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8 Episodes 2011 - 2011
Episode 1
Thu, Feb 24, 201141 mins
Stu Levy introduces the Otaku Six, six college interns traveling with Levy and the TOKYOPOP bus, in order to find America's Greatest Otaku. Along the way, they go to Otaku Spots such as Anime Expo (the largest anime and manga convention in the United States during the Fourth of July weekend), Royal/T Cafe (an establishment in bringing a taste of the maid café culture from Japan), and Hotel Tomo (a hotel whose name means "friendship" and environment that caters to every otaku traveler). They also meet with the first of the Otaku Contenders: Ryan Tumaliuan from LA, avid collector, toy designer, and manga artist; Christine Choi of Los Angeles, elite cosplayer, costume creator, and USB earring girl; Gina Gallego from San Francisco, passionate collector, autograph specialist, and anime events and club organizer; and Elizabeth Schweizer, also from San Francisco, lifelong cosplayer, costume creator, manga illustrator, and anime singer.
Episode 2
Thu, Mar 3, 201141 mins
Stu and the Otaku Six head out to Salt Lake City, Denver, and Dallas where they have the chance to visit with the Salt Lake Art Center (filled with artistic reinterpretations of Japanese video games like Donkey Kong in miniature golf form), the Salt Lake City Library boasting over 1000 manga, the Nippon Kan Aikido Dojo teaching the ancient martial art of Aikido, Domo Restaurant catering authentic Japanese country cuisine, the Denver Hetalia cosplayers, Super H-Mart complete with a sticker photo booth, and FUNimation Entertainment who distributes anime films and television shows. The Otaku Six also gets to interview potential Otaku contenders for America's Greatest Otaku: Shireen Al-Zahawi from Salt Lake City, anime fan, dojinshi creator, online manga creator, and student of Japanese; Di-Khiem Tran of Denver, anime fan, aspiring artist, anime show creator, and anime songwriter; and Todd Haberkorn from Dallas, anime voice actor. Each of the Otaku six must also embark on an Otaku Challenge; in this case, they must show off their cosplay pride in public!
Episode 3
Thu, Mar 10, 201137 mins
Stu and the Otaku Six travel to Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Phoenix to meet up with Brianna Berry , a para para dancer, convention pro, aspiring artist, and cosplayer and Janet Enriquez, an avid collector, jpop fan, and manga artist. They must also go to the Kansas City Art Institute that teaches animation and manga drawing, the Kansas City Museum inside of Union Station that has Japanese friendship dolls, the University of new Mexico to meet with Dr. Lorie Brau, Lobo Anime and Comics full of anime, manga, and other memorabilia, Gameworks that is a place full of arcade games, and Geisha A go Go featuring sushi and karaoke. Each of the teams in the Otaku Six must also complete an Otaku Challenge where they must eat as much cereal, pancakes, ramen and frozen yogurt as they can.
Episode 4
Thu, Mar 17, 201138 mins
Stu and the Otaku Six travel to San Diego, Oklahoma City and Nashville where they interview America's Greatest Otaku contenders Becky Rasch from Oklahoma City, an aspiring artist, active member of the otaku community, and avid collector; Alexandra Lewis of Nashville, an otaku evangelist, and active cosplayer; Selene Schneider, also from Nashville, who comes from a family of otaku, costume creator, and another avid collector of all thing anime and manga. They visit Otaku Spots like the famous San Diego Comic-Con where there's a little bit of everything, tons of awesome gear, and a place every otaku must go once in his or her lifetime; Comic-Con After Party at Samurais and School Girls where people bring to life Billy Martinez's artwork and party to taiko drums; Texture Salon and Spa where you can get your hair done in any style you want by Anastasia; Sushi Neko serving you delicious maki and sushi, both Japanese style and Westernized style sushi; Happy Japan full of anime and manga gear and serving character bentos; and a special trip to the Nashville cosplay meet full of cosplayer from all walks of life. This week's Otaku challenge for the Otaku Six involves improving on a hobby that they love. Can the teams learn how to draw, make delicious bento, and learn more about the otaku culture before time runs out?
Episode 5
Thu, Mar 24, 201143 mins
Stu and the Otaku 6 head to Baltimore, Washington DC and New York to find three America's Greatest Otaku contenders and visit Otakon, Geppi's Entertainment Museum, the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, Alice's Tea Cup, and Ninja New York.
Episode 6
Thu, Mar 24, 201142 mins
Stu and the Otaku Six travel to Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Louisville where they interview America's Greatest Otaku contender Joey Hansell from Indianapolis, a lifelong anime fan, avid collector, and aspiring voice actor. The Otaku spots that the Otaku Six visits for this week includes Shofuso Japanese House and Garden that features traditional Japanese house with a teahouse and Japanese garden; GenCon where you can release the inner gamer in you; the "Bridges to Japan" at the Indiana State Fair where visitors can learn all about Japanese culture; and Ultra Pop, a short that sells popular cultural figures from Japan and the US. With all of the excitement going on, will the Otaku Six be able to complete this week's Otaku Challenge? How will the teams be able to collect one penny from one hundred different people to prove that "even trash, when piled up, becomes a mountain?"
Episode 7
Sun, Apr 3, 201146 mins
Stu and the Otaku Six travel to Atlanta, New Orleans and Chicago where they interview America's Greatest Otaku contenders: Greer White, aspiring artist, avid cosplayer, and Para Para dancer; Ryan Zanfei from Chicago who is a Goth-Loli fan, accessory maker, and manga Illustrator; and finally, Jillian Marcus from Chicago, an otaku baker, avid collector, aspiring anime editor, and cosplay maker. This week, Stu and the Otaku six take the tour bus to Videodrome that features all kinds of Japanese and other foreign films; the Georgia Kyudo Renmei where they watch archers practice the Japanese "way of the bow"; Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta; Boutique du Vamprye where you can fulfill all of your vampire needs; Wizard World in Chicago that shows the growing popularity of anime and manga; and Mitsuwa Marketplace, full of delicious pastries and Japanese food.
Episode 8
Thu, Apr 21, 2011
After filming in twenty different cities, meeting 17 different Otaku Contenders from all other the nation, countless Otaku places for fun Japanese culture, and eight weeks on the road, this is the last episode of America's Greatest Otaku where we reveal who among the Otaku Six receives the honor of being called "America's Greatest Otaku." The winner will also go on to a trip to a well-deserved trip to Japan. So, who will be the winner? Will it be Andre from San Antonio, TX who wants to show the world how great of a manga artist he is; will it be Diana from St. Louis, MO, whose ability to game and make cosplay costumes for under $20 made her one of the Otaku Six; perhaps Dom from Anchorage, AK who plans to get into the otaku business by becoming a comic convention planner; how about Meera from St. Charles, IL whose dream cosplay is the blue dress from Paradise Kiss; can it be Stephan from New York, NY who wants to open a world class restaurant; or will it be Sully from Seattle, WA, the Animation and Digital Arts major who wants to make new friends on the coolest road trip ever?