Ever been discriminated against as an otaku?

[Poemi-chan]

I ask because it happened to me this year... I went to a sushi restaurant, and the waitress lived in Japan for quite a while. She was so excited to talk to me until I said I learned Japanese from anime. She just stared at me quietly for a moment and wouldn't look me in the eye after that, even the next time I went there! Ugh, the first time I ever felt embarrassed because of my "lifestyle choice."

[Vexx]

Welllllll, now you know why most japanese otaku go to some lengths to keep their hobby activities invisible.

Its unfair, its not right -- its irrational because they're basing their attitude towards an entire industry and their fans because of a few loonies.

The interesting thing to me is that you got that treatment outside of Japan from someone who had simply "lived there a while" (which I take to mean she wasn't a Japanese native). Its possible she had had bad experiences personally with anime fans.

[Jazzrat]

One reason why I never reveal my interest for anime and mmorpgs. I get less discrimination when I tell people that I smoke!

[Poemi-chan]

Well, it turned out she was originally from China....and she thought that I was either Japanese or Chinese, but my otaku-ness killed her curiosity, I guess. :P

[Aoie_Emesai]

Hummm... i've never really had issues with this. I suppose the area I live and work, people are unfamiliar with anime and the term otaku. I say I watch anime and read manga but no one have really care much for it. They just sorta blow me off and say, "come on lets get to work" or other suches.

I think if you feel that your lifestyle is unfit for the public, talk about it in a way that never reveal you are talking about a specific thing or don't mention it at all.

Well... there's always the way you classify yourself too. Call your self an otaku if you want, or just a fan. If you think about it too much, you're too much self conscience.

[Poemi-chan]

I usually don't have much of a problem cuz most people barely know anything about anime/manga. That was the first time ever! So Jazzrat, you've gotten a lot of flack from people over there in...Malaysia, is it? I'll remind myself not to wear an anime tee if I ever go there!

[KholdStare]

I'm in the United States, and right now my worst "discrimination" is that people think I watch and fap to hentai all day long, so I can't say I connect. Although people don't avoid me or think that I'm some kind of disease, it's still pretty sad that hentai (or "anime porn") will almost always be associated with anime here.

That's not to say that I don't watch hentai or that hentai is something disgusting, but I would like people to think of anime as a form of entertainment and not overly and incorrectly generalize.

[-KarumA-]

I had a couple of times when I was still in highschool that people asked me if I watched pokemon or DBZ shows and that they would just tease me about it, that was until I did a school presentation before them and actually showed them some gore instead of what they believed were kids shows. I simply don't tell people that I watch anime and write fanfiction as a hobby though people do start wondering what I do at home all the time since I don't go out very often, I'm not a hikikomori because I'm not scared to go outside I just go out whenever it is needed or when I actually feel like going out and do something outside. Its a good thing I'm not a stereotype gamer or anime watcher, I don't wear shirts or anything, the only thing that probably reveals this is either me drawing stuff while travelling by train or reading manga in public, the asian food is just a hint because my Dad is Indonessian and taught me to cook the dishes

[Astrana]

Originally Posted by KholdStare

I'm in the United States, and right now my worst "discrimination" is that people think I watch and fap to hentai all day long.

lol.... that is a pretty bad stereotype
i like to spend my time alone, and thats when i watch Anime.
my close friends knows i watch anime and have seen some of my figure, i told them anime is like disney movies for asians.

i know some hardcore otaku in my school, always wearing a bandana with some martial arts vest or anime T shirt. some people make fun of him behind his back. but usually don't say anything or acting weird in front of him

[wao]

The most I've gotten is endless teasing from my eldest brother who doesn't care for much anime at all (he still hasn't forgotten the time I left a Princess Tutu boxset out - never made that mistake again).

That's mostly because I don't really bother telling people I'm an anime fan and when I'm around my friends who do know it I don't make a big deal out of it. The obnoxious fangirls who keep trying to convert everyone... well, they're not doing anime fans or themselves a favour, when it gets to a point where discrimination based on obnoxious personality turns to discrimination based on tastes because of a mental association of the two. (I try not to hang around people who make such associations and refuse to let them go, however)

There is one person I knew who liked American comics and tended to be resentful of the popularity of Japanese comics and drama - perhaps the result of many online wars with irritating weeaboos? - but she never treated me any differently for liking anime/manga. We just didn't mention the topic much and everything was fine.

When I have to deal with Japanese people online I nearly always drop any reference to watching anime, or only briefly mention it if people ask why I know Japanese (I don't want to lie. But I do throw in other things like modern Japanese culture, design etc) I have to thank kj1980 for those posts a couple or so years back for informing me (and others I'm sure) of this.
Actually I kinda think it's a rather simple thing to do considering the number of "problems" you can sometimes get yourself into. I won't go to the extent of wearing shades and going in disguise to anime screenings/events though

[Eczema]

Some very sad stories in this topic. Damned bigots.

I guess I'm lucky, or haven't told enough people about my hobby, but I've never received any form of discrimination in relation to anime/games.

[Jazzrat]

Originally Posted by Poemi-chan

I usually don't have much of a problem cuz most people barely know anything about anime/manga. That was the first time ever! So Jazzrat, you've gotten a lot of flack from people over there in...Malaysia, is it? I'll remind myself not to wear an anime tee if I ever go there!

If you are 20 something, you definitely do not want to go around with an anime tee unless you're a girl then most people would just pass it off as japanese fashion

While anime/manga culture have been around in M'sia for quite awhile it's still considered as a kid's hobby. Something that you should have grown out of by adulthood.

Though recently, I think it's becoming slightly a bit more mainstream here especially for those in their college year now. I know some of the local newspaper here have an anime/manga corner with quite recent anime reviews and the cable tv here have an dedicated anime channel.

But being at my age and my circle of friends, it's still something I don't bring out in the public.

[RadiantBeam]

Considering that I'm still only 17 and in high school (where manga and anime is the biggest thing) I don't really get any bad treatment because everyone loves what I love in some way, shape, or form. The worst is probably my parents, only because they don't understand how to read the books or what I like about them so much.

I guess the worst case I've ever had was when some of my girl friends found a few of my yuri works saved on my computer and started walking on eggshells around me, because they were convinced I was secretly lesbian or something. Which I'm not, I'm straight... but for the longest time they treated me like a wild animal on display. Eventually they calmed down and I was able to explain everything to them, but even to this day we aren't as comfortable around each other as we used to be.

[Jazzrat]

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

I guess the worst case I've ever had was when some of my girl friends found a few of my yuri works saved on my computer and started walking on eggshells around me, because they were convinced I was secretly lesbian or something. Which I'm not, I'm straight... but for the longest time they treated me like a wild animal on display. Eventually they calmed down and I was able to explain everything to them, but even to this day we aren't as comfortable around each other as we used to be.

Lol, my ex-gf asked me if my younger sis was straight when she saw her yuri and yaoi manga collection. It was quite an awkward situation trying to defend my sis sexuality.

[risingstar3110]

I actually had a quite different experience, as a guy in one of my class start to ask around if people watching anime and stuffs. That incident turned us somehow to be friend (but not really close through as we had so few class together).
But he has only watched Naruto so i guess he is not classed as Otaku, "yet"


That's remind me: the leader of my high school anime club used to be some sort of anime lover as he did a lot of thing to spread anime into the school environment. He is a good guy so lots of his friends(include me, as a non-permanent member) joined. I was not into anime that much that time
But he is the sort of person to wait for the licensed anime to buy and watch, rather than waiting on the internet for the recently air Ep like some of us

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

Well I've never been called and Otaku and frankly I hate the term Otaku, its a dumb way to describe an anime fan. I've always approached anime as just any other show made. Its a show, if a like it I'll watch it. I don't take my obsession as far as some do, but if I feel like buying some merchendise like say a poster or model of something than I will. Now I don't only do that for just anime shows; heck I have a bunch of LOST merchandise, so again I don't really throw myself into this whole Otaku category.

[RadiantBeam]

I don't call myself an otaku so much as I call myself an anime freak/anime geek/anime fanatic. Really, except for anime and manga I have nothing else to do with the merchandise and games and all the different revenues.

[LeviathanDarkly]

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

I don't call myself an otaku so much as I call myself an anime freak/anime geek/anime fanatic. Really, except for anime and manga I have nothing else to do with the merchandise and games and all the different revenues.

Usually, the term weeaboo or wapanese (as in Japanese wannbe) is used to refer non-Japanese people who take interest in any aspect of the Japanse culture. (regardless of the level of interest the person might have.)

[Theowne]

Not really, but I guess I don't fit the description of otaku. Otaku usually has this connotation of someone who is fanatical about anime in every way - obsessed with anime characters and ero-games, and etc. I have many friends like this, who think anime is God's gift to the world and will never hear a word against it. Me, I'm more of a "anime is a genre, and just like any other genres, there are some great works that shouldn't be ignored" person. I have never been "discriminated against" for liking anime, and I have said it openly many times.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by LeviathanDarkly

Usually, the term weeaboo or wapanese (as in Japanese wannbe) is used to refer non-Japanese people who take interest in any aspect of the Japanse culture. (regardless of the level of interest the person might have.)

Of course if you know the source of that word and understand the game --- you realize we have to tie you up and beat you senseless now.

hey, its the game - you said the word. Its an old game

(seriously, I've always asserted people who called other people that are actually the pathetic ones - word of caution: don't use that word around me in real life . I'd probably be less direct if the term were actually applied only to those folk described here , but dweebs use it to tar anyone they want to feel temporarily superior over)

The word "otaku" has some pretty negative connotations that many Westerners don't realize (and it isn't just a minor label). However, the OP was shunned simply for saying he'd learned to speak some japanese from watching anime. Now I don't know exactly HOW he said it -- so he may have shot himelf in the foot unnecessarily.

Personally, I'd recommend just saying "self study" if someone asks how you know the language. I'd also recommend not just using anime to learn because the language is rough and coarse in much of anime -- you'll insult someone without realizing it.