What is an Oztaku?
Find out in this article.
I have gotten in trouble for making up words to describe already existing phenomenon before. Anyone who’s seen my Anime Eccentric article which attempted to give a name to the zaniness of some Anime knows that. But I believe Australian Anime fans sometimes are misclassified, and Aussie Anime fans who are not otaku but significantly entrenched into Anime fandom, need a new word, (not a fancy buzz word) to describe what these people actually are.
This is what Oztaku means:
Oztaku (adjective noun): An Anime fan who is Australian, often Anglo Saxon, who is not quite as obsessive as the Japanese otaku, but still knowledgable about their Anime and Manga hobby. This is not a word that has negative connotations like otaku does, and it is meant to describe Anime and Manga fans who are Australian who may not be comfortable with being called otaku because of the negative connotations. It is a mark of respect, and not to be used in a derogatory manner.
An example of an Oztaku: this guy I used to know from school who was an advanced illustrator of manga and a consumer of published manga. He was not an otaku by any means as he was highly social depending on whether he wanted to talk to you or not, and did not use his hobby to rebel against society. His hobby was closer to a social group than a counter culture.
Perhaps blissmo is not an Oztaku to the extent this friend of mine was as she goes on and off anime, and has repeatedly told me to get out more. Therefore she is not an Oztaku, as she does not define a significant portion of her daily life to the production or consumption of Anime and Manga fandom. HOWEVER, she is an Australian Anime blogger who contributes a large amount to the Aniblogosphere through her episodic reviews, therefore, I cannot say whether she is or is not an Oztaku unless she confirms or denies it.
Another example: the man who runs my local Anime figure shop in my neighbourhood IS an Oztaku in many ways, because Anime and Manga fandom contributes to his livelihood. Oztaku as a word particularly describes people who not only consume Anime and Manga, but actively create their own Anime and Manga works of art, or at least make their hobby part of their financial livelihood. In addition the Anime figure shop guy is well knowledgable about the best way to import Anime figures into his shop for the least amount of money, and such knowledge is used to make him a profit.
In a similar manner I am an Oztaku because I was recently contacted by a producer of a radio show for the ABC to talk about Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha, a manga epic biography of a significant religious figure, on a Religion and Politics themed radio show. How did I manage this? Well I actively researched if the show’s cast were interested in manga and whether they had had somebody talk about a Buddhist related thing on the show for a while, and deliberately linked the radio show’s website on my home blog in articles campaigning to have Tezuka’s Buddha featured on the show. Anyone who goes that far to get a decades old manga series mentioned in any way, shape or form on a Religion and Politics themed radio program for the ABC is most likely an Oztaku, because they interact with established media networks to promote Anime and Manga actively.
To sum this up, even though this is a word I just made up on the spot it makes a lot more sense than calling white Anglo Saxon people who don’t see their hobby as counter-culture at all otaku. Even non-Anglo Saxon Aussie Anime and Manga fans that I have known would not entirely be classifiable as otaku. We need a liberating word that empowers us in following our hobby but one that is recognisably Anime and Manga related, while at the same time relating to our geographical location. Hence, “Oz”taku.
Interesting. Us NZ otaku need a name then. It also has to be way cooler then Oztaku. That’s a given.
This is easily the worst made-up word I’ve ever seen.
“We need a liberating word that empowers us in following our hobby but one that is recognisably Anime and Manga related, while at the same time relating to our geographical location.”
What is this pretentious bullshit? What’s wrong with the words “Anime fan”, whose definition is inclusive of all lovers of the anime and manga hobby without regards to creeds, races, culture or, ‘geographical location’? Do you think you need segregation, particularly emphasising “Anglo Saxons”, because you’re too good for the rest of us? Oh, I see, you’re one of those idiotic white people around here who still think “White Australia” is the best fucking policy our government had ever implemented.
“This is not a word that has negative connotations like otaku does[.]”
Then why are you using a portmanteau of the words “Oz” and “otaku”, when you are clearly trying to distance yourself from that so called “otaku” image? How many people in Australia do you think even fully understands what it means to be otaku? If you’re truly weary of being associated with this derogatory term (that so many white people seem to love to wear with pride), you shouldn’t use it. People who haven’t read your definition will simply go “Oh, Australian Otakus lolololol” and move on, or did you think you have enough influence to propagate this new word into common usage? You’re giving yourself way too much credit, don’t put yourself on the same level as Mark Twain and Terry Pratchett.
“Anyone who goes that far to get a decades old manga series mentioned in any way, shape or form on a Religion and Politics themed radio program for the ABC is most likely an Oztaku, because they interact with established media networks to promote Anime and Manga actively.”
Haha, this is the most precious one. You’re ‘above’ the average otaku because… you’re passionate enough to get yourself heard on the mainstream media? Let’s not go into that, why not firstly ask you: why did you use such a round-about method of gaining attention? Is there anything wrong with directly calling up ABC and saying “I have prepared some research on this subject, and would like to make a contribution?” Oh right, you are just another otaku, and are too scared of initiating conversations with people, so instead you write a post in your blog and twiddle your thumbs until they come and contact you.
Stop deluding yourself. You don’t deserve any special words without negative connotations, you bloody Oztaku.
Dude that’s the harshest thing that’s ever been said to me in my blogging career, but I can see you have a point inbetween your ownage of me. I knew from the beginning this post would eventually get some negative attention, I didn’t intend to stir up this much controversy though.
By the way, I’m a Tezuka fanboy. As a result I have been conditioned to regard, or at least try to regard, all life as sacred. Even your life, Lupus. Your attempt to kill my word “Oztaku” by bringing up the White Australia policy, not something I have any truck with at all (and what Anime fan in Australia would?), is a bit rich. Why? Because most Aussie Anime fans (or Oztaku) don’t have that mentality.
As for the Terry Pratchett remark I’m insulted, as I consider myself a big fan of his, but it appears no amount of me trying to convince you of my abilities of wit is going to stop you flaming me. I’m not going to hide, but I am going to see what happens when other people comment.
If you didn’t notice, the reason why I highlighted “Anglo Saxons” is because many white Anime and Manga fans are not the same as Japanese ones, and have a different cultural construction of their identity. Hence an Oztaku would be brought from a different cultural society entirely from a Japanese society. I’ve been taken out of context before, and this time I have probably been misinterpreted by my bad phrasing. Non-Anglo Saxons can be Oztaku too, just like non-Anglo Saxons can be *gasp* counted as Australians, because the days of the White Australia policy is long gone. Heck, I’m not even Anglo Saxon, I’m Celtic.
I have to go now to watch a movie.
To be honest, it seems like a pointless word to make up. What’s its actual function? I don’t see a problem with just saying “anime fan” if you don’t want to be referred to in a derogatory manner. Then there’s the exclusiveness of the word being created and soley relating to Australians, which I just don’t understand, as you could simply take definitions of any of the people you mentioned and change their location; would I be able to call myself a “Londotaku” or “Britaku” something?
@Omisyth:
“Britaku” and other related words similar to Otaku would have to be coined in addition, and I personally like your coining of “Britaku” honestly (wish I had thought of that). For example, a New Zealander Anime fan would be called a “Kiwitaku”, and a German anime fan could possibly be called a “Teutaku” as a play on “Teuton”. Alternatively for non Western nations we would have words like “Singtaku” for Singaporeans, and “Braztaku” for Brazilians.
But Omisyth, I admire your ability to see the holes in my argument without resorting to flaming me like the other guy did. Do we really need this word? Maybe not. Should we discuss whether we need it or not?
Of course we should. New words are debated every day.
A word is a word right. I’d just start using it for the lulz. I don’t particularly care what is behind it other then it makes sense to people. It’s seems to be something that would be used more on an international otaku site or something. Where instead of using flags you are designated by your country’s otaku name.
In the end meh?
You know, when we/you coin terms like these, it only opens up even more possibilities, sites and locations of ostracization and discrimination. By your intent, the otzaku is a “good thing” with “positive connotations,” but those connotations are, just as easily as they were forged, usurped by trolls and opponents of your theory, thus turning the empty symbol “otzaku” into just some ridiculous anti-myth which only propagates the problem with cultural slurs than it does end them.
It’s like blacks, which in the 70’s in the US turned the meaning of the word on its head: black power, black pride; brothers, soul brothers; brown is beautiful (recall your history with the native Australian aboriginal).
Essentially, since you feel suppressed in some way by term otaku, you’re avoiding this discrimination instead of challenging it: benefit of the few at the expense of the many – so where’s our “pride” now?
If the only thing your term is emphasizing is a geographical separation, I put as much value into it as region coding on DVDs and video games. That is, absolutely none. If you want to start categorizing Australian anime fans as Oztaku, be my guest but I’ve been more of a fan of bringing people together than pushing them apart.
@lelangir: Once again you have proven me wrong. 99% of revolutions fail even if they are well meaning, and the ones that succeed take YEARS to realistically end a lot of suffering.
But could you blame me for trying to coin a fun word to try and solve a problem? Once again I fail at life.
@Caitlin: I am so sorry. Now I feel miserable that I even tried to invent a fun word which ended up tearing us apart. In any case it would be better if we completely forgot that I bothered. I’m going to sulk in some shojo now.
Wow I think I just saw an Ogiue pic.
Well anyway, Oztaku eh? Well that does undefine me.
give the guy a break. oztaku is a cute word. regardless of what his connotations of it may be.
britaku is cute too.
wait, nigger is a cute word too.
I wouldn’t consider myself an otaku at all, and heck, oztaku is a cute word
Ummm, not to be picky or anything, but you didn’t just make it up.
Have you guys actually gone to http://www.oztaku.com?
Or, I dunno, bothered to Google it?
We’ve been around since 2003.
We’ve got a community of over 400 artists Australia wide.
We’ve got some stuff in Kyoto’s manga museum, and we’ve been pretty much a driving force behind a good chunk of the acceptance of manga as a medium down under.
kthxbye
@Avi Bernshaw: Thank God, somebody actually redeemed the use of the word from my idiotic purposes. Now I have yet another thing to be miserable about, I guess the impact of several depressing instances in my life has gotten to my head.
I am so sorry. I really am. But rather than killing myself over this, a followup post on my home blog would be a better solution for promoting your artistic cause which I for one would actually support by the way.
That’s cool.
I just get really frustrated by how amazingly US-centric the internet is.
I can’t even say ethnocentric, in a case like this, because being an otaku is kinda the antithesis of ethnocentricity (unless you ARE Japanese).
But yeah all is forgiven.
If you want to check out the sort of work we actually produce,you’re welcome to drop on by our forum sometime.
[...] Response to NewGeekPhilosopher’s article “What Is An Oztaku?” [...]
Leave your response!
Navigation
Comments
Categories
Poll
Authors
Links
Meta
Affiliates
Recent Posts
Most Commented
Most Viewed