Final answer:
The question concerns the lack of established scholarly recognition for otaku and Japanese popular cultural studies, despite their global popularity. It highlights the evolution of anthropological methods and the current definition of popular culture, which includes easily shared societal experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of the question revolves around the academic recognition of otaku and Japanese popular cultural studies within the realm of scholarly inquiry. Whilst popular culture from Japan, like anime and manga, has gained a global following, and Korean pop culture has seen international success through K-pop music and television dramas, these areas have not yet become established fields of academic study. There is a growing interest, but academia has been slow to legitimize them as subjects for research and curriculum development in the same way that other areas of culture and art history have been. Sociocultural anthropology has evolved to consider various subgroups and geographical locations to offer a more comprehensive view of cultural complexities, suggesting the study of otaku and popular culture could benefit from employing such multifaceted approaches. The evolving nature of popular culture, which currently includes events and phenomena easily shared and discussed among the majority of society through media outlets, has yet to become fully integrated into the scholarly conversation at a foundational level.