OTAKU TERMINOLOGIES
Ahoge: 「あほげ」[ah-ho-geh] Literally means “foolish/stupid hair.” Refers to a length of hair that sticks out from the top of the head of an anime or manga character. It is not to be confused with hair antennae.
Examples of characters with ahoge include Edward Elric from “Fullmetal Alchemist” and Konata from “Lucky Star.”
Akiba-kei: 「アキバケイ」[ah-kee-bah-kay] Literally means “Akihabara style.” Refers to young men or women who spend much of their time in Akihabara. Can also be used to refer to otaku in general.
Akihabara: 「秋葉原」[ah-kee-hah-bah-rah] Also known as “Akiba” it is the “electric town” of Japan and is one of the largest areas in the world for electronics, games, and otaku merchandise.
Examples of fiction related to Akiba include “Densha Otoko” and “Akihabara@Deep.”
Anna Miller’s: A chain of restaurants in Hawaii as well as Japan known for its desserts. It is considered to be an area which many otaku visit, most likely due to the infamous waitress uniform which is seen often in otaku subculture.
Examples of fiction with appearances of Anna Miller’s include “Megatokyo” and “Oh My Goddess!”
Anime: 「アニメ」[ah-nee-meh] Derived from the English word “animation.” This term is used to refer to any animated program that is created and produced within Japan. Many anime are based on series of manga, although not all manga are necessarily made into anime. Anime is often licensed and translated in America by using English voice acting dubs, although some series are often westernized to help “younger audiences understand their content and follow along more effectively.”
Animegao: 「アニメガオ」[ah-nee-meh-gah-oh] Literally means “anime face.” Refers to a style of cosplay in which cosplayers wear a full bodysuit or mask as a part of his/her costume in order to get closer to achieving the appearance of the character.
AMV: “Anime Music Video.” Refers to any video composed of scenes from one or more anime while being played along with a song (not necessarily from the anime itself). AMVs are generally fan-made and generally run for one song per video.
Baka: 「バカ」[bah-kah] Literally translates to “idiot/fool.” This word is often used by American otaku to replace its English counterpart.
Bishounen: 「美少年」[bee-shoh’-nehn] Literally means “Beautiful young man.” Refers to a category of young and attractive, feminine-looking men normally appearing in female oriented manga and anime. However, it is not unusual for bishounen characters to appear in male oriented manga or anime as well.
Bishoujo: 「美少女」 [bee-shoh’-joh] Literally means “Beautiful young woman.” Refers to attractive young girls, normally at or below college age. Bishoujo characters normally appear in male oriented anime, manga, and visual novels.
Bishoujo Game: Any game developed in Japan revolving around young, beautiful women. Normally a visual novel or romance simulation.
BL: “Boy’s love.” The primary and most commonly used name for the category of female oriented manga and anime involving homosexual romance or sex between men.
BL Game: Also known as “Yaoi games,” BL games are female oriented visual novels and romance simulations in which the player takes the role of a young man who becomes involved in homosexual relationships.
Butler Café: 「執事喫茶」(Shitsuji Kissa) [shee-tsoo-jee kee-ssah] Cosplay cafes in which waiters (usually young men) roleplay as ideal butlers for female (otaku) customers. May be considered to be the female counterpart of maid cafes.
Catgirl: 「猫耳」Referred to as “Nekomimi” [neh-koh-mee-mee] in Japan, which literally means “cat ears.” A category of young female characters in anime and manga with cat-like features, the most common being cat ears. Paws, a tail, and a bell collar may also be included. It is often considered to be a trait of moe.
Circle: A group or team of doujinshi artists.
Comiket: 「コミケット」Derived from the English term “Comic Market,” it is the largest comic convention in the world, annually held in Tokyo, Japan twice a year. It main features include the selling of doujinshi and picture taking of cosplayers.
Cosplay: 「コスプレ」Derived from the term “Costume player” cosplay is considered to be a subculture all its own. It can both be used to refer the activity of dressing as an anime, manga, or game character or as a verb to refer the action of actually dressing as a character. A person who cosplays regularly is known as a cosplayer. Photos are often taken of cosplayers and many cosplay outfits are designs for sexual purposes, although there are many wholesome ones. Merely dressing in an anime-esque costume (such as a catgirl or maid) would not be an example of cosplay. The act of cosplaying is the visual mimicry of an actual existant character.
Cosplay Café: 「コスプレカフェ」A café in which the servers cosplay and often take on the personality of the character that they are trying to establish. Often used for sexual purposes when the target consumer is otaku.
DenDen Town: 「でんでんタウン」A shopping district found in the Nipponbashi of Osaka, Japan. It is famous for its electronics, manga, anime, and figures which are sold at reasonable prices.
Doujinshi: 「同人誌」[doh’-jeen-shee] Derived from the Japanese words “Doujin” (used to refer to people with common interests) and “Shi”, which is an alternate form of “Zasshi” (magazine). Doujinshi are manga that have been created and self-published by amateur artists, although professionals have been known to form circles.
Many doujinshi are parodies of professional titles. A common category for doujinshi is the non-canonical pairing of characters as well as explicit sexual content that most publishers will not allow. However, contrary the perception of many American otaku, doujinshi are not a form of pornographic manga, as there are many titles that do not contain any sexual content.
Ecchi: 「エッチ」[eh-tchee] Literally translates to “indecent/lewd.” Refers to a category in anime, manga, and games revolving around male oriented soft-core pornographic content. Often made for young male audiences.
Examples of ecchi anime include “Love Hina” and “DearS.”
Eroge: 「エロゲ」[eh-roh-geh] Derived from the term “Erotic Game”. Also known as “hentai games” in America, it is a category of romance simulations created for 18+ audiences, including puzzle games, conditioning games, and even sex simulators.
Eyecatch: A term used to refer to the artwork used to start and/or end the commercial break aired during an episode of anime.
Facefault: An action in which an anime or manga character falls over onto his/her head or back due to surprise or exasperation. Normally, during a facefault, only the legs are visible as they are extended into the air.
Anime that often use facefaults include “Dragonball Z” and “Pokemon.”
Fanboy: A male otaku who displays obsession with a certain aspect of otaku subculture, sometimes even a specific character of an anime, manga, or game.
Fangirl: A female otaku who displays obsession with a certain aspect of otaku subculture, sometimes even a specific character of an anime, manga, or game.
Fanfic: A fictional story based on the characters or events of a manga/anime/game title, often featuring non-canonical pairings or original characters.
Fanservice: 「ファンサービス」Also spelt separately as “Fan service.” A term used to refer to elements/scenes in the story of an anime or manga that has no purpose in terms of plot or character development, but is created for sexual purposes. Many manga and anime have poor plots, but still remain popular due to large amounts of pleasing fanservice.
Fansub: Refers to a version of an anime that has been translated by a group of fans using self-made subtitles displayed at the bottom of the screen. Fansubbing groups normally distribute episodes of fansubs for free as torrent files or by uploading them onto video hosting websites.
There is much legal controversy over fansubbing and often conflict between fansubbers and American anime licensing companies as well as Japanese animation companies. Japan has taken few steps of legal action against fansubbing groups, although many anime that have been translated and licensed in America are often deleted wherever possible. Fansubbing groups, however, do not wish to make profit from thei fansubs and usually do not see what they are doing as unethical.
Examples of fansub groups include “Dattebayo” and “Mahora Fansubs.”
Films Comic: 「フィルムコミック」Volumes of manga that are available for reading as both traditional books and digital books online. Films comics are sometimes published in America under the title of “Cine-manga” and “Ani-manga.”
Fujoshi: 「婦女子」[fu-joh-shee] Literally means “rotten woman.” A term used to refer to girls and women who are fans of manga/anime/Japanese games or novels involving homosexual relationships between male characters.
Glomp: An American otaku term used to describe a large or “bear” hug among anime/manga fans. Although there is controversy over where the term originated, it is commonly believed that the term came from the English translation of Ranma ½, in which the word was used as a sound effect. “Glomp” is often used as a greeting or expression of affection on the internet.
Gothloli: 「ゴスロリ」Derived from the English terms “Gothic” and “Lolita.” Refers to characters that wear clothing which imitates that of Victorian porcelain dolls, mainly using a childlike look with black or white accents.
Hair Antennae: Refers to two or more lengths of hair that extend from the top of certain anime characters’ heads, often resembling antennae. Not to be confused with ahoge.
An example of a character with hair antennae would be Narusegawa Naru from “Love Hina
Hanyou: 「汎用」[hahn-yoh’] An anime or manga character who is a cross between a human and a supernatural being (youkai). Hanyou are often the result of one human parent and one supernatural parent. In anime and manga, they are often depicted as outsiders, never fitting into the side of either humans nor youkai.
An example of a hanyou character would be InuYasha from “InuYasha.”
Harem: A category of anime in which a single male character is surrounded by or somehow involved with multiple female characters, often heavy in fanservice. There are also gender variations in which a single female character is surrounded by male characters.
Examples of harem anime include various “Tenchi” titles and “Negima!/Negima!?”
Hentai: 「変態」[hehn-tie] Literally means “abnormality” or “abnormal appearance.” A category of anime which contains explicit pornographic content. Intended for 18+ audiences. May be substituted simply with the capital letter “H” or the term “ero” (Japanese term derived from “erotic”)
Hikikomori: 「ひきこもり」[hee-kee-koh-moh-ri] Literally meaning “being in confinement.” Refers to a person who has withdrawn from society and seeks isolation from others, often due to poor social skills, emotional or mental issues, and obsessive hobbies (such as anime).
Image Song: A song on an album created for an anime/game that is performed by a character’s seiyuu and is meant to build the character’s sense personality.
Imouto Café: 「妹カフェ」[ee-moh’-toh-ka-fe] Literally meaning “Younger sister café.” It is a cosplay café in which the waitresses dress up as and take on the role of the customer’s (often male otaku) ideal younger sister. Waitresses normally greet each customer with an “Okaeri, oniichan/oneechan!” (Welcome home, big brother/sister!)
Josei: 「女性」[joh-say] Literally meaning “woman.” Refers to a genre of manga/anime directed at audiences of young women, often using stories of drama, romance, and homosexual relations between men.
Kawaii: 「かわいい」[kah-wah-ee’] Literally translates to “cute.” This word is often used by American otaku to replace its English counterpart. Contrary to the common mispronunciation, the word “kawaii” is pronounced with an extended and emphasized “ēē” sound at the end, as apposed to the Hawaiian island “Kauai.” Currently, the word is also used as slang by Japanese girls to refer to anything that excites them or gives them pleasure.
Kemonomimi: 「獣耳」[keh-moh-noh-mee-mee] Literally means “animal ears.” Refers to characters in anime/manga/games with animal-like characteristics, often animal ears or tails.
Kodomo: 「子供」[koh-doh-moh] Literally means “child.” It is a shortened version of “Kodomomuke anime,” which is anime directed at child audiences, often teaching them moral values.
Lemon: Refers to sexually explicit pornographic anime/manga (a variant name of hentai).
Light Novel: 「ライトノベル」A novel with anime/manga style illustrations, sometimes based on manga or anime and often directed toward teenage and young adult audiences. Light novels may also be made into manga or anime themselves.
Loli: 「ロリー」Derived from the term “Lolita.” Used to refer to a cute female anime/manga/game character that is prepubescent or has the appearance of one that is.
An example of an anime/manga featuring loli characters would be “Ichigo Marshmellow.”
Lolicon: 「ロリコン」Short for “Lolita Complex.” Refers to preferences or otaku with preferences to loli characters. Lolicons are often accused of increasing underage sexual harassment or violation crime rates.
Maid Café: 「メイドカフェ」Cosplay cafes in which the waitresses (usually young women) roleplay as ideal maids for male (otaku) customers. Waitresses normally welcome each customer with an “Okaerinasai, goshujinsama!” (Welcome home, master!) Maid servants often act in a cute or “moe” manner and sometimes participate in performances or activities involving the customers.
Mahou Kanojo: 「魔法彼女」[mah-ho’ kah-noh-joh] Literally means “magical girlfriend.” Used to refer to a female anime or manga character in possession of supernatural powers, normally paired with an incompetent “nice guy” male character. Not to be confused with Mahou Shoujo.
Examples of anime/manga featuring Mahou Kanojo include “Steel Angel Kurumi,” “Chobits,” and “Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shufuku wo!”
Mahou Shoujo: 「魔法少女」[mah-ho’ shoh’-joh] Literally means “magical girl.” Refers to a young female anime/manga/game character with magical powers. Normally, a mahou shoujo character will undergo a transformation sequence in order to change into her magical form, which is often created by the waving of a wand. During the transformation sequence, there is implied nudity and the magical appearance of elaborate clothing to indicate the transition from a normal state to a magical one.
Magical girls often have a talking anime familiar of some kind, such as a cat, which gives her advice and helps her understand her powers and duties. While mahou shoujou are often featured in shoujo manga and anime, it is not uncommon at all for them to be featured in shounen comics as well.
An example of an anime/manga featuring Mahou Shoujo would be “Sailor Moon.”
Mahou Shounen: 「魔法少年」[mah-ho’ sho’-nehn] Literally means “magical boy.” It is a gender variation of mahout shoujo characters in which a young male character undergoes a magical transformation of some kind.
An example of an anime/manga featuring Mahou Shounen would be “Yu-Gi-Oh!”
Manga: 「漫画」[mahn-gah] Literally translates to “comic.” The term is often used to refer to comics that are published within Japan. Manga are often printed in black and white, and professional series are normally serialized in magazines that are distributed by publishing companies. Manga are also released in book format or “volumes.” Manga, like most other Japanese literature, is read from right to left and often contains instructions on how to do so when distributed by American publishing companies. Contrary to common belief in the western hemisphere, the word manga is pronounced using the short “o” sound (as in “monster) in place of the short “a” sound (as in “man”) when saying the word.
Mangaka: 「漫画家」[mahn-gah-kah] A professional author of manga.
Mecha Anime: Refers to a category of anime revolving around combat between giant, humanoid robots that are often controlled by human pilots.
Examples of Mecha Anime include “Gundam” and “Full Metal Panic.”
Meganekko: 「メガネっ娘」[meh-gah-neh-kkoh] Derived from the terms “megane” (glasses) and “ko” (child/girl). Refers to young female anime/manga characters who wear glasses. A character is normally only considered to be a meganekko when her glasses are her most appealing feature, especially for otaku with glasses fetishes.
Meido: 「メイド」[may-doh] The Japanese pronunciation of the word “maid.” Refers to characters or cosplayers dressed as a French maid, normally with altered designs for sexual appeal. It is often considered to be a trait of moe.
Moe: 「萌え」[moh-eh] Literally means “budding.” It is a sometimes vague term used to refer to love for or specific fetishes for anime/manga/game characters. It can also be used to describe characters and traits that would “invoke” moe. For example, “Nekomimi-moe” would be used to describe a preference for catgirl characters. Some general traits of moe include a youthful physical appearance, naivity, clumsiness, and innocence. Although it is a term normally used by male otaku, it is currently growing to be used by female otaku and fujoshi as well. The term is pronounced with the “e” as a separate syllable, unlike the American name “Moe.”
Omake: 「オマケ」[oh-mah-keh] Literally means “extra/bonus.” It is an often non-canonical side story used in anime featuring comedy sketches and out of character scenes, sometimes breaking the fourth wall. It may also be used to refer to specials on anime DVDs such as deleted scenes.
Oneesan: 「お姉さん」[oh-neh’-sahn] Literally translates to “older sister.” This term is used to address one’s elder sister or a young woman. The suffix “san” is interchangeable with other suffixes, such as “chan” or “sama.”
Oniisan: 「お兄さん」[oh-nee’-sahn] Literally translates to “older brother.” This term is used to address one’s elder brother or a young man. The suffix “san” is interchangeable as well.
Ookina Otomodachi: 「大きなお友達」[oh’-kee-nah oh-toh-moh-dah-chee] Literally means “a big friend.” Refers to adult fans of anime or manga directed at child audiences.
Otaku: 「オタク」[oh-tah-koo] A term originally used to refer to another person’s house. It has grown to be a slang term, referring to a person with an obsessive hobby (and therefore does not leave his/her house). It can also be used to refer to a geek in generally. Particularly, it is used to refer to people with an interest in anime and manga.
Those involved in otaku subculture (as in the anime and manga industry) can be classified into anime otaku, manga otaku, computer/gaming otaku, figure/model otaku, idol otaku (those who are fans of idols/seiyuu), cosplayers, fujoshi, lolicons, and many others, depending on the indiviual’s interests.
Examples of fiction involving Otaku include “Genshiken” and “Aoi House.”
OEL Manga: “Original English-Language Manga.” Refers to comics created and published in America or other English-speaking western countries that are heavily influenced by anime, manga, and eastern culture. A well known publisher of such titles is Tokyopop.
Examples of OEL manga include “Megatokyo” and “Rising Stars of Manga.”
ONA: “Original Net Animation.” Refers to anime titles released either exclusively or originally on the internet.
OVA: “Original Video Animation.” Refers to anime episodes or titles released exclusively in DVD and VHS formats, not to be broadcast on television.
RAW: Refers to an untranslated episode of anime or chapter of manga. Normally released onto the internet before fansubbing groups are able to translate them.
Sailor Fuku: 「セーラ服」[say-ler foo-koo] Literally means “Sailor Uniform” or “Sailor Outfit.” Refers to a school uniform worn by certain middle and high school female students, resembling certain naval uniforms. The uniform normally includes a ribbon, blouse, and skirt and is often used in anime as a characteristic of moe.
Seinen: 「青年」[say-nehn] Literally means “Young man.” A category of anime/manga that is directed at male audiences between 18 and middle-age. Often includes psychological, drama, slice-of-life, and hentai genres.
Seiyuu: 「西友」[say-yoo’] A Japanese voice actor or actress. Normally used to refer to those who do the voices of anime characters by otaku. In some cases, a seiyuu can exceed the character that he/she plays as in popularity.
Seme: 「セメ」[seh-meh] Derived from the word “Semeru” (to attack). Originally used in martial arts, it has come to describe a character in yaoi manga/anime/games who takes the role of the “top” in homosexual relations.
Shotacon: 「ショタコン」[shoh-tah-kohn/shoh-tah-kahn] Derived from “Shoutarou Complex.” (Shoutarou is the name of a young, male character from the series “Tetsujin 28-go”) The female counterpart of “lolicon,” it refers to female otaku with preferences for young boy characters. Like lolicons, shotacons are also faced with public concerns of sexual exploitation and perceptions towards underage children.
Shoujo: 「少女」[shoh’-joh] Literally means “girl.” Refers to a category of anime and manga aimed towards female audiences between the ages of roughly 10 and 18. Tends to include romance, comedy, drama, and bishounen character genres.
Examples of Shoujo titles include “Fruits Basket” and “Kare Kano.”
Shounen: 「少年」[shoh’-nehn] Literally means “boy.” Refers to a category of anime and manga aimed towards male audiences between the ages of roughly 10 and 18. Tends to include action, comedy-romance, ecchi, and bishoujo character genres.
Examples of Shounen titles include “Naruto” and “Dragonball.”
Shoujo-ai: 「少女哀」[shoh’-joh-eye] Literally means “Girl-Love.” Refers to comics revolving around homosexual relationships between girls and young women that have soft-core or no sexual content.
An example of Shoujo-ai would be “The Last Uniform.”
Shounen-ai: 「少年哀」[shoh’-nehn-eye] Literally means “Boy-Love.” Refers to comics revolving around homosexual relationships between boys and young men that have soft-core or no sexual content.
An example of Shounen-ai would be “Gravitation.”
Suki: 「すき」[skee] Literally translates to “like/love.” The phrase “Suki desu” means “I like/love you” when used in the correct context. Another form may be “(person’s name) ga suki desu,” which means “I love (person’s name).” One may also say “Suki da” or simply “Suki,” each essentially having the same meaning. It is often used in anime and mange for confession scenes, rather than “Ai shiteru.”
Super Deformed: Refers to a style of drawing anime/manga/game characters in which the character takes on a short stature with a large head as well as other exaggerated features, especially those of the face. Often used in RPGs as well as scenes in manga and anime in order to increase comedic effect.
Tsundere: 「ツンデレ」[tsoon-deh-reh] Used to describe a character who starts out aggressive and violent, but eventually grows to be kind, loving, and emotionally vulnerable. Currently, it can also be used to describe a character who appears to be aggressive and violent, but is actually kind and loving on the inside. The term comes from the words “tsuntsun” (ill-humored/sullen) and “deredere” (lovey-dovey/lovestruck).
Tsunderekko: 「ツンデレっ娘」[tsoon-deh-reh-kkoh] A female character possessing tsundere characteristics. In terms of female characters, tsundere is considered to be another trait of moe. Preference towards tsunderekko has even brought about a “tsundere café” in Akihabara, in which waitresses take on the traits of ideal tsunderekko.
Examples of tsunderekko would be Nagi Sanzenin from “Hayate no Gotoku” and Sakura Haruno from “Naruto.”
Uke: 「ウケ」[oo-keh] Derived from the word “Ukeru” (to receive). A term, like seme, originally used in martial arts, it has come to describe the character in yaoi anime/manga/games who takes the role of the “bottom.”
Visual Novel: 「ビジュアルノベル」A type of game in which there is very little interaction, most of the content being anime style illustrations and recorded dialogue that follows a set story. Visual novels are often romance simulation games in which the player needs only to make decisions at certain points in the game, determining the next part of the story and which ending (normally out of many) is reached. Endings for visual novels often include both good and bad ones, sometimes involving death or murder. Visual novels may or may not contain sexual content. Popular visual novels are often adapted into anime.
Examples of visual novels that have been adapted into anime include “Clannad,” “School Days,” and “Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two/A Tale of Memories (anime).”
Yandere: 「ヤンデレ」[yahn-deh-reh] The counterpart of tsundere, yandere describes a character who starts out kind and loving and eventually becomes violent and psychotic, often in a brutal or murderous manner. A yandere character is often used for much darker and serious stories than tsundere characters, often involving traumatic experiences and psychological breakdowns due to love for the lead male character.
Yanderekko: 「ヤンデレっ娘」[yahn-deh-reh-kkoh] A female character in possession of yandere characteristics.
An example of a yanderekko would be Kotonoha from “School Days.”
Yangire: 「ヤンギレ」[yahn-gee-reh] Derived from the words “yanderu” (to be sick/ill) and “kire” (to snap). The term describes characters who suddenly snap and become brutally psychotic due to reasons other than love or romantic relationships. A “yangirekko” is a female character possessing yangire characteristics.
Yaoi: 「ヤオイ」[yah-oh-ee] Recently used to replace the category title “BL,” it refers to any manga/anime/game genre of female oriented hentai containing male-male sexual content. The term is a Japanese acronym which stands for “yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi” (no climax, no resolution, no purpose). Originally used to describe any doujinshi that used strange and playful parodies. Often spelt in Japanese as “801” (8 representing the character “Ya,” 0 representing the character “O,” and 1 representing the character “I.” The term is often mispronounced in the US as “yowwie.”
Yonkoma: 「四こま」[yohn-koh-mah] Literally means “four-cell manga.” Often replaced by 4-koma, it refers to a comic strip format used in Japan in which there are four panels arranged vertically, much like how America uses horizontally arranged comic strips. Yonkoma are often used as extras in manga for comedic, often non-canonical scenes.
Examples of manga titles in Yonkoma format include “Lucky Star” and “Azumanga Daiou.”
Yuri: 「百合」[yoo-ree] Literally means “lily.” Refers to any manga/anime/game genre of male oriented hentai containing female-female sexual content. The term most likely originates from the term “yurizoku” (lily tribe) which was used to refer to female readers of a magazine titled “Barazoku” (rose tribe), which was aimed towards gay men. Many circles took the term “yuri” (taking away the “zoku”) and incorporated it into their girl-girl hentai doujinshi.
Zettai Ryouiki: 「絶対領域」[zeh-ttī ryoh’-ee-kee] Literally means “Absolute territory.” It is used to describe the area of bare skin between a female character’s miniskirt and over-the-knee socks. It is a trait of many tsundere and meido characters.
4Kids: [fohr-kidz] Derived from “4Kids Entertainment.” Refers to an evil corporation specializing in human suffering, particularly otaku and television viewers in general. Often licenses popular anime titles for the sole purpose of censoring them for “inappropriate content” as well as dubbing over the original Japanese audio with amateur voice acting. 4Kids, despite the business it has with Japan, has no knowledge of Japanese or any eastern culture. 4Kids is also under the impression that all of the USA is unaware that anime is in fact created in Japan with professional script writers and voice actors.
Examples of 4Kids productions include “4kids’ One Piece” and “4Kids’ Yu-Gi-Oh!” (the lamer counterpart of “Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series”)
