The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's Guide To The Subculture Of Cool Japan

Otaku: Nerd; geek or fanboy. Originates from a polite second-person pronoun meaning "your home" in Japanese. Since the 1980s it's been used to refer to people who are really into Japanese pop culture, such as anime, manga, and video games. A whole generation, previously marginalized with labels such as geek and nerd, are now calling themselves otaku with pride.

The Otaku Encyclopedia offers fascinating insight into the subculture of Cool Japan. With over 600 entries, including common expressions, people, places, and moments of otaku history, this is the essential A to Z of facts every Japanese pop-culture fan needs to know. Author Patrick W. Galbraith has spent several years researching deep into the otaku heartland and his intimate knowledge of the subject gives the reader an insider's guide to words such as moé, doujinshi, cosplay, and maid cafés. In-depth interviews with key figures such as Takashi Murakami, otaku expert Okada Toshio, and J-pop idol Shoko Nakagawa are included, offering a more penetrating look into the often misunderstood world of otaku. Dozens of lively, colorful images—from portraits to manga illustrations to film stills and photos of places mentioned—make The Otaku Encyclopedia as entertaining as it is informative.