However beyond that strict definition of a Fandom LARPers (someone literally presenting a fan of media they haven't engaged with directly), LARPer as an insult in the Anime community is also becoming functionally synonymous with terms like Tourist. It's about what it means to say you like Anime as a concept.
I should be clear that on the subject of terminology to me Anime Fan and Otaku and Weeb are not perfect synonyms. Though in the context of specifically Western Fandom discourse for the purpose of this discussion the nuanced distinction between Otaku and Weeb doesn't matter. An Anime Fan is anyone who is a fan of at least 3 distinctly different Anime and identifies as liking Anime. However an Otaku or Weeb is someone who even when they don't like certain trends of Anime will never view them as things should be gotten rid of, there is no room for Antishippers in Otakudom.
I want new Anime Fans, or even long time ones who've remained very limited in what they've seen, to watch more and expand their horizons. But in my opinion talking down to those people, calling them culturally illiterate or tourists or LARPers is counterproductive, you're just making them hate the culture and pushing them away. Politely recommend them shows similar to what they already like, or from the same creators, and/or what your personal favorites are, but let them take their time.
I've currently completed over a thousand Anime and partially watched nearly 300 more. But there was a long time, form like 2005 to 2014, when I'd seen less 50 and still referred to myself as liking Anime, not using the words Otaku or Weeb only because I hadn't heard them yet. Looking back on that now I know there is a lot I used to be wrong about, but I do not view that younger version of myself as lying about liking Anime.
What's changed about Tourist discourse in the last like year is a massive increase in even the perceived Left Wing of the Anime Fandom doing it. What's interesting there is also how it's the Left Wing who is truly putting it's emphasis on wanting more people to watch more older Anime, while the shows the Neo-reactionaries are made at your for not watching as recent seasonals.
Thing is as Leftist Anime fan who has seen more older Anime then most of these Reactionary Vlogers. Most of the Anime I like are part of Genres and Trends that took off in the 90s and 2000s so only a very small percentage of stuff from the 60s and 70s feels at all relevant to my tastes.
There are two Genre of Anime in particular whose fandoms have a tendency to get really angry about anyone saying anything about them if what they've seen is still only a few of the most well known shows. Mecha and Magical Girls. As someone who is a fan of both genre, with more then mere entry level familiarity with both, I also find this troubling.
Yes it's annoying when people talk like experts on something they have a small sample size of. But being factually mistaken on on the history of a genre of fiction is not the worst thing in the world.
And some of the opinions these people think can only exist among people who've seen I think they are massively underestimating the validity of.
On the subject Mecha, I only feel more vindicated in calling Evangelion a Deconstruction the more of the genre I watch, not less. A lot of disagreement on what Anime can and cannot qualify as a Deconstruction is more predicated on disagreement on what a Deconstruction is then a given Genre history.
I still hold the view that no Magical Girl show qualifies as a Deconstruction. However not every Video on Madoka's role in the history of the genre that makes fans mad is at all appealing to that term specifically.
I would agree with Pretty Cure monopolizing the market has more to do with the lack of Shoujo Manga based Magical Girl shows in the last 20 years then Madoka. But the basic opinion that Madoka disrespected the prior history of the genre is not going to go away simply form knowing the prior precedent for darker takes exists.
I also disagree with the claim that Anime is more mainstream now then it used to be. But that's another string of topics.
I'm gonna link to two nuanced yet opposing YouTube Videos.
Carbio-kun's I Have no Taste and I must Larp.
It's Blythe's Gatekept Fandoms ar ethe Worst.
