This study aims to clarify the relationship between the audience and the content, with a particular emphasis on Chinese fans of Japanese anime. In this study, we utilized online ethnography methods to examine the behaviors and interests of Japanese anime fans in China during the “blank decade,” spanning from approximately 2000 to 2010. This period was characterized by the absence of Japanese anime from official television broadcasts in China. By consuming fansubbed animation, these anime fans found new ways of interacting with each other, saw the emergence of new implications in file-sharing, and established a common commitment to contributing to anime culture. These activities demonstrate that fansubbers have developed a dedicated audience for “fansub anime” rather than “Japanese anime.” This implies the potential for new platforms that foster end-user collaboration instead of corporate control.