With over 600 entries covering common expressions, people, places, and moments of otaku history, Kodansha’s The Otaku Encyclopedia by Patrick W. Galbraith is the essential guide to all things otaku for fans of Japanese pop culture.  Tokyo-based journalist Galbraith has spent years researching this volume, which includes in-depth examinations of such crucial topics as moe, doujinshi, cosplay and maid cafes interspersed with interviews of key players such as Takashi Murakami, otaku expert Okada Toshio, and J-Pop idol Shoko Nakagawa.

The 248-page Otaku Encyclopedia ($19.95) contains 124 color pages and more than 150 photographs plus manga illustrations, film stills and anime concept art.   Japanese pop culture maven Frederik L. Schodt (Manga, Manga) is providing the foreword.  Kodansha International will publish The Otaku Encyclopedia in October.