WEEABOOS
ウィーブー
Once upon a time in the wild lands of the internet, there emerged a unique breed of enthusiasts known as "weeaboos." These folks were on a quest to absorb all things Japanese, from anime and manga to ramen and kimonos. As their numbers grew, so did their quirky habits and obsessive nature, creating a subculture that left a lasting mark on the world of fandom.
In Japan, otaku culture thrives as a vibrant subculture centered around passionate enthusiasts with obsessive interests, often in anime, manga, video games, or other niche hobbies. Embraced by a dedicated community, otaku not only consume but actively contribute to their chosen fandoms, creating a dynamic and influential presence in Japanese pop culture.
Weeb culture, largely rooted in the United States, often denotes a subset of fans who adopt Japanese pop culture with an intense enthusiasm that can be perceived as cringe-worthy or excessive. While sharing some interests with otaku culture, weebs are sometimes associated with exaggerated behaviors, excessive use of Japanese language, and a tendency to romanticize Japan, creating a perception that leans towards the more eccentric side of fandom.
it's essential to approach interests with respect and cultural sensitivity without inadvertently crossing boundaries, so here are some Steps to take in order to Navigate the lines of acceptable social standards when it comes to appreciating Japanese culture and media.
A person who retains an unhealthy obsession with Japan and Japanese culture, typically ignoring or even shunning their own racial and cultural identity. Many weeaboos talk in butchered Japanese with the 8 or so words they know (i.e. kawaii, desu, ni chan). While weeaboos claim to love and support Japanese culture, counter intuitively, they tend to stereotype Japanese culture by how it appears in their favorite anime, which can be safely assumed to be offensive to the Japanese.
The word weeaboo came about as a alternative for the term Wapanese, a blend of white or wannabe with Japanese. Wapanese was used extensively on the website 4chan in the early 2000s to insult white people who were deemed overly fond of and biased towards Japanese culture, particularly popular exports like anime, manga, and hentai. The abusive term was added to the online Racial Slur Database in 2004.
According to Know Your Meme, Wapanese peaked in 2005, prompting 4chan moderators to apply a special filter replacing all instances of Wapanese with, arbitrarily, weeaboo.
"There's a difference between a person that just likes anime, and people that are full on disgusting unhygienic weeaboos."
"AND YOU SAY ONE THING ABOUT ANIME AND THESE GUYS WILL F**K YOU UP MAN. THEY WILL BREATHE REALLY HEAVE AND START TYPING ON THE KEYBOARD REALLY FAST."
"You think you know all about Japan after watching, what, like 6 anime series."
- TVFilthyFrank
Someone who is primarily considered a geek. This term refers to a person whose only interests are comics, Japanese animation and video games. He does this at the expense of his relationships or social life.
comes from the Japanese lexicon and is used in the second person. It is composed of the Kanji O-, a polite formula for the pronoun "Thou", + taku meaning "house, home", and literally translates to "casaner" or "one who shelters at home". It is a title given by Japanese society to reflect the obsession or excess of Otaku with their activities. They are perceived as individuals cut off from the world and immersed in their own virtual reality.
Consuming Japanese media, such as anime and manga (i.e. Attack on titan, One Piece, Naruto, etc.)
Attending anime Events and conventions (i.e. Comic con, Anime Expo, Anime NYC, ETC.)
Collecting Figures, Books, art, etc. in relation to the media that you consume (i.e. anime figurines, Manga series, posters, etc.)
idolizes Japanese food and people, and culture, though their knowledge of Japanese society itself may actually be shallow and superficial. They also may consider all other cultures, not least their own, less interesting or worthwhile, and wish they were Japanese.
MisUsing short phrases, mainly sourcing from anime dialogue, such as "Kawaii", "senpai", "baka", "Sugoi", Etc. in normal, everyday speech.
Over-Sexualizing of characters and having interest in, Hentai (anime Pornography), yaoi (manga centered upon homosexual romance), lolicons (prepubescent girlS), traps (young boys who look feminine), etc.
Collecting of unusual and fetishized objects, such as figurines or posters depicting nude characters, Body pillows with full size characters (male or female), Hentai Manga, Etc.
Partaking in poorly executed cosplaying, while acting distastefully in tone, language, and attitude, at conventions, or even in random public spaces.
Don't limit yourself to only watching anime. Try out other things, whether it be through pop culture or historical importance, that may allow you to gain a better understanding of Japanese culture.
If you want to speak the language, take the time to learn and understand the grammar, vocabulary, and even writing, of the japanese language so that you can have more complex conversations, rather than randomly using words like "nani" and "baka" unnecessarily in random converations.
Don't be weird. Stop liking young anime children. Don't unironically have body pillows. Just don't do things that just are morally wrong.
It's okay to like japanese culture and media, but don't make it your entire personality. You shouldn't need to make your life revolve around anime and japan. You can have strong interest in things, but go outside, take a shower, touch some grass, and enjoy what you have around you. Japan shouldn't be the center of your world. Espeecially if you aren't even japanese.