They congregate on
IRC. The
otaku, the people who are endlessly intrigued by that mysterious force known as
anime. They are the online world's analogue of
drug dealers. They peddle a substance which many scorn, but many find extremely addictive. They have
broadband internet connections and
Athlon computers. They use a myriad of programs and
codecs, most of which have no legal application. They violate
copyright laws as if it were a bodily function, and they run a
large-scale bootleg anime distribution operation from their home network.
On the internet, they giggle often, use strange, often unintelligible emoticons and are constantly uttering the names of obscure MP3s and phrases and reference in Japanese or Engrish. No one knows what they're talking, except those who are on the inside, too. If you want anime (in a nice illicit format like DivX ;-)), they will hook you up. They love distributing their digital holdings to people. They are addicted, and they wish others to be too.
In RL, they are reclusive and are often seen on the school computers, doing...whatever they do. They speak little and often have inside jokes that no one could possibly understand. If you want to talk to them, you'll need to start a discussion about Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain, or the details of why Final Fantasy VIII is unfaithful to the rest of the series.
They're out there. You may not notice them, but they're out there.