Generally believed to be a portmanteau of "oba", Japanese for
middle-aged woman, and "batarian", from "Battalion", the Japanese title for the film "Return of
the Living Dead". Japanese obatarian behave in a manner not unlike flesh-eating zombies. The obatarian is selfish and unwilling to abide by or is oblivious of
socially acceptable behavior. A typical obatarian is short, stout, wears a perm, and is dressed unfashionably (house slippers optional); she will elbow her way through crowds, refuses to wait in line, run for empty bus/train seats, is loud and loves sales. Some academics believe that the propensity for young Japanese women to transform into obatarian is the cause of Japan's declining birth rate.
