Dallas - They come dressed in detailed and elaborate costumes. It may not be for everyone, but fans of Japanese animation have turned this import into a billion-dollar industry in the United States. "We are the single biggest piece of weekend business in Dallas, " says A-Kon Chairman Mary Davis.
Davis says the popularity of anime is growing. "It started as subculture, and over the years, it has become part of mainstream pop culture."
Anime comes in all forms. The characters are complex and the stories, like soap operas, can run for years. Like comic books, anime in print is called "manga." Loyal fans have their favorites, and the spend their money buying up everything from figurines to DVD's.
"A lot of these people can be doctors, lawyers and your kid's teacher," says Eric Bond, an anime fan who came dressed as his favorite character from "Avatar, the Last Air Bender."
That wide appeal has sparked a boom in the number of anime conventions around the world. "A-Kon is a chance to let freak hang out for a weekend with people who think that's normal," says Bond.
Copyright © 2009, KDAF-TV
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