By Claire DeRoin–Remember last year when a group of students made a chalk circle around the M complete with symbols and what seemed like hieroglyphics? That was a promotional stunt by a student group. The responsible party? The Morningside Anime Division.
“All of the symbols were from different anime and video games, both new and old,” Megan McLaury, group founder, said. “I think the real treat for everyone was walking across campus and seeing people stop on the M to gawk at it or to take pictures. It was awesome hearing all the chatter.”
McLaury called the chalk masterpiece “a ploy to get new members” for the Morningside Anime Division. “It worked,” McLaury said, “but honestly, we had such a fun time doing it that I don’t think we really cared!”
“It’s sort of like a nerd club, in a way,” McLaury said of the Anime Division on campus. McLaury founded the group which now boasts ten regular members. “I wanted to start this group because I knew that I was not the only one on campus who liked anime and other such things,” she explained. “I also wanted to create a place where everybody was accepted and there was no judgment for being ‘different.’”
McLaury embraces the “different” label. “It means that you have a chance to see so many more opportunities then other people would,” she said. Because of anime, and her self-proclaimed nerdiness, she has “learned so much about the Japanese culture in general along with a slew of things in the philosophical department.”
But what is anime? Anime is Japanese animation that resembles a cartoon, but unlike American cartoons, the target audience ranges from children to adult businessmen.
Cade Herrig, a senior anime club member, enjoys anime that consists of a “heavy, complex plot with lots of character development; things that make you think.”
He doesn’t buy in to the idea that some people have no consumed any anime, or that people are ignorant of it. “Almost everyone in our generation has watched some sort of anime, even if it was just Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, or whatever,” Herrig said. “Literally every television or movie genre has anime in it,” he added. “You have the full range of genres and maturity level from kids’ shows (Hello Kitty) to teenager-focused action shows (Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, Soul Eater) to high school dramas/comedies (Fruits Basket, Sailor Moon, Skip Beat) all the way up to giant overarching complex psychological dramas (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell),” Herrig explained.
Morningside graduate and club member Jessica Sievers agrees. “People dismiss [anime] as kid shows or cartoons. . . and that makes them not want to watch it.” She mentioned that she was known in the group as “notorious” for being an avid fan of mahau shoujo, or “magical girl,” series like Sailor Moon.
The group focuses mainly on anime, but discussions often wander to other fandoms. “We talk about everything from popular TV shows to video games and movies,” McLaury said.
That’s Herrig’s favorite part about the club. “Conversations… occur because of the anime, both the generic, fun conversations that occur out of people hanging out together and the philosophical and existential questions that arise from certain anime,” Herrig said.
A large number of Anime Division members are going to Bloomington, Minnesota in April for an anime convention called Anime Detour.
“Going to a con is always a treat,” McLaury said, noting how excited the group is about the upcoming event. “We will have a chance to meet some of our favorite voice actors, attend panels about any fandom we could imagine, and participate in other activities.”
McLaury confirmed that the group does plan to partake in cosplay, short for costume play.
Sound interesting?
“We are always open to new members!” McLaury added. “Don’t think that just because you don’t know anything about anime, that we won’t explain everything to you with a whole lot of enthusiasm. Some club members have come to us knowing nothing about anime, but were just curious.”
The Anime club meets Sundays from 1-5 in room 111 of the Learning Center. Meetings consist of anime viewings and discussions. Anime club meets every Sunday from 1-5pm in the library, room 111. After a dinner break, the group meets at 6 in the Plex for a movie night. Movies range in genre from week to week.
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