World Cosplay Summit Contestants posing in costume at the 2009 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan, an international event that highlights the global reach of otaku culture. (more) otaku anime subculture Written by Laura Payne Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor. Laura PayneAll Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Feb. 13, 2026 •History otaku, people who pore over anime frames, memorize manga timelines, collect game art books, and sometimes build entire social lives around their favorite worlds. The Japanese word otaku was originally a polite form of address, but from the 1980s onward it was often used to mock obsessive fans; over time it became widely recognized, shaping how fans across a variety of interests and hobbies connect, create, and share their culture. Emerging in the shadow of World...

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