Which is why Akiba, a new store offering comics, DVDs and the ultimate in meeting places - a maid cafe complete with cute waitresses dressed as French maids - has become the new home of hardcore manga fanatics

Located on the second and third floors above Milk Plus at Siam Centre, the shop, which is named after Akihabara, the Mecca for electronic buffs in Tokyo, can only be accessed by a narrow stairway to the rear of the milk shop.

The location may seem unusually secret in a society that goes out of its way to attract passers-by with flashy storefronts, but it's in line with similar establishments in Japan and Hong Kong, where space costs a small fortune.

"It's like an ultra private space where cartoon-lovers can express their feelings. And it's the perfect location for the future centre of the cartoon world," says Akiba's managing director, Taveelarp Kumpolkarnjana.

The biggest attraction right now is the maid cafe, which is inspired by the popular snack bars that have mushroomed in Akihabara and spread to other parts of Japan. Staffed by young, cute waitresses dressed up in frilly frocks just like the maids in the classic manga magazines, the cafe serves up a range of colourful food and drinks that would do a manga proud.

But Taveelarp is quick to point out that the service has been adapted to suit Thai society.

"In Japan, the maids pamper customers to the point of kneeling down to stir in the sugar and cream into their coffee. They even write the client's name in ketchup on the omelette and rice. We haven't imported these customs," he says firmly.

Most of the maids, who work both part-time and full-time, are young women from such leading universities as Chulalongkorn and Mahidol. They are keen to get work experience and are grateful for the chance to read their favourite 'toons during downtime.

Lalitawan Phangtum, 22, signed up for a job after graduating from Mahidol  management faculty.

"I love cartoons and I'm happy to work in this business. I don't have to be really serious working at the maid cafe because the owners are also open to giving us ideas about the shop's activities and management," she says.

Akiba is her dream, the ideal cartoon shop that offers a one-stop service for those who need something beyond the books.

"The significant difference is that our staff know about cartoons. We have the kind of knowledge that you can't find in other shops," she explains.

Creating a cartoon community has long been a dream for the 20-something Taveelarp.

He was so convinced there was money to be made that he persuaded his best friend at Assumption Commerce College Thavatchai Pruekrisakul, an account auditor at the prestigious Price Waterhouse company to quit his job and join him in the business.

"It was a pretty hard decision to leave the firm. But I was afraid of missing the chance to do what I love most. As you get older, the risks get bigger. So you should start when you're young," says Thavatchai.

"My family was against my decision at first. Even though they knew I loved reading cartoons, they felt I should do it as a hobby rather than a business."

The idea for a one-stop cartoon shop was sown while Taveelarp was vacationing in Japan and visited Tokyo's world-famous electric town.

"There are plenty of manga shops in Japan. In Thailand, you have to dig through piles of cartoons to find what you are looking for.

"Moreover cartoons are usually considered as a useless media. At worst, they are considered dangerous. There are two sides to every coin. I've been reading cartoons since I was young and it's never led me to do anything bad. On the contrary, it stirs up the imagination and inspires dreams that sometimes come true," says Taveelarp.

He points to the development of the Japan football squad. Once last at every football tournament, they are now one of the leading teams.

Part of their success, he says, was inspired by the cartoon series "Captain Tsubasa", a manga about the adventures of a Japanese soccer team.

While the shop still has a long way to go before it can claim to be an outright success, manga buffs have high expectations.

Members of the online community have book-marked the shop as a great hang out but some are disappointed by the small space and limited stocks of their favourite cartoons.

"We're organising the space as best we can," says Thawatchai.

About 30 square metres on the second floor are devoted to cartoons and animations. Books and movies also line the shelves.

The third floor will eventually be an online station where the owners will demonstrate new computer games. Other activities are planned, including cosplay shows.

The biggest worry the young entrepreneurs face is earning respect from their trading partners.

Taveelarp admits that most of the cartoon companies they contact don't really understand the concept of one-stop shopping.

"They don't empathise with what we are doing, but as newcomers we'll let our work speak for itself. They'll come round in the end."

With millions of baht invested in the venture, the two entrepreneurs are confident that the project hasn't come too early.

"The cartoon business is growing continually and in Thailand so far business has been limited to the comic book. There are lots of potential activities and products to come and we'll be the first to offer them," says Taveelarp.

"I believe that someone else will eventually open a shop similar to Akiba in town."

Parinyaporn Pajee

The Nation