What are some of your opinions about OS-tans that many people would probably disagree with?
My hot take is, that even though I like how the Animecore, Frutiger Aero, 2000s etc. aesthetics rised up the OS-tans's popularity a bit, I don't like that like 60% of the people just treats it like it is just a part of the aesthetics and are not really into OS-tans. For example, Madobe Nanami is kinda popular in the Frutiger Aero aesthetic, but most of these people just see her as some random Frutiger Aero character, and doesn't even knows her name actually, and calls her random names like Win-chan or Frutiger Aero-chan. No, Nanami is not Frutiger Aero-chan, Nanami is not just a Win-chan, she is a Windows 7-tan. Or ME-tan is just seen as a random anime character from the 2000s by majority of the people who are into these aesthetics. I don't say that everyone who know about OS-tans by those aesthetics are like this, I know some people got into OS-tans thanks to these aesthetics, but this is just my feeling that I've been noticing in the majority of things that focus on 2000s, Frutiger Aero etc.
Oh this is a fun thread!
I like that frutiger aero/y2k-core/etc. has introduced people to OS-tans and other aughts web properties, but I agree that it's unfortunate they've been subsumed by those aesthetics among some newer fans.
My hot take is that I think the idea of OS-tan "canon" is kind of overblown. I think the OG group of OS-tans (95-tan, 98-tan, XP-tan, etc.) are cohesive enough visually and personality-wise to count as distinct characters, but ultimately they are a group of characters designed and popularized by regular people on image boards, not a corporation, not an anime studio, not a published manga. I don't really see what the fundamental difference is between, say, ME-tan and Amiga-tan, besides one having the benefit of being developed on a large board and being popularized among more people, while the other was developed in a smaller community with less reach. But both are basically the result of a labor of love by regular netizens.
As youths nowadays would say. Larpers.
Hot takes? Hmmm,
Well, I definitely agree with what you're saying! People only seeing Nanami as this random character to use in the Aero aesthetic is pretty infuriating, it's actually part of why I view that certain aesthetic in a negative light. You would think Windows making a short reel on OS-Tans some time ago would drive up interest (Technically it did, but you know the modern internet...)
Quote from: thetitanflix on June 09, 2026, 03:13:53 PMHot takes? Hmmm,
Well, I definitely agree with what you're saying! People only seeing Nanami as this random character to use in the Aero aesthetic is pretty infuriating, it's actually part of why I view that certain aesthetic in a negative light. You would think Windows making a short reel on OS-Tans some time ago would drive up interest (Technically it did, but you know the modern internet...)
Yeah, it also makes me mad. I don't mind when someone uses Nanami in something frutiger aero related, if someone for example, makes something like "Madobe Nanami Frutiger Aero edit", but what makes me mad is when someone for example makes something like "Some Frutiger Aero edit with some random 2000s anime girl" and there is Nanami.
I like the Frutiger Aero and the 2000s aesthetics, but what I don't like is that some people into these aesthetic doesn't really know what is Frutiger Aero and what is Y2k design etc. For example, some Frutiger Aero edits uses those icons and stuff from Windows 95, but Windows 95 isn't even considered as Frutiger Aero.
Quote from: Bella on May 09, 2026, 02:51:17 PMOh this is a fun thread!
I like that frutiger aero/y2k-core/etc. has introduced people to OS-tans and other aughts web properties, but I agree that it's unfortunate they've been subsumed by those aesthetics among some newer fans.
My hot take is that I think the idea of OS-tan "canon" is kind of overblown. I think the OG group of OS-tans (95-tan, 98-tan, XP-tan, etc.) are cohesive enough visually and personality-wise to count as distinct characters, but ultimately they are a group of characters designed and popularized by regular people on image boards, not a corporation, not an anime studio, not a published manga. I don't really see what the fundamental difference is between, say, ME-tan and Amiga-tan, besides one having the benefit of being developed on a large board and being popularized among more people, while the other was developed in a smaller community with less reach. But both are basically the result of a labor of love by regular netizens.
I agree too, I always think that it is canon only when those character were developed by the same artist, or when the artist makes it canon etc.
But what I think is, that anyone, can honestly decide which OS-tans they will considers canon.
For example, Madobe Family (Madobe OS-tans) are commonly mixed with the Futaba OS-tans, but canonically they are not related to each other, they are two separate universes. But most people just simply decides if they will mix the Madobe OS-tans with the Futaba OS-tans, or if they will considers them as two separate universes etc.
I hate it when people apply the last name Madobe to the Futaba girls
My hot take is that the only personifications who should have surnames / "human names" are
- The "official" characters since those names are capital-C Canon.
- Anyone associated with SAGE-tan because it's canon in her story that she assigned names to computers.
Not counting fan nicknames which are, well, fan nicknames but not the characters' names themselves.
Quote from: oobabasama on June 22, 2026, 04:11:01 AMI hate it when people apply the last name Madobe to the Futaba girls
THIS!
Actually, the Futaba and Madobe OS-tans are not related to each other, but it seems many people are unaware of it. Considering how many people use term "Saseko Madobe" etc. It kinda feels... off?
However, as I've said before, I think people can decide themselfs what OS-tans they will considers canon or not, which Vista-tan they will use, if they will make their own OS-tans or own universe etc.
However, I don't really like when names like "Saseko Madobe" etc. Are used in something educative about OS-tan, like a wiki etc.
I think it would be much better if people would make custom surnames for Futaba OS-tans. But it probably seems not so many people are into OS-tans as much as am I. So people are probably unaware that Futaba OS-tans and Madobe OS-tans are two separate universes.
Quote from: Lily1027 on June 22, 2026, 08:35:49 AMTHIS!
Actually, the Futaba and Madobe OS-tans are not related to each other, but it seems many people are unaware of it. Considering how many people use term "Saseko Madobe" etc. It kinda feels... off?
However, as I've said before, I think people can decide themselfs what OS-tans they will considers canon or not, which Vista-tan they will use, if they will make their own OS-tans or own universe etc.
However, I don't really like when names like "Saseko Madobe" etc. Are used in something educative about OS-tan, like a wiki etc.
I think it would be much better if people would make custom surnames for Futaba OS-tans. But it probably seems not so many people are into OS-tans as much as am I. So people are probably unaware that Futaba OS-tans and Madobe OS-tans are two separate universes.
The Madobes are very debatably considered OS-tans, they're more like mascots in opposition to OS-tans who are moe personifications
Quote from: oobabasama on June 22, 2026, 06:04:24 PMThe Madobes are very debatably considered OS-tans, they're more like mascots in opposition to OS-tans who are moe personifications
Canonically, Futaba OS-tans and Madobe OS-tans (Madobe Family) are not related to each other. But most of the people are not aware of that.
Though, on the https://win-tan.tumblr.com/ (Madobe Ai) and https://magical-girl-edge.tumblr.com/ (Inori Aizawa) tumblrs. They called themselfs OS-tans and used the OS-tan tag. But here is no information if those Tumblrs were made by actual Windows Navi+ and Collateral Damage Studios, or if they were fan-made.
My hot take is not all software personifications are OS-tans but the Madobe are.
I don't know where I draw the line between something being an OS-tan and a non -tan personification, but I think it probably ties into a cute anime girl/boy/person aesthetic, adopting the conventions of the original futaba OS-tans (being a moe anthropomorphism, and memory relating to hunger and breast size for example).
If someone has a 100% original software personification lineup, with its own separate world building & conventions from the original futaba OS-tans, I don't think I would consider those -tan, but personification.
Quote from: Bella on June 23, 2026, 09:39:07 AMMy hot take is not all software personifications are OS-tans but the Madobe are.
I don't know where I draw the line between something being an OS-tan and a non -tan personification, but I think it probably ties into a cute anime girl/boy/person aesthetic, adopting the conventions of the original futaba OS-tans (being a moe anthropomorphism, and memory relating to hunger and breast size for example).
If someone has a 100% original software personification lineup, with its own separate world building & conventions from the original futaba OS-tans, I don't think I would consider those -tan, but personification.
I agree! I don't really mind when someone calls for example: Madobe Nanami an OS-tan but what kinda makes me sick is when someone makes some random cartoonish like OC that doesn't really looks like it fits in the OS-tan genre and calls it an OS-tan.
Most people thinks that OS-tan simply just means Humanized Windows. But I honestly thinks that would be much better if those people would rather use the term Humanized Windows than OS-tan if their OC doesn't really fit the OS-tan genre.
I think OS-tans are meant to be anime humanization of OSes (and sometimes programs etc.), not everything that is just a humanization of OSes.
Kinda surprised how many people's hot takes are the same as mine. :o
And another hot take of mine is, I hate when people says the Merryweather Internet Explorer-tan (and other characters from this series and the whole series) are OS-tans. Those are two separate universes, I mean, I don't mind crossovers or AUs or anythings like that. But I mean it when the context is meant to educate about OS-tans (like wiki or video). It really feels like the person who made it just went to google, found the first image, and told themself "it's humanized ..... so it's OS-tan" and started to find informations about the character even though it's not OS-tan.
I feel like it actually wasn't been never called officially OS-tan comic or anything. But as i've mentioned before, some people just sees something humanized related to technology and immediatelly goes "it's OS-tan".
Yeah, it's another take on the idea of humanizing computing related things, which is cool and all. Not really OS-tan related, other than perhaps he took inspiration from OS-tans.
Quote from: Lily1027 on June 23, 2026, 12:41:54 PMAnd another hot take of mine is, I hate when people says the Merryweather Internet Explorer-tan (and other characters from this series and the whole series) are OS-tans. Those are two separate universes, I mean, I don't mind crossovers or AUs or anythings like that. But I mean it when the context is meant to educate about OS-tans (like wiki or video). It really feels like the person who made it just went to google, found the first image, and told themself "it's humanized ..... so it's OS-tan" and started to find informations about the character even though it's not OS-tan.
I feel like it actually wasn't been never called officially OS-tan comic or anything. But as i've mentioned before, some people just sees something humanized related to technology and immediatelly goes "it's OS-tan".
I always looked at them as "browser-tans" in there own universe. It's Merryweather's own set of browser gijinka OCs. Which when it boils down to it OS-tans are really just gijinka OCs of OSes adopted by everybody.
I got a hot take, Ultima-san is an under-rated Vista-tan. I think a lot of her design speaks well to Vista's UI sensibilities.
Quote from: Goujer on July 01, 2026, 07:46:28 PMI got a hot take, Ultima-san is an under-rated Vista-tan. I think a lot of her design speaks well to Vista's UI sensibilities.
Which one's that?
I can't keep all the Vis-tans straight. >_>
Quote from: Bella on July 01, 2026, 08:03:51 PMWhich one's that?
I can't keep all the Vis-tans straight. >_>
https://safegallery.ostan-collections.net/posts?tags=ultima-san
Curvy and Blonde
Quote from: Goujer on July 01, 2026, 07:46:28 PMI always looked at them as "browser-tans" in there own universe. It's Merryweather's own set of browser gijinka OCs. Which when it boils down to it OS-tans are really just gijinka OCs of OSes adopted by everybody.
I got a hot take, Ultima-san is an under-rated Vista-tan. I think a lot of her design speaks well to Vista's UI sensibilities.
I would say that the Merryweather's series are not related to anything OS-tan or anything-tan and that it is its own separate universe. The main character doesn't even use the "tan" suffix and uses "chan". And as far I know, Merryweather never said that the comic is OS-tan or anything with tan related. The "OS-tan" has been used as an umbrella term for things like Browser-tans, App-tans, etc. But what I meant was that I don't think that the Merryweather Internet Explorer comic falls under any of this.
But I think why people considers some universes that are not related to OS-tan OS-tan is because here is honestly no other know fandom that is about humanizing OSes.
And yeah! Ultima-san is underrated! She is one of my favorite Vista-tans. I really like her design, it fits Windows Vista Ultimate so well! ;D
Quote from: Goujer on July 01, 2026, 10:47:54 PMhttps://safegallery.ostan-collections.net/posts?tags=ultima-san
Curvy and Blonde
Completely missed/forgot that this Vis-tan was also called Ultima-san. Always just called her Vis-Tan/Vista-tan.
It's been a while since I've drawn Vis-Tan.
Quote from: Lily1027 on June 23, 2026, 12:41:54 PMAnd another hot take of mine is, I hate when people says the Merryweather Internet Explorer-tan (and other characters from this series and the whole series) are OS-tans. Those are two separate universes, I mean, I don't mind crossovers or AUs or anythings like that. But I mean it when the context is meant to educate about OS-tans (like wiki or video). It really feels like the person who made it just went to google, found the first image, and told themself "it's humanized ..... so it's OS-tan" and started to find informations about the character even though it's not OS-tan.
I feel like it actually wasn't been never called officially OS-tan comic or anything. But as i've mentioned before, some people just sees something humanized related to technology and immediatelly goes "it's OS-tan".
Anthropomorphizing something computing-related =/= making an OS-tan IMO
Quote from: Lily1027 on July 02, 2026, 08:27:24 AMI would say that the Merryweather's series are not related to anything OS-tan or anything-tan and that it is its own separate universe. The main character doesn't even use the "tan" suffix and uses "chan". And as far I know, Merryweather never said that the comic is OS-tan or anything with tan related. The "OS-tan" has been used as an umbrella term for things like Browser-tans, App-tans, etc. But what I meant was that I don't think that the Merryweather Internet Explorer comic falls under any of this.
But I think why people considers some universes that are not related to OS-tan OS-tan is because here is honestly no other know fandom that is about humanizing OSes.
Under this logic would Nanami and all the other Madobe's even count as OS-tans? They never refer to themselves as OS-tans. They also never appear with any known OS-tans. at least as far as I am aware.
Quote from: Goujer on July 01, 2026, 10:47:54 PMhttps://safegallery.ostan-collections.net/posts?tags=ultima-san
Curvy and Blonde
O nice. I forgot about her tbh, but I like her design and think it fits well with Vista.
Quote from: Goujer on July 02, 2026, 09:17:54 PMUnder this logic would Nanami and all the other Madobe's even count as OS-tans? They never refer to themselves as OS-tans. They also never appear with any known OS-tans. at least as far as I am aware.
Cannocinally no, cannocinally Madobe Family and OS-tans are not related to each other, but imo it feels less off than with the Merryweather's universe.
Technically yes, because it's anime humanization of OSes and other computer related things.
I just wanted to say that I like to see the OS-tans (with the Madobe Family) and Merryweather's comic as two (or three if you don't consider the Madobe Family as OS-tans) separate universes.
Quote from: Goujer on July 01, 2026, 07:46:28 PMI always looked at them as "browser-tans" in there own universe. It's Merryweather's own set of browser gijinka OCs. Which when it boils down to it OS-tans are really just gijinka OCs of OSes adopted by everybody.
I got a hot take, Ultima-san is an under-rated Vista-tan. I think a lot of her design speaks well to Vista's UI sensibilities.
I like deferring to Futaba a /lot/, don't get me wrong, but I don't see anything in Vistake that depicts any aspect of Vista, unlike Ultima-san
Quote from: oobabasama on July 04, 2026, 05:41:22 PMI like deferring to Futaba a /lot/, don't get me wrong, but I don't see anything in Vistake that depicts any aspect of Vista, unlike Ultima-san
Me too! I think Vistake's design is nice, but I think it would make better job as if she would be a personification of something else that would more fit the design. Perhaps her design could be based on some specific Windows Vista function?
It turns out Ultima-san isn't that obscure after all, she has far more posts on Pixiv than for example Secchan. It reminds me of how Obabasama has far more tagged posts than ME, XP, 95 and everyone else on the same site
I havent been on pixiv for years. It requires being singed in to browse, right?
That site got pretty much Deviantarted with the AI slop too.
I do remember seeing much more Ultima-san back in the day, that's why I was bit surprised how rare she seems nowadays.
Interestingly, Gelbooru seems to tag Ultima-san as "Spirit (Vista)". Dunno what that even means.
Quote from: VonDaab on July 07, 2026, 03:42:56 AMI havent been on pixiv for years. It requires being singed in to browse, right?
That site got pretty much Deviantarted with the AI slop too.
I do remember seeing much more Ultima-san back in the day, that's why I was bit surprised how rare she seems nowadays.
Interestingly, Gelbooru seems to tag Ultima-san as "Spirit (Vista)". Dunno what that even means.
To browse SFW, no. NSFW yeah.
I don't know why Gelbooru tags it as that either.
I guess her rarity partially has to do with the issue of some people only caring about ME, 2K, 95 and XP and maybe a few more, and none of the other Nijiura girls.
Quote from: oobabasama on July 06, 2026, 10:48:29 PMIt turns out Ultima-san isn't that obscure after all, she has far more posts on Pixiv than for example Secchan. It reminds me of how Obabasama has far more tagged posts than ME, XP, 95 and everyone else on the same site
She is pretty low on the popularity pole here I guess lol
Here's the current gallery post counts above her:
madobe_nanami 330
xp-tan 192
me-tan 157
2k-tan 149
madobe_touko 129
madobe_yuu 128
madobe_ai 126
homeko 124
95-tan 93
oobaba-sama 66
98-tan 63
98se-tan 51
claudia_madobe 44
inu-t 38
ce-tan 34
dos_kitty 33
madobe_mutsumi 33
moseko 33
nt-mama 31
os9-tan 29
saba-tan 25
vistake 25
aizawa_inori 25
mac-tan 24
vulcan_98 23
tiger-tan 22
oichi-san 19
homeo 17
vulcan_98se 17
firefox-ko 15
cheetah-tan 15
leopard-tan_(pink) 14
ruri_azumi 13
ultima-san 13
Quote from: Goujer on July 13, 2026, 03:18:14 PMShe is pretty low on the popularity pole here I guess lol
Here's the current gallery post counts above her:
madobe_nanami 330
xp-tan 192
me-tan 157
2k-tan 149
madobe_touko 129
madobe_yuu 128
madobe_ai 126
homeko 124
95-tan 93
oobaba-sama 66
98-tan 63
98se-tan 51
claudia_madobe 44
inu-t 38
ce-tan 34
dos_kitty 33
madobe_mutsumi 33
moseko 33
nt-mama 31
os9-tan 29
saba-tan 25
vistake 25
aizawa_inori 25
mac-tan 24
vulcan_98 23
tiger-tan 22
oichi-san 19
homeo 17
vulcan_98se 17
firefox-ko 15
cheetah-tan 15
leopard-tan_(pink) 14
ruri_azumi 13
ultima-san 13
Here are the numbers on Pixiv:
#大婆様 (3.1-tan): 597
#95 (95-tan): 363 [1]
#2k (2k-tan): 326 [1]
#窓辺ななみ (Nanami Madobe): 320
#いぬてぃ (Inu-T): 287
#98 (98-tan): 240 [1]
#CE (CE-tan): 212 [1]
#させ子 (XP-tan): 210
#ビスたけ (Vistake): 195
#ほめ子 (Homeko): 146
#窓辺とおこ (Touko Madobe): 130
#Meたん (Me-tan): 95 [1]
#お壱さん (Oichi): 78
#アルテマさん (Ultima): 71
#窓辺あい (Madobe Ai): 47
#窓辺ゆう (Madobe Yuu): 45
#98SE (98SE-tan): 35 [1]
#窓辺むつみ (Madobe Mutsumi): 15
[1]: Unreliable tag, figure is probably inaccurate by some margin
I wonder what the stats would be like if the entirety of the old gallery was ported over to the booru instance...
Quote from: oobabasama on July 13, 2026, 06:36:03 PM#窓辺ななみ (Nanami Madobe): 320
We have more Nanami than pixiv, my god...
Quote from: Bella on July 13, 2026, 07:29:39 PMI wonder what the stats would be like if the entirety of the old gallery was ported over to the booru instance...
One day!
Quote from: Goujer on July 13, 2026, 08:15:08 PMWe have more Nanami than pixiv, my god...
I am so sorry, Nanami's just my most favorite OS-tan.
Quote from: Lily1027 on July 14, 2026, 07:27:35 AMI am so sorry, Nanami's just my most favorite OS-tan.
You are responsible for 45% of all images on the new gallery. It makes sense it would be skewed towards your taste lololol!