Over the past few years, interest in Japanese anime (animation) and manga (comic books) has reached a fervor in the United States. What once comprised only a small segment of comic book fans "in the know" now seems poised to become the dominant alternative youth culture in the U.S. In his book Japanamerica, author Roland Kelts compares this growing phenomemon to the British Invasion in rock music that took place in the 1960s. This series represents my attempt to capture the talent, creativity, D-I-Y aesthetic, and community spirit of anime fans, known as "otaku."