (March 2, 2004). "Otaku Unite! - Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  38. ↑ Hannigan, Carl. "Otaku Girl (Book Review): Where Memes and Literature Mix". Voice Media Group . Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2021. July 1, 2021
  39. ↑ Hardigree, Matt (July 23, 2009). "Itasha: Japan's Creepiest Car Fetish". Jalopnik. Archived from the original on July 27, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  40. ↑ "Behold. A Fleet of Cars Owned by Nerds". Kotaku. October 11, 2011. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  41. 1 2 Kitabayashi, Ken (December 1, 2004). "The Otaku Group from a Business Perspective: Revaluation of Enthusiastic Consumers" (PDF). Nomura Research Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  42. 1 2 3 "New Market Scale Estimation for Otaku: Population of 1.72 Million with Market Scale of ¥411 Billion — NRI classifies 5 types of otaku group, proposing a "New 3Cs" marketing frame —". Nomura Research Institute. October 6, 2005. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  43. ↑ Martin, Rick (February 1, 2013). "Tokyo Otaku Mode has 10 million Facebook fans but now what". Startup-dating.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2012". Yano Research Institute. October 15, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  45. ↑ "Otaku Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2011" (PDF). Yano Research. October 15, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  46. ↑ When this phrase is actually pronounced, the colloquial form okkina otomodachi (おっきなお友達) is often used. The phrase ōkii otomodachi (大きいお友達) is also used with the same meaning.
  47. ↑ Dōjin Lingo (同人用語の基礎知識) (in Japanese) Retrieved on August 4, 2006.

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