Terms starting with O

Older sibling terms

Older sibling terms are the Japanese words for older brothers and sisters, such as ani, ane, aniki and aniue, which vary in tone from respectful to casual and are common forms of address in anime.

鬼

Oni

Oni are horned, fanged ogres or demons from Japanese folklore, usually shown as huge, strong and fearsome, with red or blue skin, an iron club and a tiger-skin loincloth.

おにぎり

Onigiri

Onigiri is a Japanese rice ball, usually shaped into a triangle or round and filled with a savoury item such as salmon or pickled plum, often wrapped in a strip of dried seaweed.

お兄ちゃん

Onii-chan

Onii-chan is a Japanese way of addressing or referring to an older brother, using an affectionate ending, and in anime it can also be used for older boys who are close friends.

オープニングテーマ

Opening theme

An opening theme is the song and animated sequence that plays at the start of an anime episode, introducing the series with music, images and the names of the main staff and cast.

オタク

Otaku

Otaku is a Japanese word for a person with an intense devotion to a hobby, and in English it commonly refers to a dedicated fan of anime, manga or related culture.

乙女ゲーム

Otome game

An otome game is a story game aimed mainly at female players, in which the heroine builds relationships with a cast of male characters through choices that lead to different endings.

オリジナルビデオアニメーション

OVA

OVA stands for original video animation, a type of anime released directly on home video or streaming rather than being shown first on television or in cinemas.

Overpowered protagonist

An overpowered protagonist is a main character so strong, skilled or lucky that most opponents are no real threat, which shifts the story's interest from whether they win to how.