Anime fan witnesses subculture become mainstream

I was 11 years old in 1999 when the anime series Dragon Ball Z aired in the United States for the second time. Its blend of action, sci-fi and fantasy was unlike anything available to American children at the time. The show's naive yet brave protagonist Son Goku became my hero. Goku flew on a cloud and battled demons and aliens using kung fu and a staff that could extend.

It wasn't long before I learned the series came from Japan; it was part of a vast library of animation geared toward teens and adults. At the back of my local video rental store, I could find VHS copies of Japanese classics like Akira, Mobile Suit Gundam and Perfect Blue. I was drawn to the novelty of the visuals and cultural inspirations.

I bought Dragon Ball Z toys when I could and demanded my parents drive me to esoteric shops in the city so I could pay extra for a bootleg copy of the PlayStation game because it wasn't released for American distribution. I had become an anime nerd.