| What
kind of club are you? |
| We are a group of video enthusiasts who enjoy dealing in
the art of Anime (also known as Japanese Animation or "Japanimation").
What we DO NOT do is watch "cartoons" (anime is a much more refined
thing). However, all our members have dedicated themselves to the
advancement of this art form, mainly because it is all too misunderstood
by Western cultures (the USA included). |
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So who / what
exactly are you?
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| The word we use for ourselves is "Otaku" (say oh - TAH - koo),
the Japanese word for "obsessive" (this is used mainly in a derogatory way
among the native Japanese, but the fan scene has taken the label for itself
- and have tried to remove the negative aspects attached to it). Most
of us are usually people coming from varied backgrounds, ethnic groups,
or national origins. However, we think it really isn't fair to write
us off because of our hobby... We just have an unusual idea of how
to have a good time. |
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| What is anime?
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| Anime (pronounced ah - NI - may) is a Japanese 'loan-word' that is "borrowed"
from the French word for animation. For all practical reasons, it
is commonly used to refer to anything animated that comes out of Japan.
The Anime art form as we know it today was pioneered in the early 1960s
by comic artist Osamu Tezuka. His style was heavily influenced by American
cartoons of the 1930s (particularly Disney's early Mickey Mouse cartoons,
and the character "Betty Boop"). Surprisingly enough, the style
of "big eyes, small mouth" took hold overnight. and has been anime's
"signature" ever since. |
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| What is "Shoujo"? |
| Shoujo (say SHOW-joe) is a facet of anime that is made for a dominantly
or exclusively female audience. Stories in this genre tend to be rather
toned - down compared to shounen (SHOW-nen, or "boys" anime), since they
deal with friendships, romance, life - like drama, and more tender plot
lines. By contrast, shounen anime (which most Americans are familiar
with) deals with action, combat, adventure, and often military service.
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| Where can I learn/get
more about this stuff? |
| By far, the best place to get started is on the Anime Turnpike.
Why not head over to our links page for more.. |
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