Otaku is one of the most important Japanese subcultures. It leaves observers perplexed, even if one might think that it is not a substantial part of Japanese culture; however, it is seen as an important part of Japanese subcultures. This essay will discuss the emergence of Otaku, how it is classified as a subculture, the types of otaku and the stereotypes associated with them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To begin with, subculture is a group of people who reject mainstream culture and decide to adopt a lifestyle that is, in some sense, rebellious against the mainstream. Large cultures usually involve multiple smaller subcultures that have values ​​and norms distinct from the main culture, which also makes it known as a deviant subculture. To understand otaku we must take a step back and analyze its historical appearance. The term came to the public in the 1980s and is said to have different meanings depending on the context. Before becoming a subculture, the word otaku was used to refer to an honorific second person. In other ways, it is used to refer to “nerds,” “geeks,” or people with a major obsession with anime and manga. The contemporary use of the word originated with Akio Nakamori's essay in a magazine called Manga Burikko. What is the stereotypical image of otaku? Well, it's not that easy to spot them in a crowd, but some people say that otaku usually tend to have uncombed hair and wear unfashionable clothes. On the other hand, an image that some people perceive is that otaku usually wear handmade clothes of their favorite characters that give the atmosphere that they were made with great passion and precision. These images, along with many others, show that otaku are just like any other people, and it is not that easy to spot an otaku. The media has never been truly honest towards otaku and the word was, and remains, used in an offensive way. Even as this happens, many more people identify as otaku and the word is starting to become less offensive. There was the first stigma around them when Miyazaki Tsotomu, labeled as an otaku, killed 4 girls. Other crimes have been used by the media to portray otaku negatively. Another crime in 2004 that seemed to further destroy the image of otaku, when Kaoru Kobayashi was guilty of sexually assaulting and killing a 7 year old boy. Although he was not an otaku, a journalist, named Akihiro Otani, suspected that this crime was related to being an otaku. Akihiro said, "While I don't mean to blame the otaku, they are potential criminals." There are more than 12 types of otaku, only one of which is related to anime and manga. One of the interesting types is the otaku train, also known as Tetsudou Otaku. They are obsessed with photographing trains and riding trains. They may also be interested in railway uniforms and model trains. Even anime and manga otaku have differences when it comes to interests. Some people just read manga or watch anime, others play games, usually known as gamer otakus. They tend to play massively multiplayer online role-playing games where players go on a very competitive virtual adventure. Gamer otaku usually create this virtual character as an image of what they want to be, or do things that bring joy, usually harder to do otherwise in the real world. Furthermore, games are known to help people with problems such as autism and many other social and psychological problems. He is known for creating a simulated world.