By Evelina Ramirez Freelancer
Imagine being a member of a laid-back club in which watching and discussing coveted anime shows is a shared enthusiasm amongst members. That is the environment Western’s Anime Club has to offer.
Anime, according to www.merriam-webster.com, is “a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark, colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes.”
Meghan Laird, director of Western’s Anime Club, cultivated her passion at a young age. “I grew up watching ‘YuGI-Oh’ with my brother; it was one of the only shows that we both liked,” Laird said. “I also am a big Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki fan.”
In high school, Laird attended the Japanese Club for several years, which included watching anime
and learning about the Japanese culture. Her love for anime has led her to be a great fit as club leader.
Weekly meetings are flexible to students’ schedules to avoid difficulties in attending; they are subject to change if not all members are able to attend a certain week—allowing plenty of opportunities for students to meet people that share the same love for anime.
There is a Facebook page, titled “WOU Anime Club,” where members can further discuss and share links to their favorite episodes.
In previous years, the club has watched anime shows such as: “Gurren Lagann,” “Soul Eater,” “Code Geass,” “Trigun,” “Black Butler,” “Ghost Hunt,” and most recently, “The Irregular at Magic High School.”
“Each term, the club members vote at the first club meeting on one or two different anime shows to
watch,” Laird said. “We then show a few episodes of these shows each week until we get through the
season, or if it is a very long season, we watch as much as we can,” Laird added.
The Anime club focuses on showing a large variety of anime, not just the popular ones. During the club meetings, students can choose to watch samplers of other anime shows other than the ones chosen for that term.
They are also working on increasing activities each term and adding in fun facts about the various
topics seen in anime, such as: samurais, tea ceremonies, and origami. Another fun event the club hosts is the cosplay contests during Halloween.
“The biggest goal for this club is to be a safe social gathering for students who share a general love for anime,” Laird said.
For more information, contact the club at animeclub@wou.edu or Meghan Laird at mlaird11@wou.edu.
