Husbando: What Are They?
If you’re here to learn more about Husbando (or if you’re stumbling across this article by accident), get ready to fall down the rabbit hole.
You’re probably interested in anime, manga, or gaming if you’re here, but some fans only scratch the surface of this wide-ranging, wonderful world. There’s actually a word for fans to take things a step further, fully submerging themselves into these cultures: Otaku.
To really understand Husbando, you first need to understand the Otaku way of life.
What Is Otaku?
If you’ve heard of Otaku before, you might already know that it’s a term that comes from the Japanese language. Japanese people initially used it to negatively describe geeky people.
Back in the day, Otaku was a nerdy stereotype who was excessively into video games, computers, and the like. Think tucked-in button-down shirts, big glasses, and introverted personalities — and you’ve got your typical Otaku from 50 years ago.
Over the years, Otaku stopped being a negative term thanks to the gradual transformation of Japanese culture and a widespread rebellion against social norms.
It was around this time that people started enjoying manga, anime, idols, and video games. Not only would they spend most of their free time consuming these forms of entertainment, but there were scores of people even missing out on work and other obligations because of them, too.
Thanks to the fervent and incredible fascination within these fandoms, the meaning behind the word Otaku changed.
Now, Otaku describes anyone deeply invested in manga, anime, idol, or video game culture. When we say deeply invested, we mean their lives basically revolve around it.
It’s one thing for someone to enjoy reading the latest manga and devotedly watch an anime, but it’s another thing completely to be Otaku.
As the influence of Japan’s infectious fan culture spreads across the world, so does their slang. Otaku isn’t just a term Japanese people use to describe each other — we now use it all over the globe to describe anyone who shares these passions.
Otaku are usually the people you find cosplaying, decorating entire rooms or houses with merch, finding friend groups that love the same shows, sporting anime-themed accessories, and so on. As you learn more about Otaku culture, you might even realize that you are Otaku yourself!
What Is Husbando?
Now that we’ve given you some foundational context, we can start to get into what exactly Husbando are. It’s a term that Otaku use for fictional characters that they feel connected to on an emotional level.
There are actually two words to describe that connection: Waifu and Husbando. These words have their origins in the English “wife” and “husband,” but people add an extra vowel at the end to make them sound more like Japanese words. As you can assume, people use Waifu to refer to female characters and Husbando for male characters.
These terms show more than a general admiration of a character for their qualities and appearance. When an Otaku uses the words Waifu or Husbando to describe a character, they think of them as someone they want to spend the rest of their lives with — if the characters were real, of course.
Think of this like a celebrity crush. You can find fangirls all over the internet (especially on Twitter and Instagram) that are completely enamored with musicians and actors. We’ve all seen the craze over people like Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, and Chris Hemsworth.
It’s totally natural for fans of any fictional show to have a crush on one of the characters. Remember the early 2010s? Girls across the globe were dedicated members of Team Edward or Team Jacob when Twilight was at its peak.
Take that same concept, and apply it to anime and manga characters. That’s the Waifu and Husbando phenomena for you.
Who Are Popular Husbando?
With some anime series being more popular than others, there are also some characters that are more widely loved than others. The characters below are some of the most commonly chosen Husbando. Who knows? Maybe you’ll fall for them, too!
Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
Of course, our first Husbando is Levi Ackerman. He’s the captain of the Special Operations Squad and one of the best soldiers in Attack on Titan. Other characters usually refer to him as Captain Levi.
As far as his physical traits go, Levi is shorter than some other male characters, but he makes up for it with a toned physique. He has medium-length dark hair with a middle part, gray eyes, and a thin face. He usually has a serious demeanor, which is fitting thanks to the nature of his job and the circumstances he’s under.
In the midst of chaos and betrayal, he is one of the few characters that you know you can trust… as far as we know. You can tell through his actions in Attack on Titan that he genuinely cares for his soldiers and does what’s necessary to protect them in dangerous scenarios.
Women tend to fawn over him for his abilities as a soldier, his empathy, and the morality he consistently shows.
Giyu Tomioka (Demon Slayer)
Though Giyu Tomioka is a supporting character in Demon Slayer, he doesn’t fly under the radar. As you likely know, he is a Demon Slayer in the Demon Slayer Corps as well as the Water Hashira.
Giyu Tomioka’s character is tall, muscular, pale, and has long black hair. His face has sharp, angular features that make his ocean blue eyes pop. You can usually find him wearing his Demon Slayer with a double patterned haori and a sword strapped to his hip.
Like Levi Ackerman, Giyu usually maintains an expressionless composure and tends to be restrained in his interactions.
There seems to be a pattern in the kinds of characters Otaku choose as their Husbando. Giyu Tomioka, though introverted, cares deeply for the people he considers to be his friends. Still, he differs from Levi Ackerman in that he’s not as likely to let those relationships interfere with his duties.
Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
A main character in Jujutsu Kaisen, Satoru Gojo is easily one of the most powerful characters in the anime — if not the most powerful. He is an advanced jujutsu sorcerer who doubles as a teacher for Tokyo Jujutsu High.
His character is exceptionally tall, with white hair that is usually sticking up (though he occasionally lets his hair down in casual circumstances). He usually wears a blindfold that covers his blinding blue eyes. Some believe that his true power comes from those ocean eyes, but the writers of Jujutsu Kaisen have not confirmed that theory… yet.
Satoru Gojo has an interesting personality, as it tends to vary depending on who he’s interacting with. When it comes to his friends, students, and colleagues, he’s carefree and playful. As soon as sorcerer executives come into the picture, he’s merciless. He can even be borderline cruel.
Though he can be arrogant and indifferent to characters who don’t display significant abilities, his other qualities provide his redemption.
Tomoe (Kamisama Kiss)
Tomoe is a fox yokai with the responsibility of caring for the land god’s crumbling shrine by himself. This character may be the odd one out in comparison to the other Husbando we’ve talked about up to this point. He has more personable qualities that include cooking and taking great care of the things and people important to him.
Tomoe has a tall, thin, and almost delicate stature. He has very pale skin with hair as white as snow. His hair falls across his face in an unruly way that draws attention to his purple eyes. At the top of his head, you’ll see his fox ears.
Otaku likely admire Tomoe for his contradictory qualities. As we mentioned, he’s intentional in caring for those he loves, but he also has a fierce side to him. Though he loses memories of certain times in his life, Tomoe has unbelievable powers and abilities that give him a reputation as the most feared fox yokai.
Your Turn
Now that you have all the deets on Husbando and the cultural context behind them, it’s your turn to join the Otaku and find your Husbando. Whether you find yourself more attracted to characters that are reserved but powerful or you lean towards those who have a softer personality, you’re sure to find one (or more) that you’ll love.
Sources:
Waifu and Husband - Do you Know What it Is? How Did it Come About? | Suki Desu
otaku Meaning & Origin | Slang by Dictionary.com
How to Be an Otaku: Your Guide to the Anime Fandom Subculture | Reel Rundown