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

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Food. Preferably good food.

Gumtree Brighton
 

i always like to read some good and informative
blogs and this blog is also so good and helpful.
thanks for taking time to discus this topic..

I think it should also involve a bit of tokusatsu,a bit of asian drama,a bit of whatever else as well because some people might be more into something else Asian. Personally I like anime but tokusatsu excites me more.

Texoma Enterprise
 

i like your post you do good effort to make it more valuable.
thanks for sharing.
Texoma Enterprise

easy- auto themed
I'd have a panda Ae86 parked adjacent an s30z and of course an R34 in dark blue. And if you can't afford that, then your business will fail! /jk - but you can always buy posters of them *coughs - cheap-skate* :D

Have a man dressed as a gorilla ready to jump on anyone that tries to nick one.

hi
 

A tea bar - to serve milk tea, shakes, flavored tea
Snack bar - to sell snacks like pocky, ramen, smaller cakes and cookies
Book readings - celebrity and up and comers guests to do book readings of their manga and book signings
Manga raffle/competition - Manga trivia bowl for a manga gift basket
a lounge - to discuss manga/anime
Art lessons - How To Draw manga lessons
Drawing contest - for prizes or notoriety

THAT SOUNDS.........AWESOME!!!! :eek:

Display case filled with japanese toys, Chogokin etc

Get a larger display case and put a small scale model of a district with running trains.......... a friend of mine was doing something similar with his sushi store, its not in a display case, but model building along the wall and tracks along the wall, so the train travel around the entire complex..

Use one of the Train station chime as your door opening/closing melody...

Decorate the entrance of the place with something that signifies japan: Tori, Yamanote train entrance (you will need the full aluminum and gree theme to pull this off) etc

Thats about all that I can think of.... one of the forum members can probably tell you where you can order a bunch of japanese toys and stuff.. I use Rakuten myself for the most part, and I use Tenso to have stuff redirected...