What is an Anime Waifu?

Before we dive into this article, I want to make it clear that the term waifu actually comes from Japan itself, and was not a creation of a certain basement dwelling sub species of the human race. It was created back in the 80s when some Japanese people started using the word wife instead of a different, traditional word they used. Anyways, let’s cover the English usage of the word waifu or anime waifu, the one adapted by a portion of the anime and manga community in the 2000s.

An anime waifu is a term that became popularized back in the mid 2000s, according to the dictionary. Many of you readers might not have even slithered out of your mothers and into the real world back at that point in time. For me, I remember it quite like it was yesterday. The only thing that I had going for me at the time was that I was not a weeaboo who was going around talking about my precious anime waifu. I was riding dirt-bikes and letting my beyblades rip. In the anime community at the time, having an anime waifu was actually an obsession that many people had, and they would actually treat their anime “best girl” as if she wasn’t a figment of their imagination.

On the surface, it’s a pretty harmless concept. But if you think about it, how healthy is it really for a boy who is in the height of puberty to be falling for an anime girl?The older guys who’re in their 30s and 40s, let’s be honest, they’re too far gone already to worry about.

Pardon my manners, you may still be wondering, “so what the heck is an anime waifu and how did it get its name?”. As you could most likely guess because it’s pretty obvious, waifu is another way of saying wife, and anime watchers have used this term to refer to their favorite female anime characters. The ones from the television screens, yes. Just do not refer to these shows at cartoons, they’re anime. Sheesh, even I have to protect my precious anime. My waifu doesn’t need protecting though, she’s a big girl and can take care of herself.

The concept of a waifu goes beyond just liking or appreciating a character; it often involves a deep and romantic admiration for the character. Fans might consider their chosen waifu as their ideal partner or someone they wish they could be with in real life.

It’s important to note that the term waifu is often used as a joke or ironically within fandom communities. I would argue that it is used in this way much more in recent years compared to when it was more popular early on. It can also be used to discuss which female anime characters are the most popular or beloved among fans. There is a waifu counterpart term called husbando (a play on husband) for male anime characters. This is not to say that there exist real humans out there who bestow the title of waifu upon their most treasured female anime character. They only have eyes for their waifu and real life females are simply eyesores to them. These men have fallen very low in the eyes of society. You might be able to spot them in public if you look hard enough. They could be walking around with giant cardboard cutouts of their favorite anime girl. They could also have a visible green smell aura wafting from their body.

Waifus and husbandos are common topics of discussion and affection within anime and manga fan communities, and fans might engage in debates or discussions about their favorite characters. However, it’s crucial to remember that these are fictional characters, and the affection people feel for them is based on their personality, appearance, or character traits portrayed in the anime or manga.

Regenerate