In otaku circles, a “waifu” is far more than just a favorite character. A waifu represents a deep, personal connection to a fictional character from anime, manga, or games—an artistic muse ...

T’s Culture Issue How Japanese Superfans Redefined What It Means to Be Obsessed Otaku, people for whom hero worship is a way of life, have changed everyone’s relationship to the culture.

The guide covers 50 series across various genres, and explores the ever-growing prominence of manga by surveying some of the format’s all-time top titles. Lawrence provides both comics history ...