La vision de ce qu'est un otaku par les média japonais de nos jours

For
the longest time in Japan, to be an otaku was to be an outcast. To be
labeled an "otaku" was to be branded with the staple of being an
awkward, obsessive social outcast, and/or potential sexual
predator/criminal. While the times have changed, it appears that
Japanese mass media's preconception of the "otaku stereotype" has not.


Japanese subculture blog, Otakuma Economic Newspaper
(おたくま経済新聞) writes how every now and then they are approached by large
media outlets, including TV studios, to introduce individuals who are
self-designated otaku of a particular subject that the outlets can
interview. According to this site, very often, the interviewees are
turned down because they don't fit with the desired "otaku image."

By asking
the people who were eventually turned down what sort of "otaku image"
the media outlets were looking for, a bizarrely specific "typical otaku"
profile can be constructed. The following list for the "typical" male
otaku was compiled based on the various reasons that male nerds did not
make the cut.


Body type


-Preferably fat or extremely skinny.



Clothes


Pants- Jeans or Chino pants. Suit pants are also possible. Preferably with the hems folded back.

Shirts-
T-shirts of button-down shirts. Generally tucked into the pants.
T-shirts with characters printed on them are preferable.



Belt- GI belts.

Head- Preferably have a bandana wrapped around.

Baggage- Backpacks. Preferably with posters and other merchandise sticking out.

Glasses- Thick lenses and plain frames. Preferably showing wear from prolonged use.

Fashion sense- Preferably behind the times. The worse the fashion sense, the better.



Daily Routine


-Regularly checks figure stores and anime stores.

-Watches all currently airing anime. Preferably anime aimed towards young girls or anime with lots of Moe characters.

-Lives poorly so that all money can be spent on their hobby.


Food


-No expensive or fancy meals.

-Generally
eats fast food or cheap chain restaurant food. Self-made meals are
preferably restricted to simple foods like pasta or noodles.



Sexual Preference


-Young girls or pop idols


Speech


-Uses "Otaku-specific" lingo.


Talents


-Inside-joke based tricks

-Can sing any anime theme song


Personality


-Sophistic

-Talks to self

-Unable to make eye contact

-Unable to relate to "normal" people



Home


-Filled with figures, hug pillows and other items



Relationships


-Preferably single

-Introduces anime characters as girlfriend/wife





Basically, large media outlets want people who would pass the Creepy Geeky Test.
Now it could be argued that generally, the media outlets are trying to
convey an extreme sort of image and require specimens that fit with
their agenda. Also, many of these "stereotypical" otaku are selected for
variety shows and not necessarily news programs. Even so, the agenda
itself seems outdated and wrong. Currently there is an increase of
singers, comedians, and celebrities in Japan who claim to be otaku, and in many cases use this fact in a positive light as a selling point.

Indeed many
self-identifying otaku look, act, and dress like your average Japanese
citizen (so, totally normal!) and such prehistoric stereotypes serve no
purpose other than to ridicule and pander to a mean-spirited sense of
shadenfreude.


I guess showing "real otaku" just doesn't bring in the ratings.