It s a crazy sub-culture that has become mainstream; where Witch Coke , maids, Geek culture and video games mix with men in business suits. Welcome to the wild - yet strangely mild - side of Tokyo. No! cries Izumi, her eyes wide with alarm. It s dangerous! I quickly put the drink down and she shows me the spell required to break the curse. I follow her lead, making a W-shape with my fingers, waving them over the glass and repeating the magic chant. Now I can drink my glass of Witch Coke.
Welcome to Akihabara, centre of Tokyo s otaku (geek) culture, a bewildering maze of video game arcades, manga stores and maid cafes.