Revived club brings anime to the university

Kuru (come), ganbaru (Do your best), chikara (strength/personality)- these are not words people hear too often, unless they are in Japanese or familiar with anime.

Http://wikipedia.com says anime is a style of cartoon animation that originated in Japan and is characterized by character and background styles created by hand or computers.

Although this animation is Japanese, and more prevalent in Asian countries, people do not have to go far to experience the magic. In fact, students do not even have to leave campus because of FAMU’s own Anime Club.

“We basically screen animations on campus and expose students to the Japanese culture,” said the club’s president, Kurt Kedroe.

Kedroe, 20, a third year business administration student from Miramar.

“I decided to pick it up last fall around the end of October (or) mid September. We actually had our first screenings in the architecture building and Coleman Library soon after,” Kedroe said.

The group’s advisers are Joe Roach and Professor Li-Ping Zhang.

“What’s so great about having these two as our advisors is that professor Roach actually teaches courses on how to make anime. You get the cultural aspect from professor Zhang because she teaches Asian humanities,” Kedroe said.

Between now and last semester the club has had shisha socials, laser tag socials, movie nights and other group gatherings.

“Every Friday at 7 p.m. we actually have anime screenings from our own personal collections,” Kedroe said.

The club even has groups of Japanese language lessons and individual lessons available for members.

FAMU’s Anime Club recently came back from MegaCon, a comic book and anime convention in Orlando.

“You get a chance to buy comic books and anime products that come straight from Japan,” said the group’s vice president, Rodney Williams.

“You meet celebrities, they have gaming tournaments, anime screenings, concerts with Japanese bands, comic book signings and some people do ‘cos playing’, where people dress up as their favorite characters from animes and comic books,” said Williams, 20, a third year graphic design student from Houston.

Although there are plenty of anime fans, there are some who just do not see the point.

“Personally, I think that there are so many other things that you could be doing with your time, but I guess some find it intellectually stimulating,” said Olufunsho Aboyade-Cole, 19, a freshman business administration student from Lake Mary.

Many students think that the Anime Club serves a purpose of exposing students to another culture.

“You just get a chance to learn the Japanese culture through a medium we watch all the time. We just need to open our horizons to new things,” said Jessica Hamilton, 22, a fourth-year theater student from Chicago.

Anime is aimed at a broad range of audiences because there is such a wide range of different genres that any series may be categorized under.

In Japan, shows are geared towards young adults and kids, and they include genres such as comedies, action, drama, historically based and thrillers.

“The reason why I love anime so much is because the director’s inventions are able to really come to life and they are able to tap into a realm of unlimited creativity,” Kedroe said.

Although they just regained momentum last semester, there’s no stopping them now.

“For our next event, we want to have a game night and anime screening the week before Be Out Day in the Rattler’s Den, so that we can have students who don’t usually attend [socials] and even those who do, get exposed to new things,” Kedro said.

For those who want more information on the Anime Club you can reach them at turk2885@aol.com or on Facebook under Anime Club.

Contact Yewande Addie at famuanlifestyles@hotmail.com