Yes--I Know What It Means...Duh.

I was asked why the word "otaku" was used in "GataNegrraotaku", when the meaning is derogatory-- especially in Japan, and when Westerners use it ignorant of its meaning. Well, frankly... I wasn't the one who came up w/it entirely; it was kind of an inside joke.

The fan group founder (who, by the way, is Japanese) and I were sitting around shooting the shxt and talking about how Adam Warren had used that word in an issue of Dirty Pair where there was a Dirty Pair convention, calling the fans KYOtaku. We thought that was funny, since "otaku" is the honorific for house, but in Japan it means basically, you have such an obsession, hobby, or whatever that you don't leave your house... and therefore you are kind of a loser. We thought that it was cute how Western kids were trying to reclaim it as a positive thing, tho' if you went to Japan, they would prolly laugh your ass right out of the building or shake their heads in reproach and pity at the stupid "gaijin" (or "kokujin" in my case). At first we were using it in conjunction w/another project I was involved in (and thank God/dess I'm not anymore), but later just used it for me. We knew full well what we were doing. We figured that the fans I did have were totally in the closet, and prolly on the DL...there seemed to be so few of them. We imagined guys eating ramen and checking out gore shots of me and fun indie movies, buying pics, watching my lipsynchs, etc., and possibly never leaving the house. Ever. Why? Because it wasn't cule to be a fan of ThaGataNegrra for various reasons (she's fat, she's weird, she's crazy, she's lame; pick one and go w/it). Why even show your face? So, we also decided to claim it in irony. We thought the very idea was hilarious.

On the GNOtaku page on my former site, I just simplified the "dictionary" meaning: "Japanese colloquial term meaning 'obsessed fan' (which is what they said in the Dirty Pair mag, I might add); formerly used in a pejorative manner, but now accepted amongst otaku in an attempt to claim it in a positive light." Which is true, especially here. We also reasoned that there were people who were proud to be GNOtaku, that it was cule to be uncule, and basically nerds rule the world because w/o them I wouldn't be writing a blog on a computer that runs on electricity, now would I? W/o nerds, we'd be in the stone age, and totally not entertained at all. Geeks, nerds, and yes, otaku are good things. Who wouldn't be proud? But who'd admit it? Very few people...which is why the first GNOtaku slogan was "The Few and Proud", also a joke and homage to the Marines, LOL. We had a contest recently to change it because, hello? Trademark infringement much? LOL...

We absolutely knew what we were doing, believe me. I still think it's a funny, albeit true, joke. I am uncule...and to a lot of people, that makes me very cule because I choose to be who I am. The same can't be said for many people: I have been told by such folx I'm brave and whatnot for doing so; that I have balls. W'ever. I'm not trying to go out of my way to do it...never did. I just was/am that way. It's not a big deal.

So...the name GataNegrraotaku sticks. I'm not trying to insult anyone. In a way it's self-deprecating; in another it's saying "fxck you-- I'm fxcking proud to be lame!" Either way, I think I'll keep it.
Besides...it rolls off the tongue so nicely! (~_^)