Otaku

When researching the word and subculture, one thing becomes clear: the meaning of "otaku" is riddled with ambiguities. Its definition depends on who's defining it. Media and cultural trends have shaped the term's popular perception over time.

The problem is that in Japan, there isn't a proper word to express you in a situation where you want to speak passionately and personally about something to… someone whose name you don't know, and to whom you haven't been introduced formally. Calling the person by the second-person pronoun anata would sound strange as this is a word used between married couples. There is another second-person pronoun, kimi, but the relationship suggested by the term is too intimate. As a result, fans used the term otaku, which is a sort of honorific, somewhat ambiguous second-person pronoun.

the true meaning behind otaku. Obviously, being social and sharing information isn't all there is to it.

REMIX + EXCHANGE = POSSESSION

Maniacs take a passive role enjoying their obsessions. But otakus are contributors and participants. They value homemade, derivative products such as fan-made comics, stories, figures, and art. These are things maniacs and ordinary people would not understand.