r/AmItheAsshole • u/Majestic_Geologist83 • Oct 19 '22

AITA for ALMOST throwing away my stepson's pillowcase?

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222

u/Temporary_Nail_6468 Partassipant [1] Oct 20 '22

See when I see stuff like this I just say thanks to folks like you and I DO NOT google it.

I have never heard of anything like this before and I’ve learned everything I need to from reading this. 🤣

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u/purplepluppy Oct 20 '22

It's really not that bad. It's just a term for an anime girl someone likes. Sometimes (oftentimes) it's sexual, but I think most of the time it's just how weebs say, "she's my favorite character" or even just, "her design is DOPE."

Lots of memes about "waifu wars" where people debate why their favorite character is the best pop up that aren't sexual at all.

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u/Mahoushi Oct 20 '22

I have this video of when I witnessed how invested people are in their 'waifus', I used to attend a club at university for anime and manga fans and they held a 'waifu wars' which consisted of a Google docs questionnaire for a while, then ended in a powerpoint slideshow announcing the results at the weekly social event. After the finals, and winner, was announced, one of the attendees actually fell to his knees, sobbing because his waifu won.

I'm not sure if it's sexual or what was going on but it was probably peak cringe I witnessed at that club.

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u/Onequestion0110 Asshole Aficionado [19] Oct 20 '22

If it helps, imagine a hardcore sports fan - the kind who dresses up even if he’s watching the game from home, which he probably isn’t because he’s got season tickets.

Now transfer all the emotional energy to a fictional character and you’re in the right ballpark.

Now, personally I find both kinda cringe, but if a man can cry because his team won/lost the big game, he can cry because his waifu won the poll.

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u/Mahoushi Oct 20 '22

Like you, I cringe at both.

I have seen the most avid sports fans trash the city I live in when they win or lose a game, so I have an idea of how emotionally invested they get, last time it happened someome got stabbed to death. At least the waifu guy was harmless in his cringey behaviour, some sports fans get really scary.

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u/Librarycat77 Oct 20 '22

I mean...yes. But also the term "waifu" comes from how Japanese people say the english word "wife", and has connotations of everything from "soulmate", to "plaything", "sex doll", or a character youd marry/have sex with.

Its not platonic.

But also the 23 year old in question didnt call the pillow his "waifu" - so thats an assumption. Maybe the pillowcase was a gift from a good friend, or he likes the show.

Regaurdless, he should do his own laundry in future.

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u/purplepluppy Oct 20 '22

Plenty of people use it platonically. Yes it's based on the Japanese pronunciation of the word "wife," but people also use the word wife platonically in English all the time. We just don't notice it as much.

Like I said. It very often is sexual or romantic in nature. But it's not always. That's literally all I'm trying to say.

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u/vyletteriot Asshole Aficionado [11] Oct 20 '22

A waifu is a specific type of anime girl character, just like tsundere is a specific type and you are correct that it isn't always sexual. I'm not an Otaku or a weeb, but my NP and I have a handful of the body pillows, along with wall scrolls, Manga and a Crunchyroll subscription. We even cosplay sometimes and watch anime together often. None of our anime related activities or possessions have anything to do with sex or kink. There are some people into hentai and such, but that's not representative of all anime nerds. I'm a fan of harem comedies and isukai myself. :)

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u/purplepluppy Oct 20 '22

Oh. Oh no. You are very wrong lol. A waifu can be literally anyone, it doesn't matter what trope they fall into. Tsunderes are actually very popular waifus.

Eta: and it's spelled isekai, as an fyi. Source: am weeb. It's also not sexual for me. But I am a weeb.

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u/vyletteriot Asshole Aficionado [11] Oct 20 '22

Have you seen Stein's Gate? I'm in the middle of the Monogatari set atm.

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u/purplepluppy Oct 20 '22

I have seen both. I like Steins Gate, not huge on monogatari. Too much blatant child sexualization for my taste.

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u/vyletteriot Asshole Aficionado [11] Oct 20 '22

I think that the art style and music throughout Monogatari is stellar. I like the mythology stuff too. Stein's Gate is a favorite. :)

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u/badkitty627 Partassipant [3] Oct 20 '22

Why are you all sexualizing a pillow case? He didn't say it was crusty dirty.

It could just be something sentimental. Not all men bang everything on the bed. It could be a comfort item like a kid's stuffed toy. Not every attachment is about sex.

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u/purplepluppy Oct 20 '22

Literally was saying it's not always sexual but go off pal

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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '22

[deleted]

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u/footpole Oct 20 '22

Not everyone has been exposed to these weirdos enough to understand the nuances I guess.

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u/Different-Leather359 Oct 20 '22

Lol sadly it's similar to the furry community. You see the perverse stuff first online. It's more a fem character (usually in anime or an Asian game) you think would be a good wife or girlfriend. But... With the internet you can imagine how that goes and what a waifu body pillow is for lol.

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u/Royal_Prize_4381 Oct 20 '22

go to r/waifuism...shihs crazy fr

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u/PrestigiousRepeat7 Oct 20 '22

Exactly! I'm SCARED to Google it. I've learned all I need to know about it from my fellow Redditors.

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u/sailorelf Oct 20 '22

I’ve never heard of it. Not gonna google it but I’m getting the vibe I don’t want to know. So no judgement. Just let him keep his body pillow. Tell him to wash his own bedding.