Yes, certainly. The top-level domain (TLD) “.moe” is a generic TLD that was introduced in the Domain Name System of the Internet on July 22, 2013. This domain was delegated to Interlink Co., a company based in Japan, by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) via its New gTLD (generic top-level domain) Program.
The .moe TLD is a domain that caters primarily to features of the Japanese Otaku culture, particularly targeting self-professed ‘otakus’ worldwide. For the Japanese, “moe” is a slang term that originated within Otaku culture. It’s a word used to describe feelings of affection, mainly towards characters in anime, manga, and video games.
The .moe top-level domain isn’t just for individuals. Businesses, organizations, and communities involved in the Otaku market can also use it. This means publishers, anime and manga creators, merchandise sellers, convention planners, and more can bring their passion to the Internet domain space.
In technical terms, the .moe domain follows the same operational procedures as other gTLDs, supporting ASCII characters as many other TLDs do. It doesn’t require specific technical configurations to operate.
However, from a registration point of view, there might be some eligibility requirements to be met before a .moe domain can be registered. However, these requirements would be largely based on the registration policies of the registrar, Interlink Co. Ltd. The domain offers standard DNS features, and also supports DNSSEC to secure your website and protect visitors from specific online threats.
Examples of how .moe is used can be observed in several websites active today, such as “nicotv.moe,” a Chinese community website for sharing and discussing anime, and “horriblesubs.moe”, a website to watch and download subtitled anime.
The sources used to construct this response include ICANN’s official website and its New gTLD Program, the .moe domain’s official website, and several domain-registration service-providers’ websites.
In conclusion, .moe is a specific niche-targeted TLD, catering to the distinct Otaku culture. It allows fans worldwide to exhibit their affection for anime, manga, video games, and other aspects of this culture, using a domain name that’s directly relevant and specific to their interests.
Sources:
1. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). (2013). Delegated Strings.
2. Interlink Co. Ltd. (2021). About the .moe Top-Level Domain.
3. PIR. (2021). DNSSEC.
4. Namecheap. Domain name search.
