Do you recall staying up past your bedtime as a kid, watching Cartoon Network turn from its family friendly programming into late night, “viewer discretion advised,” Toonami.
Toonami became famous for airing anime, a Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence and sexuality.
For best friends, Ricardo Polendo and Richard Giron, it became a prominent part of life, to the point where they wanted to create a place for fellow anime fanatics. Together they decided to open a cafe in San Antonio which provides locals with anime entertainment.
“I have always had a need for a place to harbor anime and gaming together, and I am beyond proud to call that place my own,” said Ricardo Polendo, co-owner of Otaku Café.
Polendo and Giron have a long history of fandom, dating back to their early high school years. As teens, they bonded over video games and cartoons. When Polendo and Giron discovered anime, they were inspired to share their admiration with others.
“Both of us grew up nerdy. In college, we started going to anime conventions which got us thinking about how the experience could be made better,” Polendo said. “We both majored in business and began planning for how we would make our own physical store.”
“After we knew enough about the business, we put our names out into the world. Thankfully our goal was successful and our store has been exactly what we hoped it would be.”
On Jan. 17, 2015, the duo opened the doors to the Otaku Café, naming it after the Japanese term that defines a person with a strong obsession with anime and gaming culture; almost to the point where it becomes detrimental to their social skills.
That obsession however, is what fuels fanbases for popular anime shows such as Dragon Ball Z or critically acclaimed gaming franchises like Street Fighter.
“It is interesting how the word Otaku tends to have that negative meaning in which we are considered as people who just shut themselves indoors all day,” Polendo said. “Here at Otaku Café, we treat ourselves as great friends, constantly talking about our plans to meet up for the next tournament or to just hang out outside of the arcade. We welcome any one who steps through that door with open arms.”
Located on 5525 Blanco Rd #109, the Otaku Café is an anime shop and arcade influenced by the anime culture from Japan. For $5, one can play in the arcade for two hours, or $10 to play the entire day. The arcade features 18 Japanese game machines, including popular titles like BlazBlue, Street Fighter V and Marvel vs. Capcom.
The café area features tables to sit at and view the various anime they play throughout the day, as well as the many collectables and posters the store has to offer. It also includes a smorgasbord of Japanese snacks, ranging from strawberry-flavored soda to the unique green-tea shortbread.
“I really like this place, it’s chill and laid back,” said Jorge Aguilera, a local employee at AT&T and an avid gamer. “Currently I am hooked on that Dragon Ball FighterZ game since it released, and I’m glad they have that here to play with other people I would normally never meet.”
The Otaku Café partners with World Class Tournaments, a Facebook group that coordinates video game tournaments at various venues, to bring competition amongst its many gamers. With the popularity of Dragon Ball FighterZ, many come out to the arcade to show their skills and hours of practice. Many players take pride in their choice of characters from the show, implementing the best strategies possible against their respective opponents.
“My team is Cell, Piccolo and Lord Beerus; I love destroying noobs and rookies at Dragon Ball FighterZ and putting them in their place,” said Jesster Boyce, a competitive gamer in the local scene.
When asked what a noob is, Boyce described it as, “someone who flat out sucks at this game.”
Outside of local tournaments, many gamers take to Twitch, an online video game streaming website, in which people record themselves playing Dragon Ball FighterZ and other favorite games. Through this platform, streamers offer up in-depth tutorials on intricate combos, how to counter certain fighting styles and overall show off their knowledge of the game.
“It doesn’t matter who shows up to compete, I have that play to win mentality,” Boyce said. “I usually tell others about my Twitch streams, that way they can pick up some tips and strategies for future play against me.”
While player participation with World Class Tournaments have been relatively low recently compared to when Dragon Ball FighterZ first released back in January, it still provides those who attend a quality competitive experience. Top prizes usually include small cash potlucks, free snacks or vouchers to play in the arcade for free.
The Otaku Café continues to support its fanbase by providing new anime merchandise and maintaining video game tournaments as the year carries on. It has become a welcoming social spot to engage with other Otaku fanatics, network with fellow gamers and an overall unique arcade in San Antonio that deserves recognition.
“Video games and anime are becoming the norm nowadays,” Aguilera said. “The Otaku Café is like that cool clubhouse you had as a kid, except everyone is invited.”
