Has Otaku now no longer been discriminated against, is it because “otaku culture” has been accepted by Japanese society? Or is it just a change in the negative label?

Since the term “otaku” emerged in Japan in the 1970s, it has long been assigned a negative label by society and faced discrimination. Being seen as an “otaku” can lead to exclusion in the workplace or at school. However, today’s Japanese media actively introduces the flourishing development of otaku culture, and many Japanese celebrities are willing to admit that they are “otaku.”

Does this mean that the discrimination against “otaku” in Japanese society has disappeared? Let’s take a look at recent discussions among Japanese netizens on this topic.

In this era that is friendly to “otaku,” people easily forget that when I was a child, society’s stereotype of “otaku” was simply that “otaku are disgusting.” At that time, “otaku” was also a subject of reasonable discrimination…

Do many people over the age of thirty still hold the old notion that “otaku are disgusting”?

Japanese illustrator and game designer “Haruka Inazuka” recently mentioned in a social media post that he was heavily discriminated against as a “hikikomori” during his childhood, but is now widely accepted.

The term “hikikomori” or “otaku” first emerged in Japan around the 1970s and gradually became more popular. However, for decades, this group has been labeled negatively in Japanese society.

Whenever social news occurs, Japanese media often use the hobbies of offenders, such as playing video games or reading manga, as a way to assign blame, thereby deepening the negative impression of “otaku” and even often equating them with potential criminals.

In today’s society, Japanese media actively reports on the rapid development of otaku culture both domestically and internationally, with many celebrities and idols publicly stating that they are “otaku.” Inazuka Haru believes that these phenomena are enough to prove that “otaku” are no longer a marginalized group in modern times.

This viewpoint has sparked heated discussions, with mixed opinions among netizens. Some agree with him, believing that in the past decade, otaku culture has indeed been accepted by society. However, others argue that it’s not that otaku are no longer discriminated against, but rather that modern society can no longer openly discriminate against others.

Some also believe that modern society has merely changed the labels of discrimination targets. Although the negative connotation of the term “otaku” has diminished, new negative terms like “startup” have become synonymous with discrimination against certain groups.

 Some Japanese netizens responded as follows:

It’s not that ‘otaku are no longer disgusting,’ but rather ‘nowadays, you can’t insult someone to their face.’ In people’s hearts, ‘otaku’ is still considered unpleasant.

Some internet users believe that as animation and manga have become more accepted, the “grossness” level of “otaku” in people’s eyes is no longer as severe as it used to be, with only a small portion of people still engaging in behavior that is off-putting. “Qi Niu” has become a new substitute term, leading to another negative trend.

Some have pointed out that the economic benefits of otaku culture are quite good, so there is no need for public discrimination, but if the otaku market stops being profitable, then perhaps…

There are also voices indicating that in the past, all the people who were disliked were collectively referred to as ” otaku.”

Other netizens have different opinions, pointing out that it may just be a new term used for criticism nowadays.

There are also voices saying that as the media actively reports more about the less extreme aspects of “home culture,” the total number of heavy “otaku” may still be on the rise.

Some believe that for those who are not off-putting, he would not be seen as an “otaku” from the beginning; it all depends on personal subjective viewpoints.

A commenter pointed out that if this is truly based on moral progress, then it is indeed commendable… but it may also be because the meaning of the term “otaku” has expanded, leading many ordinary people to be included under it, thus making it impossible to continue using it as a derogatory term.

For example, the term “qi niu” has, after its emergence, become like the “otaku” of the past, an object of ridicule for people.