haha...omg.... this thread...
okay... so yeah Otaku isn't just about anime/manga... it's pretty much someone who obsesses over anything to a seemingly unhealthy level.
er...okay so I love anime... I watch it all the time... I prefer it over regular TV by far... HOWEVER, I really don't consider myself otaku. If someone invites me to go hang out somewhere I'll go if it sounds fun. I invite other people to hang out fairly often.
Let me give you an example of an anime otaku. There was a man I once worked with... about 50 years old... this guy spent almost every paycheck on his anime collection. He knew when each series was made, who the director was, who the voice actors were, and memorized every last detail of the series. He collected dolls of all his favorite characters. He wore all the shirts relatead to anime that he could get his hands on... and he never stopped talking about it at work.
While he was still capable of socializing and hanging out with other people, his sheer creepiness drove anyone that would hang out with him away.
I'll admit..I've been to anime conventions because... they're fun. You get to see ppl dressed up crazy and you can talk all you want about anime without feeling like a geek. But I have my limits.
I would say not all otaku are socially incapable... but rather their "otakuness" somehow inhibits there ability to be social, whether it's because they think joining a raid is more important than going to the party...or even if they want to go to the party but don't get invited because they're creepy.
If you're doing something because you enjoy it...and it doesn't interfere with normal social activities... than your not otaku in my opinion... being passionate about something isn't strange, as long as you don't go overboard.
but then again... if you say you aren't...but everyone you know says you are...well... haha.
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