There are times when I wonder about the perception of anime among regular folks in the US who have been exposed to it, but as of late I’ve wondered more about anime’s perception in the US among people who consider themselves to be anime fans. What do they look for in shows? What draws people to certain titles and has them going to cons dressed as or hugging certain characters? Obviously I can’t just pin it down on any couple of trends, seeing as otaku are a diverse bunch, but why do some shows succeed that you might never expect, and why are certain ones seemingly destined for success flops?  If I could answer this definitively, I would be rolling in cash money so don’t expect any revelations, but I feel like there is a certain something which attracts the vast majority of anime fans, a certain look and feel in any given era that gives off the impression that this is something new and different, and yet somehow just familiar enough to resonate deeply. Depending on the era, these qualities change, but they are what grab the individual, transform them into an anime fan, and then keep them there.