As far as I'm aware, anime and manga never really took off in the west for whatever reason but in Japan there are millions who buy it and, by inference, enjoy looking at fantasy children being abused - sometimes violently or horrifyingly, but always sexually.

There I would have to say 'your not correct'. living here in the Nor cal, for that matter close to S.F. and Sacto for major cities, I see lots of manga, and the cosplay has been growing like crazy.  Gwen Stefani made it part of the song lyrics in "Rich Girl" that borrows the "tag line" from the Jewish Play, I if were a rich Girl(Man) I would..... and they riff back and forth using the basic beat and line from the Play "A fiddler on the Roof".

[Hook]
If I was a Rich Girl na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!
See, I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end
Cause I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy giiiiiiiiiiiiiirl


I'd get me four Harajuku girls to
Inspire me
and they'd come to my rescue
I'd dress them wicked, I'd give them names
Love, Angel, Music, Baby
Hurry up and come and save me

Buns and Nibbles, aka Barnes and Noble has an entire wall, 5 commercial book shelves worth of new, I have the entire line of Video for Gate Keepers, Love Hina, Chobits, and the line of Chobits and Love Hina in books, plus a handful of others in both Video and Books. The main thing is that there is good market, not just in the major Asian culture spots, and between the two cities it has it own following, especially since a lot of this area is ex-military, retired or civil service, and we were the gate way to the Pacific, in Vietnam, Korea, And some of the latest shenanigans. Now we have always had a major grouping of Asians from a lot of countries, but they tended to not hang together. However the service man going over seas often met young ladies who came over and became new citizens.  But Martial Arts and Manga/Anime/other in the media were rather popular in the Video Cassette Recorder/player.  We would find a club, and have monthly showings, and you would buy your 'videos' and bring them along, everyone did. You met at someones house and maybe rented the player and you all brought 'your favourite'. Also what ever you were drinking, in the way of Spirits and such. We might even party all night, and take breaks to play board games.

It's been around for a while.



Molly say:
So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.

       

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