We've noticed that a number of anime fans like to use Japanese phrases as well as specialized slang in fanfiction or websites, so we've decided to provide an "Otaku Dictionary" so you can translate what they're saying.
- anime -
- short for animation. Refers primarily to Japanese animated movies or TV series.
Ex. "Cowboy Bebop is my favourite anime."
- artbook -
- specialty book featuring the artwork and character sketches from an anime series or film. Not just for visually impressive series, even shows like Love Hina and Sailor Moon have books devoted to their "artwork".
Ex. "So many pretty pictures in my Yami No Matsuei artbook! *drool*"
- baka -
- lit. "idiot", "foolish". Can describe otakus or characters.
Ex. "That Ranma certainly is a baka."
- bishoujo -
- lit. "beautiful girl".
Ex. "Sailor Moon is a bishoujo."
- bishounen -
- lit. "beautiful boy". Often shortened to "bishie" by fangirls, and used to describe any reasonably handsome character.
Ex. "Jet-chan is so bishounen!"
- -chan -
- honourific suffix used to address children affectionately. Often misused and added to adult names by fangirls.
Ex. "Don't you think Jigen-chan is kawaii?"
- chibi -
- lit. "small". Refers to smaller, "cuter" versions of characters.
Ex. "Look! It's a chibi Vicious!"
- convention -
- scary gathering of otakus to discuss anime and manga. Also called a "con".
Ex. "OtaKon is a convention held in Baltimore, MD."
- cosplay -
- short form of "costume play". Refers to fans dressing up as their favourite characters, often at conventions. Can be very creepy.
Ex. "Did you see those Black Jack cosplayers?"
- doujinshi -
- fan comics of anime, manga, or video games. Often involve romantic or pornographic stories.
Ex. "I just bought a new Trigun yaoi doujinshi."
- fan boy/girl -
- person who is way too into anime. Most likely to watch fansubs, speak Otaku Japanese, and forget to wash.
Ex. "Did you see all the fan boys at the convention?"
- fandub -
- dubbed version of anime, but done by fans. Only really created for a laugh.
Ex. "Did you see that Slayers fandub? The voices were hilarious!"
- fanfiction -
- stories written by fans about their favourite series. Often badly written, full of random Japanese, and containing bastardized versions of the characters. Watch out for Mary Sues.
Ex. Slap to the Head has great fanfiction reviews.
- fanservice -
- unnecessary scenes or shots in anime, usually of scantily-clad women. Intended to please fan boys.
Ex. "That towel falling off was just fanservice.
- fansub -
- subtitled version of anime, but done by fans. Often lower-quality translation, but available before official releases and easy to download. Considered by some fans to be "superior" to official dubs, and occasionally even to the official subs, we don't really recommend them.
Ex. "I watch all my anime in fansubs!"
- glomp -
- a very big hug.
Ex. "I just love glomping bishies!"
- hentai -
- lit. "pervert" or "perverted". Can refer to a person or the pornographic genre of anime.
Ex. "La Blue Girl is such a disgusting hentai show."
- kawaii -
- lit. "cute", "sweet", "small". Overused by fangirls.
Ex. "That kitten is so kawaii!"
- -kun -
- honourific suffix used for male friends or people of lower status. Again, often misused.
Ex. "Hey, Zelgadis-kun, what are you doing?"
- lemon -
- refers to fanfiction with sexual content. A "lime" is less explicit.
Ex. "Did you read that Metal Gear lemon?"
- lolicon/roricon -
- A shortened form of "Lolita Complex", lolicon is a term implying a sexual interest or attraction to young girls (children or teens).
Ex. "I can't believe that store sells lolicon manga!"
- magical girl (mahou shoujo) -
- genre of anime that's just what it sounds like. Full of schoolgirls who get magical powers.
Ex. "Sailor Moon is one of those magical girl series, isn't it?"
- manga -
- Japanese word for comic books. Many anime are based on a series of manga.
Ex. "I got a Lupin III manga for my birthday!"
- Mary Sue -
- unrealistically perfect original character inserted into fanfiction. Often based loosely on the author. Most readers avoid Mary Sue stories as much as possible.
Ex. "Did you read that story where Xellos was married to a Mary Sue?"
- mecha -
- short for mechanical. Refers to robots or anime with lots of robots.
Ex. "Gundam Wing has lots of mecha in it."
- miko -
- lit. "priestess".
Ex. "I'm the Evil no Miko!"
- minna -
- lit. "everyone", "all".
Ex. "Hello, minna!"
- nani -
- lit. "what". Inserted randomly into fanfiction.
Ex. "Nani are you doing?!"
- otaku -
- a rabid anime fan. Considered insulting in Japan, though many Western fans will refer to themselves as otaku.
Ex. "Are you an otaku too?"
- plushies -
- stuffed toy versions of anime/manga characters. Often sold at conventions.
Ex. "Did you see my Q-Chan plushie?"
- -sama -
- more formal, and often written, form of -san. Can be translated as the English title of "Lord".
Ex. "Oh, Van-sama!"
- -san -
- honourific suffix to show respect/friendliness. Equivalent to Mr/Miss/Mrs in English. Should be added to the last name.
Ex. "Good morning, Spiegel-san."
- seiyuu -
- Japanese voice actor for anime (or video games). Worshipped by some fans. (Note: Despite what some fans think, "seiyuu" does not translate as "God" or "Goddess" of voice acting.)
Ex. "Megumi Hayashibara is an overrated seiyuu."
- seme -
- lit. "dominant". Refers to the "top" partner in a yaoi relationship.
Ex. "I liked that story with Otacon as seme."
- shotacon -
- A term implying sexual interest and attraction to very young boys (or less often, teenage boys). Sadly popular among fangirls.
Ex. "Boys Factory is a really sick shotacon manga.
- shoujo -
- lit. "girl". Refers to anime intended for girls, like most magical girl or romantic comedies.
Ex. "Fruits Basket is a popular shoujo anime."
- shounen -
- lit. "boy". Refers to anime intended for guys, like most hentai or mecha.
Ex. "Evangelion is a popular shounen anime."
- uke -
- lit. "submissive". Refers to "bottom" partner in a yaoi relationship.
Ex. "Have you read any stories with Jet as the uke?"
- wai -
- used as a substitute for "yay!"
Ex. "Wai!!! Ed is so kawaii!
- yaoi -
- Literally an acronym for "no plot, no point, no climax", so it refers to explicitly sexual stories. In anime fandom, generally used as a synonym for "slash", an English term meaning a story involves male/male romantic/sexual relationships in fanfiction. Yaoi is also often used to describe canon male/male relationships in anime & manga. The term for romantic, non-sexual stories is usually "shounen-ai". See also yuri.
Ex. "My favourite yaoi couple is Goemon x Jigen!"
- yuri -
- female/female relationships in romantic anime/manga. In anime fandom, generally used as a synonym for "femslash"/"femmeslash", an English term meaning a story involves female/female romantic/sexual relationships in fanfiction. The term for romantic, non-sexual stories is usually "shoujo-ai". See also yaoi.
Ex. "Faye x Ed yuri is just wrong."
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