An interesting question

[screwloose]

First off, if this is on the wrong topic board then I'm sorry. Didn't know where else to put it but in general. Now my question/discussion topic:

Otaku= Above average anime fan. What does this have to do with puroresu? Well, the thing is that most things in cultures across the globe have some special distinction for that special fan. Sports teams, musicians, television shows, and the like all have some title that separates the normal fan from the superfan. In professional wrestling, I see no such distinction. Allow me to elaborate: pro wrestling has fans. The problem is, not every fan is "just a fan." In fact, some would be insulted by being called "just a fan."
"Well what about marks?" Anyone calls me a mark and I will throw punches. The term mark is used in wrestling as someone who blindly accepts what the wrestler is doing regardless of skill or a lack thereof. The term is also used in carnivals and street fairs to designate someone about to catch a screwing from the people running the games. Either way, to be called a mark implies a sort of blindness and even to some extent a sort of ignorance.
"Well what about smart marks?" This is a little less of a pain to be called. After all, it implies you know something about the business. The problem is that smart marks think they know it all and are the best thing to hit wrestling since cable television. Smart marks are ruining wrestling because all they are is a big ball of negativity looking for something to ***** at(i apologize for the language, Hisa). Don't call me that either; I will slap you. And you don't wanna get slapped by a dude.
I guess what I wanna know is, how do we as intelligent wrestling fans answer to? Fanboy/girl? Never. In anime/comics, the term can be taken to be a term of positive distinction or an insult. What do we call our Otaku? That is the main point of this discussion(or waste of space, it's your call). And for that matter, how do we make distinctions between styles? There are those that favor the Lucha Libre style, those that favor King's Road, Strong Style, Shoot, WWE, Joshi, Old-School, Lucha-resu, Hardcore, etc. How do we draw such lines? Eventually we must make these choices, we as professional wrestling fans must come to a decision. How do we separate ourselves from the posers?

Screwloose

[Muiyan]

eh...why not just "smarts"?
or "wrestling dude". I'm content with that.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Interesting topic, but...

Originally posted by screwloose
Otaku= Above average anime fan.

Not true.

"Otaku" is a term for someone who is so much into hobbies that he/she doesn't socialize at all. I'm not sure what an English equivalent to this is, but the close common word I could think of is "nerd". Definition might be different, but the impression/reputation is very similar.

However, when another word proceeds "otaku", your explanation sounds right. That means the person is a "mark" (wrestling term, of course) for the subject. For example, if someone claims to be a "hashiri" (running/riding) otaku, he probably prefers to spend more time on his car than a girl. Some call me a "puroresu otaku" for an obvious reason. When I introduce myself in a Japanese wrestling maling list or message forums, I call myself a title history otaku.

[screwloose]

sorry, i was just applying it to my own most common usage of the term. i hang out with a lot of geeks.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Originally posted by screwloose
i hang out with a lot of geeks.

There goes another close interpretation.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

While I was working in a video store, I would occasionally put a wrestling tape on the store's VCR and play it when it was quiet. When people would ask if I was a wrestling fan, I would respond "No, I'm a *real* wrestling fan" (emphasis on real). Then I would tell them that I know that wrestling is staged (not fake), but I enjoy the show anyway. If they asked how I could enjoy something that I know wasn't real, I would ask them how they liked the movie "The Matrix" (or "Terminator 2", or "Highlander"). Then I would inform them that "The Matrix" was in fact not real, and ask if that changes their opinion of the movie.

Now, if we come up with a new nickname for *real* wrestling fans, the "smart marks" who are ruining the business will begin to call themselves that name, bringing shem to the name, forcing people to find a new term, which they will take, etc, etc, etc.....

[screwloose]

you're right, guererra. so we must launch an offensive to destroy the smart marks

[Muiyan]

Really though, aren't we ALL smart marks here? Cuz technically, we are. We are "smarts" (we know the backstage), and we are "marks" (we mark out for stuff too). So why we refusing the term "smart marks"?

I understand you're all talking about a certain think-they-know-it-alls, but who ARE they exactly? As far as i know, they're just several individuals here and there, only they're grumpier. Otherwise, we're the same as them.

In another words, we are humans, and they are humans. Only, they maybe grumpier, but they're still humans...just that they are "grumpy humans" and we are just "humans". So applying that sense here, they are just "stupid smart marks" and we are "smart marks". I don't see why we have to abandon a whole name because of several individuals (of which i STILL don't believe that there is actually a whole community of grumpy smarts). Several idiotic individuals here and there? Yes. A WHOLE community of them plotting together, hell bent on being angry? No.

[El Hijo Del Diablo]

Im content with the term "smark" thats what Ive used. Muiyan is right, what ever is used, certian people will bring disgrase to it, but thats just life.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

I guess you're right, Muiyan (and Diablo)... it is a "grumpy" few who do tend to put a bad shade on any group, not just wrestling fans... and I guess that "smart mark" (or "smark") is a pretty good way to describe us.

Then I got to thinkin'... just because one is a smart mark, it doesn't mean that they watch (or have even seen) puroresu. It doesn't mean that they are any less of a fan, they either haven't been exposed to it or they just choose not to watch. So, to distinguish puro fans from non-puro fans, how about puro-taku?

(unless that words means something else completely different in Japanese that is inappropriate...)

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

puro-taku? Interesting!

But we gotta explain everytime people ask us what the "taku" part means...

[Muiyan]

Well Hisa, i'd think that most who follow puroresu would know what an "otaku" is and thus would be able to put two and two together.

While we're on the topic, how bout we go "puro-guru"?

[TRZZXQ]

I'm actually liking purotaku...

Though, in the US, the term 'otaku' is associated with anime, which is a small enough community in of itself.
It would definitely require some explaination.

[DANGEROUS DAN]

From my own stand point, I have been watching the sport since 1975. I have grown into watching Japan(obviously) and Europe (when it happens), Puerto Rico and I try to oatleast keep up to some degree on Mexico. When Wrestling is brought up in conversation with someone new to me I introduce myself as a wrestling enthusist (is that spelled right?). I then point out that the wwe is not wrestling it is a sick form of entertainment.
When I am back stage I do not mark out for anyone (save Flair) and talk to them on their level, and as a human being not as a kid with stars in his eyes.

[TRZZXQ]

Originally posted by DANGEROUS DAN
enthusist (is that spelled right?).

Enthusiast.