>>3
Well looking at /hobbies/ right now we can see for the first ten threads:

1: trip to london or japan (14) -- japan in the title
2: [Looking for Group] With our powers combined... Otakings! [Garage Sales] (35) -- self-explanatory
3: Weeaboo... they just want to be Japanese, or any Asian is okay? (44) -- self-explanatory
4: Smoking (11) -- non-otaku
5: Hair Styles (25) -- quest for the jrocker hairstyle
6: Is anyone good with designing paper crafts, paper goods etc? (6) -- non-otaku, at least not directly
7: Please help! I don't want to be an otaku anymore! (91) -- self-explanatory
8: [Anime] Mobile Suit Models!!! [Otaku] (36) -- self-explanatory
9: OCD (12) -- self-explanatory
10: evolving otaku (14) -- self-explanatory

Now, I must say I agree with you on the fact that people having "hikkikomori" issues aren't necessarily otaku (note, I'm using the western meaning of the term here), but sincerely - the simple fact that they use "hikkikomory" and not "social reject", "recluse", or whatever... that gives a lot. But I agree, these people need input from other kind of people than your average otaku/channer. So why not, maybe we can keep them in /personal/.

I also agree that the need for the split doesn't seem evident right now because it is mixed; but I still seriously think that the fact there is "otaku" written everywhere on every board can hinder the community development. That is, if we indeed do want a community more diverse and less composed by your average otaku/channer/whatever - which I think, given the diversity of subjects we can approach here, would be for the best. Honestly, it's the frontpage of /hobbies/ today that motivated this thread, even if I thought about it for quite a while now. Another example, I'm happy to discuss in /music/, but I get a bit angered when I see its frontpage cluttered with jpop, jrock, jwhatever, anime ost threads. It's not the case for some time though, so I'm happy, but it happened before.