Vincent Mecca

Staff Writer

Students who are looking for

a club to join should check out Anime Club, which formed last year. The club is looking for new members and people to partake in events they are holding.

According to Jennifer Bish, vice president and co-founder of the anime club, anime is an Americanized term used to describe cartoons that are imported from Japan. This year the club has recruited many more students due to a wide variety of interests that may appeal to a broader range of students.

Stephanie Day, president and co-founder of the anime club, said that this is actually the second time an anime club has been started on campus. Unfortunately, the first time around, it did not have an adequate student following to keep it alive. “In the past [club members] just mostly watched anime,” Day said. “[Now] we try to incorporate Japanese culture and do different activities that isn’t just sitting and watching shows together.”

Students interested in Japanese culture are also encouraged to join the Anime club. Mark Mckeever, a member of the club said the anime club and its members will welcome anyone.

Although it might be a little confusing for someone who doesn’t have a lot of anime background, nobody is ever excluded and anyone who has any sort of interest in anime, Japanese culture, or anything related to Japan should attend. Bish said that even students with limited background in Anime are welcome to join. “We’re never afraid of answering questions,” she added. Bish says that the things the club’s activities are a learning experience for everyone, even the members who are very knowledgeable in anime.

The club has many events in store for the school this year. Day said that the club plans on having a Japanese tea ceremony, origami-making, Dance-Dance Revolution contest, as well as field trips to both New York City to a Japanese market and New Jersey for a Japanese Festival.

The anime club will also be hosting an open mic night later in the semester, which will be open to all Marywood students who wish to attend.

The anime club meets every Thursday at 9 p.m. in Room 111 of the Liberal Arts Center and the meeting lasts anywhere from one to two hours. Students who joined in the past but are no longer members are also encouraged to return.

“The club is constantly improving and becoming more organized as we go,” McKeever concluded. “We have a lot of new people who are interested this year and we hope they stay around.”