What would you like to see in an "anime cafe"?
 

I'm in the final stages of planning for a small gaming cafe here in NYC. It's mainly a gaming cafe (PC and console games), but because there's a large group in my neighborhood that loves anime and manga, I was thinking about using some of the excess space to cater to them.

If you had a place to hang out and watch / read anime and manga, what manga, anime, or other merchandise would you like to see there? What would you want it to look and feel like? Is there a place in your neighborhood like this already? Tell us about it, and why you like it so much. If you're in the area, you may get to actually help create the place you've been looking for!

Thanks in advance.

This is a great idea, I wish you well with it! I wish I had the time/money/fanbase to make something like that work here.

Maybe include some cosplay elements? A manga library, a wide range of popular and a bit more obscure manga, anime screenings and so on. Maybe a little bit of merch such as keyrings/badges to purchase too, and since it's a cafe, some anime inspired food? Cupcakes!

Once you get up and running, maybe you could get a purikura machine? They are SUCH a laugh and very popular!

definitely comfy chairs

Great ideas...
 

...and I look forward to using them when I finally open. I like the idea about the related merchandise, i.e. the Naruto headbands, etc. Now I just have to find out where I can get them from. =D

I'll definitely do anime screenings from time to time (thanks MissMisa), and I would like to have as extensive a manga library as space constraints allow (thanks YukisUke), but I would have to also figure out how to keep people from pocketing the books. Unfortunately,that's the world we live in.

The purikura machine might not work though... the newer ones are so big that I wouldn't have the space (the place I'm looking at is 1700 square feet), and besides, they want 476352897569823475rhwl3r44936823746 dollars for them.

TohruChan, I will definitely make sure there are comfy chairs there too.

Thanks for all your suggestions, and I hope that anyone who has anything else to add will.

i suggest if you can then get your hands on some original drawings. like sketches or something cool for display.
know movie Unbreakable? like that comic art shop, only with some anime themes.

I suggest you get some hot J-girls to dress in cosplay and try to emulate the maid cafes here in Japan.

I just did a Google search for 'maid cafe'...
 

...and that is a HELL of an idea. lol

All I need now is to find some hot Japanese girls.

to stop people from pocketing books you could always have them displayed behind the counter and simply ask for a little money to ensure their safety and give the money back when they return the book to the counter

or threaten them with a fist of the north star vibe

a purikura machine right inside the place might go over well, same target audience and all