Anime fans started using Waifu term to refer to a character they were particularly fond of, one they viewed as having something special to them. The term Waifu is also spread outside the anime fandom as it is used also in video-games or even live-action television genres. In general, it is likely for somebody refer to a anime character as 'Waifu' if he/she develops a romantic affection for that character. The literal meaning of the word comes from the katakana (Japanese syllabary, used to spell out English words) word for “wife”.