I was actually over heard this recently from 
some "Gaikokujin" (or foreigners) shoppers here 
in Japan recently in a Mandarake store. 

 They were making reference to cel collectors!

Now, I don't get out to the States much but they 
were referring to American collectors as "anime 
geeks, fat overweight chicks, and weirdos". 

The geek part, I can relate to -- since geeks 
rule the world anyway :-) Computer and Politics...

But the "fat part" I didn't get. Why fat?

And weirdos, yes -- in Japan, yes.. I think some 
collectors here most defintely (hard core 
doujinshi fans) define the world :-)

But here, I don't see so much of a weight issue..
Maybe it's the sushi ;-) I see lots of very 
attractive anime female collectors. Hanging out 
in the Yaoi section can be quite interesting!

Anyway,
The conversation went something like this,

"... Yeah, there are nothing but fat chicks and 
weird geeky guys at those con's in the States..., 
blah, blah, blah,..."

Now before I get flamed, let me tell you  I don't 
get out much to Anime cons. And I have never been 
to an American Anime Expo, for that matter, so I 
haven't (physically) meet any American collectors 
at all except for the staff at Celga here in 
Japan. So, I have no wide ranging experience to 
draw on as far as "body-types" go --so, I thought 
the conversation,.. well was a curiousity.

 How much of this is just a stereotype? How much 
do you think it is true? 

C'mon be honest.. :-).. I am no "dapper dan" 
myself!

I can see one of my new years resolutions 
including going to the gym and getting on that 
bike for about 45 minutes everyday and hitting 
the weights, etc..

Cel Collectors GET IN SOME SHAPE for 2004!! :-)

Happy New Year!

(I just had to raze ya'..before the end of the 
year)

E