Story by Destinee Manning
Anime is a Japanese style cartoon that has been around since the late 1910s. Here at Missouri Western, we have a club dedicated to anime. The Anime Club is made up of a group of students who all have a passion for anime. They come together to watch different anime shows and talk about which ones they like the best.
Every year, members of the Anime Club go to a huge anime convention in Overland Park, Kansas called Naka-Kon. At Naka-Kon they like to cosplay (dress up) as their favorite characters, meet different anime voice actors, learn more about the industry and the Japanese culture.
Kristin Banks has been the president of the anime club here at Western for about two years. She started off as a regular member. She joined because she loves anime and so she could come out of her shell because she was very shy. Then she moved her way up to secretary, and a couple years later when the previous Anime Club president was graduating, she decided to run for president.
“I have been in the Anime Club since 2011,” Banks said. “Becoming president was a goal of mine, and I’ve gained so much confidence from it because I’ve always been shy, and I never thought of myself as being a leader. It’s helped give me the confidence to apply for a manger’s position at my job, and I got considered for it. I believe it’s from the skills I’ve gotten as the president of the anime club.”
One of the Anime Club members, senior Matthew Kurtz, has been in the Anime Club at Western for six years.
“The difference between anime and a regular cartoon is that it is more comprehensive than most cartoons,” Kurtz said. “It falls under any genre: horror, fantasy, mystery, etc.”
Another club member, senior Derek Areuckle expresses why he enjoys coming to Anime Club.
“The Japanese Style cartoon is very entertaining and I enjoy watching it,” Areuckle said. “I joined the Anime Club because sometimes it’s hard to find different types of animes to watch, and during the Anime Club, everyone brings in their own anime, and we have a vote on what we want to watch first so everyone can watch it.”
The Anime Club is a place where people who love anime can come together and meet new friends who share the same love of anime. The Anime Club is always welcoming new members to the club.