Weeaboo

About

Weeaboo (a.k.a Wapanese) is an English slang used to describe a person (typically of non-Asian descent) who prefers Japan and all things in Japanese over one's indigenous culture. The term is a successive mutation of "Wapanese," a derogatory slur referring to western Japanophiles with a strong bias towards Japanese cultural and tech imports.

Origin

The antecedent word "Wapanese" (as in Wannabe Japanese) was most likely introduced in the early 2000s, with the earliest instance on Google search dating back to the Racial Slur Database from June 30, 2002.

Wapanese: a slur used to describe a white person who is obssesed with japanese culture. This would include manga/hentai/and anime.

- The Racial Slur Database, 2002

From late 2003 and onwards, usage of Wapanese became alarmingly visible on 4chan, often leading to unpleasant exchanges between anime/manga fans and those who were far less interested in their subcultures.

At the peak of its abuse in mid-2005, 4chan moderators devised a creative intervention using the word-filter, replacing every instance of Wapanese with "Weeaboo," which was a fictitious term originally coined by Nicholas Gurewitch in his Perry Bible Fellowship comic strip.^[1]

In its original context, the word "weeaboo" doesn't signify anything but something undesirable and deserving punishment. Since then, many 4chan visitors adopted the word "Weeaboo" in replacement of Wapanese.

Stereotypes of "Weeaboo"

There are numerous online discussions and referential sources discussing the stereotypes and traits of "Weeaboo"; some of the most notable observational jokes include:

Relations to Otakus

Establishing distinctions between “Otaku” and "Weeaboo" can be kinda confusing, as both subcultures subscribe to a common set of interests (ex: anime/manga/robots/cosplay) and share the social stigma of nurturing "unhealthy hobbyisms." According to referential sources and UD entries:

Otaku: a mildly derogatory slang used in Japan and other Asian cultures to describe anyone who has a devotion to a specific subject or hobby (not necessarily anime) to the point of never leaving home. also see: Hikikomori.

Weeaboos: an internet slang used in English-speaking regions to describe a Gaijin (foreigner in Japanese) displaying a heavy bias towards everything from Japan or virtually exiling oneself from the indigenous culture (also known as "outside") in pursuit of the "superlative."

Spread

Usage of "Weeaboo" eventually grew far beyond the Anon community and as a result, its original meaning has been distorted and diluted, with its nuance and reception slightly varying from one community to another.

As seen in a 2006 thread regarding Pocky, "the staple food of Weeaboos":

On October 8th, 2014, YouTuber Filthy Frank uploaded a video where he criticises the weeaboo stereotype, along with a song in the end. In the following year, the video got over 9.7 million views, while the song reupload on Frank's secondary channel has over 3.7 million views, along with popularising the term.

Search Interest

External References