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Yea, totally agree. I mean, I don't see why it's sooo offensive either... especially if it's not true or if it isn't used as a derogatory term (like how most Westerners use it, not like the original Jap meaning).
Actually, even in Japanese, being called an 'otaku' has a negative connotation. It's means you're a weirdo (and a geek-- in the negative sense). Most Japanese people would imagine it as someone who stays locked up in their small houses, full of merchandise of whatever it is they're obsessing about, never seeing the sun, no social life, etc. It encompasses a whole lot of obsessions, not just manga. If you're a geeky die-hard star trek fan who knows every single detail about it, costumes, and whatnot, you're still an otaku. It's not just manga or anime.
Anyway, I couldn't pick an option for the poll. I was a huge fan years ago, but now, I don't even read manga when I'm bored. The only manga I'm getting/reading are the ones I translate for a group I work for, that's pretty much the only thing I have passion for in the manga/anime world nowadays. I also couldn't pick the option of "EWW NO!", because I don't have such a violent reaction about the word otaku anyway. I guess my answer would just have to be a simple "No."
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