Otakus, or consumers of CJK (i.e Chinese Japanese and Korean) media, epecially manga and anime, but more recently has been applied to fans of tokusatsu and K-POP. are an ever-growing community in western culture, however there are general portrayals of otakus in western culture that make them undesired. The sad fact of the matter is that these portrayals are, to an extent, true. The W word exists for a reason. This has only caused me to research what people consider someone who likes anime and someone who is obsessed with it in order to create this guide. I hope this is a helpful tool for you.
...mention your interests in passing. By mentioning that you like anime, manga, tokusatsu, K-pop or like media, you may get to meet people of like interests.
...obsess over what you like. The most common trait in western portrayals of otakus is that they are obsessive over what they like. By not publicly obsessing over your likings (as with anything), you will become more accepted in family, work, school and social life.
...find people with common interests. This is especially true for otakus, as some, if not, many, have little to no one who is interested in the types of media consumed. Another thing you should do is find otakus with common interests, just because you want to watch Ultraman Tiga, does not mean your fellow otaku wants to watch it.
...interact with a fanbase. While fanbases can be great when you identify with your favorite show, film, artist, or band, they also hold toxic members of the fandom as well, who often tend to be more vocal than most members. An example of this can be seen with the My Hero Academia fanbase and how inappropriate (i.e usually pedophilic) character shipping, lude cosplays and artwork have quickly given the fanbase a negative appeal. The same could be said for Naruto, One Piece, Death Note, Madoka Magica, Sailor Moon, BTS, Blackpink, Puffy AmiYumi and this is just the tip of the iceberg. So, in general, fanbases should typically be used as references but not a means of interaction.
...throw a watch/listen party. Watch and listen parties are great for you and your fellow otakus to bond over a show, film, artist, or band. However, there is one catch in that all of your group members must agree on what to watch or listen to, you do not want to drag your group in one direction without any agreement. Speaking of which...
Drag your fellow otakus around doing what you want to do. Vote on something, agree as a whole or take turns to prevent discord among them.
...find ways to enter a community doing what you like. Otakus are considered to be mainly shut-ins and in need of "touching grass". Finding a way to do community outreach is the best way to change this common perception. Start an anime or manga club. Introduce your friends to your favorite tokusatsu series. The possibilities truly are endless, so long as you are not awkward about it or force it on.
...go to a convention unprepared. Conventions in general can be overwhelming places, thus to have a truly enjoyable experience, you should do your research, as well as know that a good amount of the people who will be there are quite obsessive over what they like. So unless you are prepared to see people in extreme (sometimes revealing) cosplay and (particularly for anime conventions) people walking around with body pillows (which is less common but there is always someone), they you may want to consider putting off attending a convention until you are ready.
...cosplay (if you want to). Cosplaying as your favorite character, so long as it is not revealing spreads awareness about your favorite show, film, artist, or band. However, only do so at costume parties, Hallowe'en and other events where wearing costumes are appropriate.
...cosplay in normal situations. This only affirms another common western conception in otakus in that their obsession, especially in extreme cases, where they seem to take on the persona of their favorite character. Going to the supermarket as Monkey D. Luffy or Kamen Rider is not the best idea, to say the least.
...show off your favorite series. Wearing a T-shirt or pin of your favorite series and/or character is a great alternative to cosplay and can be worn anywhere without feeling out of place. All of the time, I see Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, Transformers and BTS shirts being worn at stores or by people exercising, so this can be seen as normal.
...decorate your automobile. With the exception of Transformers symbols and maybe the occasional Pokemon bumper sticker, a highly decorated vehicle covered in your favorite characters might not be the best idea. Just because you want your waifu painted on the side of your AE86 (I don't know vehicles aside from Initial D really) does not mean it will look good, let alone respectable. I have seen this too often, some cases more extreme than others, among the most extreme was a Yellow Beetle with a Pikachu tail that said Pokemon on it. While I will give kudos on the devotion, many of the general public will believe this is in poor taste and strikes them as "degenerate".
...set aside time for what you like to watch or listen to. By leaving an hour at the start or end of your day, there is a time set aside for relaxation. I feel that without this, one can obsess over what they want to do with their free time and have it bleed into other parts of their life.
...consume your favorite *visual* media outside of free time. It does not matter where you listen to music, aside from when times when you are expected to listen, but watching your favorite drama or movie while at work, school or a store seems awkward to most. In other words, just because you work in a law office does not mean that the people there would appreciate you watching Hero during lunch, let alone on the job.
...decorate your room with your favorite media, if your situation permits it. Having a poster of your favorite show, film, artist, or band can really spice up an otherwise blank and drab room. The same could be said with figures, models and the like.
...crowd your room with what you love. This is just a case of keeping things in moderation, but how much is too much? While this is defined by space, a good rule of thumb is to have no more than 1-2 posters (usually at eye level) on no more than 3 walls. I know this sounds overly particular; this is only my opinion, due whatever you want, so long as you find it reasonable.
...buy figures and other related merchandise. By purchasing figures, you are indirectly supporting the creators of yout favorite show, film, artist, or band through licensing agreements. This will help them sustain themselves.
...buy unlicensed merchandise. Common examples of unlicensed merchandise include body pillows, some figures, including garage kits (do your research in whether it is licensed or contracted by a sculptor/mold-maker first and try to buy secondhand whenever possible) and some prints (these are typically sold at malls and your usual on-line suspects), among other things. Oftentimes these are knockoffs or benefit industries that you might personally not want to give benefit to.
...research distributors of media. Some publishers release censored versions for regional markets. Too often has this happened with Funimation, Crunchyroll and Viz Media have censored part of their publications on someof their most popular works.
...buy mindlessly. While it is good to have purchased merchandise, it is bad to have too much of it, for either reasons of budget or space. Either one can be considered unhealthy, either financially or mentally. I have almost done this myself and I know other who have.
...aggressively comparison shop for the items you would like to buy. Finding the best price on what you want to get will help you save money, while still helping, whether directly (bought new) or indirectly (secondhand goods) both your budget and your support for your industry of choice is satisfied.
...take shipping or waifu culture seriously. This is one that pretty much goes without saying, but if you are not already avoiding this (sub)culture of any media, then you should not take this seriously in the slightest and anyone who does (some key signs are getting angry at alternate opinions/ dislike of culture and owning an unhealthy amount of [lewd] merchandise) should be avoided.
This is all I have, but I am open to suggestions for additions. If you have any, then please contact me with the suggested addition. I will then add it as soon as I receive it.