To weeb or not to weeb?

[Virtual Chatot]

How much of the weeaboo stereotype do you fit and where do you not? I had an interesting discussion with a flatmate about this a few days ago and I wonder what the PC community thinks of it.

Why I fit the stereotype:

• I have manga on my bookshelf.
• I am a casual watcher of anime.
• I do want to go to Japan.
• I did try learning Japanese with a (cracked) copy of Rosetta Stone.
• I have gone to anime conventions.
• I have a framed Pokemon: The First Movie poster on my wall.
• I regularly listen to anime soundtracks.
• I have a Charizard plushie that I won when I was like, nine years old.

Why I don't:

• I'm engaged to a women who is involved in the cosplay scene in Barcelona.
• I shave, bathe, and clean my house regularly.
• I have never been in an arguement with someone over anime or manga.
• Bodybuilding is my favorite hobby.

 

[Candy]

We had a pretty long discussion about weeaboo two weeks ago. Also, what kinds of criteria do you normally use to indicate the weeaboo stereotype? 'Cause I won't be able to tell what I don't fit in unless you give some pointers.

Plus, I'd rather prefer to call myself an anime otaku than a weeb haha.

But if you must know:

• I have 656 GB worth of Anime (not counting Japanese VN and LN) and a shitton of manga (one day I'll show them all)
• I go to anime conventions a lot, and even opened a booth once
• I do want to go to Japan
• I follow a lot of anime per season

 

[Virtual Chatot]

Also, what kinds of criteria do you normally use to indicate the weeaboo stereotype? 'Cause I won't be able to tell what I don't fit in unless you give some pointers.

Know Your Meme has a rather succinct list, I'd say.

[*] Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English
[*] Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents
[*] Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket
[*] Crowding the manga section of your local book store
[*] Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
[*] Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs

..All of which I'm guilty of save the first and the second-to-last.

Plus, I'd rather prefer to call myself an anime otaku than a weeb haha.

I mean, weeb is derogatory. I'm using it in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way and I would probably reference myself as an otaku as well. :p

But if you must know:

• I have 656 GB worth of Anime (not counting Japanese VN and LN) and a mukton of manga (one day I'll show them all)
• I go to anime conventions a lot, and even opened a booth once
• I do want to go to Japan
• I follow a lot of anime per season

That just sounds like you're a fun person in my book :p

 

[Skip Class]

My friends and I do joke around that we are weeb trash, but yeah more or less anime fan/ otaku.

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents
• Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket - Well I am asian to begin with, so being in that aisle does't necessarily mean I'm there for the Japanese terms - most of the time it doesn't.
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store Our book store doesn't have one anymore :/
• Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs - More jpop, but I do have a few anime op/eds.

As for my own list:

• Cosplays
• Goes to conventions on an annual basis
• Watch seasonal anime weekly (Then again I don't watch TV)
• I would like to visit Japan at some point - however mostly not for the animu/manga reason.

 

[Candy]

Well then.

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English (I study Japanese, so I know when to use it)
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents (Yeah, I got an umbrella as well as some green tea from Japan, but that's it lol)
• Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket (Do we even have those here?)
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store (A given considering the amount I've spent on manga lol)
• Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist (Anyone oriental is good to me anyway lol)
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs (Got a whole book made for song lyrics)

That just sounds like you're a fun person in my book :p

Come over here and let me show you my extensive collection of manga volumes. :P

 

[Chikara]

Weeaboo and Otaku are both incredibly derogatory, so I hope no one would actually call themselves either without knowing that right off the bat. Just like being called a Weeaboo in the English speaking world, being regarded as an Otaku in Japan is equally as undesirable :P

I'll just use Zappy's list right here, since I'm short on time /screams~
- Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English Only ironically and on the internet, if ever.
- Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents
- Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket I used to do this all the time. I was mostly looking for snacks and things(I loooove dried Edamame and Nori Maki), but I haven't really since middle school. If I need something, I tend not to linger.
- Crowding the manga section of your local book store. I'll always take a peek; like the grocery store, I don't spend as much time in that section as I did when I was younger -w-
- Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
- Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs. Whoops.

 

[cream]

i tend to call myself a weeaboo rather jokingly, but let's see...

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English (it annoys me when people do that, so no)
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents
• Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store (i'm not that much into manga)
• Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs (i'll enjoy some op/ed songs but not enough to actually be able to recite them)

here's my own list of "weeaboo-ish" things about me:

• i like visiting our local anime store
• i own merchandise of my favorite anime and video game characters
• i have a sailor moon wall scroll in my room
• i enjoy japanese food
• i wouldn't mind visiting japan
• i plan on joining my uni's anime club
• i plan on learning japanese as an extra language course
• i plan on going to an anime convention (not going to cosplay, tho)

as for things that don't make me a weeaboo, as far as stereotypes go...errr, i don't watch anime very often nor is it one of my main hobbies, i like staying fit and taking care of my appearance, and i don't take anime seriously or get into debates with others about it. i enjoy going outside and i have had jobs. i rarely listen to japanese music. i don't own a body pillow of my waifu lol.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

- Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English Of course, they are cuter. Especially using Engrish.
- Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents Um... I don't tend to import due to excessive shippings but if I were to consider video games, there may be cases when I will pick up imported version because localized doesn't have a dual audio
- Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket I don't like going outside
- Crowding the manga section of your local book store. Sometimes
- Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
- Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs. Of course, how else would you learn new words?

I'll add some of mine.
- I wanna go to Japan
- I have anime posters and wallscrolls on my walls
- I'm going on anime cons
- I HAVE OVER 1TB OF ANIME, BUHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEEHHEHEHEHEHEHHEHE
- I play Japanese games
- I have Vita-chan
- I have bed full of waifus (well yea, they are there as well but I meant to say anime plushies)
- I have a few Nendoroids
- I study Japanese
- I have harem of waifus
- 2D > 3D

I'm not weeb.

 

[Virtual Chatot]

I'm not weeb.

I don't know how to break it lightly to you...<3

 

[Dter ic]

I'm not a weeb or a otaku - I prefer the term anime casual.
thx ZappySpiker

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents - well only when it comes to clothing and thermos flasks, to name a few.
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store - Waterstones has a couple of the newer mangas out there. The library has a few good ones as well.
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs - The more I hear crossing field played at my anime club, for a person that doesn't do this it might be a reality.

What I do.

• Goes to conventions - I went to my ifrst one at MCM Expo and then the Hyper Japan Christmas maket, Hoping to do the same this year.
• Watch seasonal anime weekly (Then again I don't watch TV) yes.
• I would like to visit Japan at some point - however mostly not for the animu/manga reason. + sightseeing

 

[Sonata]

Just piling together all of the things everyone has said so that I can mark through every one of them. Don't mind me. I'm almost positive these lists overlap somewhere. Wow I'm lazy.

Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English
Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents /S]
Crowding the manga section of your local book store
Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs
Goes to conventions I'd love to, but no.
Watch seasonal anime weekly - sometimes.
I would like to visit Japan at some point - sightseeing, getting a real taste for the culture. Study purposes of course.

Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English
Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents
Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket - Yeah okay. Mexican and cheap little packages of maruchan noodles usually are there.
Crowding the manga section of your local book store
Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs. I know the sound of one or two songs but don't care to recite or even memorize the lyrics.
I wanna go to Japan
I have anime posters and wallscrolls on my walls
I'm going on anime cons
I HAVE OVER 1TB OF ANIME Streaming is best
I play Japanese games mainly just Final Fantasy and the like, but yeah.
I have Vita retro final fantasy gaming system
I have bed full of waifus
I have a few Nendoroids what even are these
I study Japanese
I have harem of waifus
2D > 3D

i like visiting our local anime store
i own merchandise of my favorite anime and video game characters
i have a sailor moon wall scroll in my room
i enjoy japanese food
i wouldn't mind visiting japan
i plan on joining my uni's anime club
i plan on learning japanese as an extra language course - maybe. just for shits and giggles.
i plan on going to an anime convention - a lot of the people that go to these do really badass cosplays and a lot of the cosplayers of the female variety are quite attractive. multiple +1's here./QUOTE]

I have manga on my bookshelf.
I am a casual watcher of anime.
I do want to go to Japan.
I did try learning Japanese with a (cracked) copy of Rosetta Stone.
I have gone to anime conventions.
I have a framed Pokemon: The First Movie poster on my wall.
I regularly listen to anime soundtracks.
I have a Charizard plushie that I won when I was like, nine years old.
I'm engaged to a women who is involved in the cosplay scene in Barcelona.
I shave, bathe, and clean my house regularly.
I have never been in an arguement with someone over anime or manga. I argued with a friend over something that happened in Naruto because he didn't even read the manga he just kinda skimmed through it. Needless to say it upset me.
Bodybuilding is my favorite hobby. - not my favorite, but one of them.

 

[Dusk]

I consider myself a casual anime fan. My interest in anime is only one facet of myself. I think "weeaboos" are those obnoxious folk who take their obsession to the extreme in an unhealthy and offensive way? As Chikara said, we had a thread on weeaboos and their strangeness.

Anyway, some parameters I fit into:
- I would like to visit Japan someday. This is because I like traveling and want to see many other countries, too.
- I like Japanese food. (I like any food from pretty much anywhere.)
- I have some manga on my bookshelf, among other various books.
- I have gone to anime conventions. Mostly with friends... I wouldn't go alone.
- I have cosplayed once. However, it was a simple costume and could pass for casual clothes.
- I sometimes shop at a local mini grocery store owned by a Japanese family. I mostly go to get mochi ice cream, not some basic sweet such as pocky.
- I own a couple of anime shirts. It's just a tiny portion of my varied wardrobe.
- I have drawn fanart of anime.
- I own some anime merchandise. Mostly artbooks and one figure.
- I play games from Japanese developers. Anyone who's ever played Mario. Bros has. But of course, I also play games developed in the West.
- I have sung along to some anime songs. Sometimes I can't resist! But of course like any time I ever sing, it's when I'm by myself. xD In addition to sing-a-long nonsense, I have even played anime songs on piano and violin before... Though I haven't done so in a few years. The sheet music is still lying around somewhere.

 

[Candy]

- I sometimes shop at a local mini grocery store owned by a Japanese family. I mostly go to get mochi ice cream, not some basic sweet such as pocky.
- I have drawn fanart of anime.

Pocky is sold everywhere in my country, so don't go saying that everyone who eats Pocky automatically has weeaboo traits. :P

And that second point... Even if my art style is mostly taken from anime, I honestly don't like to draw existing anime characters. It's a problem for whenever my friends and I run a booth, 'cause she'll be the one doing all the drawing. Idk, usually people whose art style derives from anime tends to draw fanart, but here I don't do so.

Speaking of art, here's another weeaboo trait: I have plans to make a Light Novel.

Yeah, that's what I'd rather draw, original characters.

 

[Dusk]

Pocky is sold everywhere in my country, so don't go saying that everyone who eats Pocky automatically has weeaboo traits. :P

And that second point... Even if my art style is mostly taken from anime, I honestly don't like to draw existing anime characters. It's a problem for whenever my friends and I run a booth, 'cause she'll be the one doing all the drawing. Idk, usually people whose art style derives from anime tends to draw fanart, but here I don't do so.

Speaking of art, here's another weeaboo trait: I have plans to make a Light Novel.

Yeah, that's what I'd rather draw, original characters.

I never said Pocky is for weeaboos, simply that I preferred other sweets that were at the grocery store. :3c However Pocky and instant ramen are often characterized as the "staple food" of the weeaboo. (Ramen has also been said to be the staple food of college students, too, haha!)
I'd rather spend my money on other sweets, however if given Pocky I will certainly eat it. I don't like to waste food! ^_^

As for art, I don't think I have a discernible token "style." One thing I've always liked to draw are realistic animals. I'm not terribly creative as far as thinking up worlds and characters of my own, but I've drawn "fanart" of my friends' original character upon request. {:3}

 

[Winter]

I don't see myself as a "weeaboo". I don't obsess over anime to the point where I never live my room and/or computer and stop living a healthy lifestyle.

[*] Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English (I dislike speaking in broken English. It's either all or none if I wanna talk Japanese.)
[*] Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents (Almost everything is made in China so, not really applicable for me.)
[*] Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket (I only care about the prices, and Japanese products tend to be expensive.)
[*] Crowding the manga section of your local book store (Don't read manga.)
[*] Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist
[*] Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs (I have this 'ability' for any song that I love so it's not singularly Japanese lol)

Other traits:
[*] I want to visit Japan. Tokyo for all the merchandise; Hokkaido and Osaka for all the food and sightseeing.
[*] I love ramen a lot. It's my most favourite food which I save for indulgence on special occasions, after which I get withdrawal symptoms. (But I don't think this is a weeaboo trait in anyway because I love the food for itself, not because it's Japanese or anything. If ramen happened to be a French invention, I'd still love it.) I also love miso soup~
[*] I'm a Nintendo fan and supporter; have only owned Nintendo consoles and games.
[*] I visit anime conventions. And splurge on merchandise. xD
[*] I have a desire to cosplay, but I lack the means to do so.
[*] I write fanfiction and am a crazy shipper.

 

[Akiba]

Gonna greentext this:

>Eats Japanese food all day
>Speaks Japanese at home
>Goes to Japan
>Likes Japanese products
>Prefers manga over comics
>Is Japanese
>Automatically not a weeb

But I basically am otherwise. The following is pretty much a reiteration of my post in the other thread, plus a bunch of extras:

- Has 10TB+ of anime/manga/doujinshi/music/art on 6 external hard drives (labeled by category)
- Has two popular-ish Youtube channels, one with doujin music/utattemita/MMD/Vocaloid/MAD, and the other with anime movies
- Pours hours into danbooru/pixiv/*booru/sankaku complex/zerochan collecting art
- Moderates danbooru
- Writes code for pixiv
- Draws anime-style art
- Has a waifu/husbando
- Reads manga
- Reads LNs
- Plays VNs
- Plays Touhou
- Plays Kancolle
- Plays Shirohime
- Goes to cons (Comiket, Otakon, AX)
- Listens to doujin music all the time
- Remixes Touhou music
- Contributes as a regular to two doujin circles (we push stuff to Comiket every so often)

Oh, and
- Watches anime

Wow. I didn't know it was... that bad.

Oh, but except for merchandise. I'm not really big on that.

- Doesn't have physical manga
- Doesn't buy keychains
- Doesn't buy daki
- Doesn't buy posters
- Doesn't buy figures
- Doesn't cosplay

That stuff is 3D after all.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

>Is Japanese
>Speaks Japanese at home

WHAT?! You are speaking Japanese at home?! Such a Japanese weeb! xD

>Nendoroids

You seriously never heard of them? They are chibi figures, much smaller than classical figmas.

- I play games from Japanese developers. Anyone who's ever played Mario. Bros has.

Like yea, Nintendo games are J-games by default, but they aren't that different from Western games of the similar genre.
The JRPGs are xD

 

[Virtual Chatot]

Thanks for these responses guys. I've been genuinely enjoying these.

However Pocky and instant ramen are often characterized as the "staple food" of the weeaboo. (Ramen has also been said to be the staple food of college students, too, haha!)

True on the ramen bit. People at my uni looked at me like I was some kind of culinary god when I added some beef, green onions, and egg yolk to the normal chicken-flavored broth and I let them try some.

"This tastes like something I'd pay $20 for at a Japanese restaurant."

Yeah well anything would taste bad when it's just flavored saltwater and enriched wheat noodles unless you add stuff to it.

 

[donavannj]

Borrowing Zappy's list as well:

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English Only for ****s and giggles on the internet and among offline friends to see who snaps first, be it breaking out into a giggle fit or saying "GODDAMMIT STOP USING MOON SPEAK"
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents Definitely not. Domestic equivalents are cheaper in the USA by a large margin. Unless it was some super rare collectible that didn't get a domestic equivalent in the USA.
• Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket - Most grocery stores/supermarkets don't have a proper international aisle near me, and if they do, it's predominantly stocked with "Mexican".
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store - I do, but only when I'm there to actually pick out titles to buy.
• Seeking Japanese partners only in Personals on Craigslist lol who the hell even does that. I don't even use the Personals section on Craigslist, let alone go hunting for a specific ethnicity.
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs - I can't even properly remember songs in my own language unless their playing, let alone ones in a language that my brain has as very light grasp of. I do sing when in the car by myself for as much as I can follow, but I pretty much do that with every song no matter the language.
• Cosplays nopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenope not doing that that's awks and kinda uncomfortable.
• Goes to conventions on an annual basis - It's an underrated experience because it gets so much crap on the internet. Then again, the largest one I've been to had an attendance cap of 4000 to try to keep the experience enjoyable.
• Watch seasonal anime weekly - Some seasons, yes.
• I would like to visit Japan at some point - Tokyo seems like a fascinating city from an architectural standpoint as well as a density standpoint.

I also aggressively collect merch. At least, as much as I can squeeze in among my other hobbies, anyway. Sometimes I buy specific merch for the novelty and the reactions of my friends. "OH GOD WHY." and other variations on it are by far my favorite reactions.

And I do prefer manga over Western comics, but that's because I generally never really was a big fan of superhero comics, even well before I picked up manga as a hobby.

I guess I partially fit the stereotype.

EDIT: On the flipside, here are non-weeb hobbies of mine and daily things I do that non-weebs don't:

• I like sports and I don't care who knows.
• I shower daily. Sometimes twice a day if the day's activities demand it.
• I am under no delusions about Japan being superior to every country in the world.
• I occasionally shave.
• I don't own any samurai swords. My bedside item of choice is a Louisville Slugger.
• I spend money on normal American food things.
• other things

 

[pkmin3033]

I've never thought of myself as a weeb...going by the list, though...

• Excessive use of Japanese words in replacement of English - *shudders*
• Favoritism of Japanese imports over domestic equivalents - I like my localizations.
• Hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket - I don't think Tesco even HAS one of these.
• Crowding the manga section of your local book store - Only because it's right next to the graphic novels.
• Seeking Japanese partners - If I were to seek a partner, I would...but not exclusively; I dunno if I should strike this one or not.
• Ability to memorize and recite Anime opening theme songs - ...yeah, I know all the Pretty Cure openings off by heart, amongst others.
• Cosplays - Too expensive, but you can bet I would if I had the money.
• Goes to conventions on an annual basis - I can't get to them...and I don't know my way around the cities they're in. London is a big, scary place.
• Watch seasonal anime weekly - Only if they're either bloody good or are Precure.
• I would like to visit Japan at some point - I'd probably never leave...I'd spend all of my money on assorted things and then get lost in the wilderness; I want to visit Japan for the nature as much as I do the culture.

I'm evenly split! Go me! =D

I don't collect merchandise, as a rule...I need my money for video games. I have some DVDs, Pokemon plushies, a Cure Beat plush and a collection of Rozen Maiden keyrings; that's about it. I want a lot. But I don't buy it.

When it comes to my games I could be considered a weeb, though...I buy literally every JRPG that comes out. I bought Mugen Souls, Time and Eternity, Monster Monpiece, and even Last Rebellion, for crying out loud. There are no depths to which I will not sink - if it looks even vaguely Japanese, I buy it. I'm awful. xD

But I prefer Western comics to manga...I've never been able to get into manga. But I started reading Marvel comics when the storylines were amazing, and I watched the cartoons before I discovered anime, which helped.

So...I dunno. I've never thought of myself as a weeb, as I've said. A hikikomori, maybe, but not a weeb.