By Annie Wei (Beijing Today)
Updated: 2008-03-26 11:10

**When obsession goes too far

One otaku woman shared her story on the Web site:

“I was outgoing as a child, but things changed when I got to college. I thought my clssmates were extremely vain. After graduation, I couldn’t handle the pressures of work and society and turned inward. I did not go out with friends, I did not want to call anyone or be called and I started to obsess ove computer games. It was easier to communicate with people through games than with people in real life. I quit my job and started playing games all the time, and I only looked for jobs when I ran out of money. I ate poorly. One day, I panicked when I went outside, and after that I would not go out anymore. My life was neither at work or home, and I even forgot simple things like how to read bus stop signs.”Most otaku are young people who do not have jobs. They have no opportunity to pursue higher education, and cannot find jobs after graduation. The otaku’s poor social skills leave them feeling a perpetual victim, and they usually prefer to give up and tay at home.

Hu suspects otaku can hardly become good stay-at-home workers. “Working in a home office takes dedication, not just being at home,” Hu said.He said he thinks it natural that young people like animation and video games, but banning them from reading comics or playing computer games is not a solution.

“Teenagers need encouragement to go out and travel or look for jobs. Some well-off families look down on any low-paying job, which is a real mistake,” Hu said.Anti-otaku forum

Wang’s znanziny.com is China’s first anti-otaku forum. Wang escaped the otaku lifestyle and found work as a freelancer. He said he hopes the forum can help othe like him to escape a destructive lifestyle.

The forum opened last December and has 3,000 registered members.

Wang said the members include other freelancers who work at home, students and housewives.

The Web site has different sections, including comics and video games to attract otaku attention. Its dual function is to provide a platform for otaku to discuss amongst themselves how to escape being one.

“I organize some offlineevents as well,” Wang said

**Escaping the circle

Shorten your time on the computer. The otaku life thrives on the Internet, either playing games or surfing pages. If you are used to spending more than 13 hours on the computer, try to gradually cut back from less than 13 to 6.

Get off line. The typical otaku prefers hanging out online even he finds nothing interesting to read, to watch or to play. Log out and walk away from the computer.

Get out of the apartment. Otaku like to spend all their time at home instead of going out, going to school or to work. Try to take a walk after each meal. Go to the gym, the movies or just go shopping.

Be sociable. Most otaku hate going outside and meeting other people. They need to encourage themselves to make new friends. It is easy to start from a nice chat with the local grocer or beer delivery man.

Find a boyfriend or girlfriend. Most otaku are single, so try to get yourself a date and start a relationship. You can ask your friends, family or co-workers to introduce nice single men or women to you.

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