Thread:TUSF/@comment-24110565-20131104095156/@comment-24123666-20131104224507

Akiba is really a shorthand for Akihabara, which is also a shorthand for Akiba ga hara. Have a read at http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html. Sometimes a Japanese uses katakana to stress on pronounciation to make it stand out comparatively when they use hiragana or kanji. At least that is how I understand.