“Weeaboo” or “Otaku”
To the untrained eye, the difference between Weeaboo and Otaku might be hard to spot, but once you understand the core difference between the two, differentiating between the Otaku and Weeaboo will become painfully clear. To understand the difference we must first look at what each of the types means.
Otaku
Otaku is derived from the Japanese honorific for a person’s home or family “お宅”. The term used to describe people with an obsessive interest in anime, manga, doujinshi, or even idols. The highlight is the obsessive interest and not entirely the nature of the interest. Originally, the term has a negative, almost degrading connotation. Although the Otaku culture has grown significantly, the term still has a certain derogatory connotation, unlike the western “geek” and “nerd” which taken over part of the pop culture.
Weeaboo
A Weeaboo is a term made famous by 4chan, when moderators applied a word filter, replacing the term Wapanese (Japanophile / Japanese-wannabe, typically of non-Asian heritage) to Weeaboo. Typically, a Weeaboo/Wapanese is a person who is obsessed with Japan and Japanese culture. Whether it’s anime, games, manga, food, or people, as long as it is from Japan it is the best in the eyes of a Weeaboo. Stereotypically, a Weeaboo will constantly brag about all the Japanese knowledge they have learned from anime and manga. Catchphrases “I’m basically Japanese.”
The word “Weeaboo” itself has no real meaning other than a negative connotation which was shown in a comic strip from Perry Bible Fellowship.
Weeaboo vs Otaku
Whilst both have a certain obsessive nature, fundamentally, an Otaku is quite different to a Weeaboo. At their core, Otakus have already accepted who they are, whereas a Weeaboo not only has a strong obsession towards Japan but also a strong desire to be a Japanese, to the point where they reject or event degrade their own heritage.
…and finally, some laughs.
As always let us know your thoughts on this weeks topic and leave in the comments what other terms you want to learn more about!