Hello ya’ll. This is my very first post with WordPress. I heard so many good things about it, I had to try it out. Every post before this one is from my Blogger days so check them out. So, here goes . . .
Do we need anime clubs? I think that this is a valid question especially for someone like myself with limited access to the internet and money. I know that if you’re savvy enough, you can download a fansub from Bittorrent and watch a full series from the comfort of your computer. But what do people like me do?
I can tell you that I wouldn’t know most of these series without going to an anime club every week. But there are other workarounds. For instance, sites like Crunchyroll and YouTube are convenient because individuals post video of all types not just anime. You can see a big chunk of anime without having to download it to you computer. I remember one time sat at a computer at a job and watch anime all day. Pretty sweet job. Too bad I don’t work there anymore.
A little background about my situation. I got started with manga and anime with the book Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics that a friend of mine had back in 1996. After reading that book, everything was clear! Voltron. Transformers. That bee cartoon that they used to show on Nickelodeon. All of that was anime. I had to have more. At the same time, Anime was on late night on cable. I recorded all of them! I was hooked. Later in college, I discovered Anime Conventions with Katsucon 4! So many people like me who like anime and manga. I loved it. The first anime club I went to was at the comic bookstore where I used to work. Even after I stopped working there, I still go because I had made friends with everyone there. Eventually the store went out of business but we would still meet up sometimes. After several years of just con-going at least four times a year, I needed an anime club.
I like going to GW Anime Society. Everyone is so nice. But they are having a marketing problem. They have a problem with attendance. I wonder if this is true for other anime clubs. Is it really about just showing anime? I go not just to watch anime but to connect with like minded people. I consider everyone in the GW Anime Society my friends. I would hate it if the club closed down because of bad numbers.
So are anime clubs still needed? For a majority of people who watch anime, maybe not. I know I still need it. Without them, I’ll still be talking about Ranma 1/2.
