BasharOfTheAges wrote:Furthermore, JaddziaDax is correct. The term "otaku" does imply the highest form of social ineptitude. The concept of "aspie mouth breather" is a more recent American equivalent.
Right. I've never taken the word as a compliment or neutral self-descriptor or some kind of power word, simply because I do know what it means and connotes, and never fit those things. The closest I ever did kind of come to the stereotype was when watching Robotech in 6th and 7th grade, but that was less about the fact it was three anime series stitched together and more about the fact I loved science fiction and had never really encountered anything in the space opera genre. It's why I've said before that if someone used it to describe me I'd feel the urge to punch them in the face, because I don't see it as a good thing at all.
The length of time I've been a fan has generally just made me jaded and rather un-enthused about the whole thing, although that doesn't prevent me from enjoying new series or the community. The same thing could also kind of be said of AMVs, too.