by david jenkins, july 10, 2005 [...] A study by Nomura Research Institute has estimated that the combined «otaku» market in Japan is now worth ¥411 billion ($3.61bn) annually. The roughly defined market includes consumables such as manga (comics), anime (animated features and shows) and video games, as well as other obsessive activities such as celebrity watching.

...Although the Japanese term «otaku» is commonly used without malice in the West to describe those interested either directly in Japanese pop culture or areas in which Japanese companies play a significant role, in Japan itself it is a more offensive term used to describe someone unreasonably obsessed with a particular hobby, subject or person. [...]

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