Sanseidoa leading Japanese publisher of textbooks and dictionaries in Japan, has revealed the arrival of Daigenkai, a comprehensive dictionary of otaku and geek terms. This news has generated mixed reactions among the Japanese public.
The otaku dictionarydeveloped as part of a project led by Japanese university students, It covers approximately 1600 words distributed in 14 chapters that explore various topics related to otaku and geek culture.as well as the K-Pop, yaoi, Pokémon fandoms, among others.
In today’s Japan, the presence of otaku individuals and otaku culture in general is becoming increasingly common. However, the dictionary news has sparked mixed reactions. Although some otaku find the idea comical, they praise the careful curation and authenticity of the definitions and usages presented in the samples provided. It is noted that, given the rapid change and replacement of terminology, the dictionary could become an important testimony of the time, almost like a reliquary, in a few years.
Despite general approval, there have been voices of dissatisfaction, especially from otakus belonging to the fandoms included in the dictionary. Concerns have been raised about misinterpretations and the use of specific character names in examples, especially in terms related to matchmaking.
The terms and slang of fandoms and geek culture are known for evolving rapidly, making creating an otaku dictionary an ambitious challenge. The Daigenkai, which Sanseido describes as containing “interpretations analyzed by otaku themselves,” seems to have done a comparatively good job. This dictionary is scheduled to go on sale on November 21.
If you were to launch a book like this in Latin America, what terms should you include?
Fountain: Press release
