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Answerman - Is California The Otaku Promised Land?

The more whitebread a state is, the less likely an otaku district would establish base, in regards to the US. I doubt a residency primarily consisting of blue collar types, rednecks and Christian fundies would take kindly to a place they'd aptly call, "Chinese Pokemon Porn store" among other colorful labels they like to place for anything not 1950's Americana culture.

Well the first reason wasn't exclusive to Southern California. The housing bubble that caused the financial crisis in 2008 affected the whole country, though some areas, such as Southern California, Florida, and Las Vegas, were especially bubbly. As for the second, increasing housing prices don't make people want to move out of the area, as the cost is set at the time of the sale (interest can change of course). And plenty of people are moving to Texas, Atlanta, and other Sunbelt regions as well on account of the lower housing costs, and they don't have the same problem with skyrocketing housing prices.

Certainly, what you mentioned is causing/did cause price increases in Southern California. But zoning regulations are an important cause too.

Yes! Here's a link with coverage on both:
http://nukethefridge.com/2016/01/04/exclusive-next-weeks-supergirl-was-filmed-inside-frank-son/
I've always found parking there to be abysmal, but if you get there before or right when it opens, you shouldn't have any problems. Also, it's not as crowded on Wednesdays as it is on Saturdays.

That blog is hilarious! Sherman Oaks is the worst, for some reason. That being said, I'm finding more often that if I just drive like a grandpa and let the idiots and wannabe Fast and Furious drivers pass me by, driving here is a lot easier. I just sit back and watch the show, which does border on insane at times. But I try not to let it get to me.
I blame reality t.v. for the traffic and the outrageous housing prices. Years ago, you had to have some modicum of talent to move out here: writing, acting, directing, surfing, etc. Reality t.v. has leveled the playing field, and now we're importing a lot of lunatics who drive like "Outta my way, stupid Californians!" and pay outrageous amounts for apartments or condos because they think "I'm gonna be rich and famous in six months - I can afford anything!" Then they don't get rich and famous, they become more crazy, and I'm too busy relaxing at the beach to bother with them.

San Diegans drive fast and expect people on the freeways to know where and when they're going to, but we're much less rude than LA folks. If you're only here during SDCC then that might be part of it (also be on the lookout for AZ plates during the summer -- they're crazy), but native San Diegans are considerate -- we just expect efficiency. That's also why the average speed is around 80, which is among the highest average in major CA urban areas.

As of now, LA cannot even begin to compete with the Otaku culture of Akiba.

That's also why the average speed is around 80, which is among the highest average in major CA urban areas.

Nikaku Animart is still in business in San Jose thanks to their side business. They sell pretty decent stock of new anime art books, but they still carry quite amount of older anime merchandises which is an ideal place for older fans who still want to buy Saint Seiya or Ranma 1/2.

zrnzle500 wrote:

Well the first reason wasn't exclusive to Southern California. The housing bubble that caused the financial crisis in 2008 affected the whole country, though some areas, such as Southern California, Florida, and Las Vegas, were especially bubbly. As for the second, increasing housing prices don't make people want to move out of the area, as the cost is set at the time of the sale (interest can change of course). And plenty of people are moving to Texas, Atlanta, and other Sunbelt regions as well on account of the lower housing costs, and they don't have the same problem with skyrocketing housing prices. Certainly, what you mentioned is causing/did cause price increases in Southern California. But zoning regulations are an important cause too.

True. They could build way more houses...then again, southern California's suburban sprawl is already really, really bad.

Aphasial wrote:

That's also why the average speed is around 80, which is among the highest average in major CA urban areas.

That's just crazy!

The more whitebread a state is, the less likely an otaku district would establish base, in regards to the US. I doubt a residency primarily consisting of blue collar types, rednecks and Christian fundies would take kindly to a place they'd aptly call, "Chinese Pokemon Porn store" among other colorful labels they like to place for anything not 1950's Americana culture.

^Considering that they say in regards to the US, I don't think they are attacking your countrymen in Canada. And Edmonton has a higher percentage of minorities than Canada as a whole, so relatively speaking it is not all that whitebread either. Alberta as a whole has about the same percent minorities as Canada as a whole and only two provinces have a higher percentage (Ontario and British Colombia). So even looking at the province level, where you live isn't that whitebread (relative to Canada). Aside from your community being blue collar, they aren't talking about your countrymen at all.

The commenter was listing some broad stereotypes, stereotypes which we ARE painted with time and again: When the NDP was voted in, several newspaper writers, particularly the ones down east, felt that Alberta had stopped dragging its knuckles and was finally getting indoor plumbing; People seem to love utterly ignoring that we are a bastion for immigrants, have world-class universities and hospitals, and have an artistic community that not only extends beyond Hollywood movie screenings and Beyoncé selling out arenas (though we don't turn hipster noses up at those) but that is openly welcome and supported. And this isn't achieved by shunning our cowboy & farming roots.

Yes, major cities, here, have a wide spread of colours and faiths but many ( I don't have enough experience to say 'the majority of') small towns are still mostly white and Christian; This doesn't mean that no one else lives there or is unhappy there but that, technically, we are still a pretty white area. And nobody's monocle pops at the idea of something as simple as being interested in music or animation or comics from other parts of the world.

I wasn't offended by the person's comments but I felt it was necessary to point out that they had pulled out a stereotype older and staler than a cracker left on the sidewalk, and which is about as appealing: I'm sure there are several American states full of citizens tired of being painted with the same brush as a few nut bars.