Ryan ChartrandOne of the best-kept secrets in campus is the Minna No Anime Club, which means “everybody’s animated” when Translated into English. The club focuses on the Japanese art of anime, which is mostly a combination of comic books (known in Japan as manga) and cartoons.
While anime may be plentiful in its home country of Japan, certain forms of this genre are rarely seen in this country. Many students like computer science senior Jennifer Pawlik (also a treasurer for the club) had a difficult time looking for any forms of Japanese drawings they could find.
“I was really interested in Japanese drawings,” Pawlik said. “I couldn’t really get my hands on much of it.”
Graphic communications senior Annaliese Christman, the current president of MNA, wants to expand knowledge and availability of the product at Cal Poly.
“(The club) was established to just expand the knowledge of locals on Japanese animation and to provide a place where fans could gather and talk about it,” Christman said.
MNA has existed on campus for more than 15 years now, and the club meets every Saturday in the Business building, room 213. However, Christman warned that the club is not for everyone.
“It’s kind of a niche sort of thing,” Christman said. “But it seems like a lot of people like it.”
Christman then elaborated on how she herself became involved in the world of anime. She felt drawn to certain parts of Japanese animation.
“I’m just attracted to how well some of the storylines are plotted out, how beautiful the animation is and the bright colors,” she said.
Christman said that most people express their interest in anime after watching television shows like “Pokemon,,” “Dragonball Z,” or even “Transformers.” And that could lead people to look at other types of manga and Japanese animation.
Japanese animation targets a different audience in comparison to comics and cartoons produced in the United States. Pawlik mentioned that while Walt Disney dominates American cartoons, anime takes on a complex approach.
“Japanese animation can be aimed at the younger age groups, but a lot of the time it’s actually aimed at teenagers and young adults,” Pawlik said. “There’s a coherent story, there are characters that develop, and anime will address broader, more mature issues.”
Pawlik provided an example of those complex issues that are present in some anime films instead of an easier to follow plot with a clear hero and villain.
“There’s no good guy or bad guy,” Pawlik explained. “There’s a conflicting sense of beliefs and desires, but neither of them is good or bad.”
Some people wonder how people in MNA could have a social life, given that most club events involve watching Japanese animation with complex themes. However, Pawlik said that MNA helped relieve her shyness amongst her peers.
“The anime club was pretty much the only way that I got out of my dorm and met people,” she said. “I have a lot more friends here (at the club) than I ever did in high school.”
Sometimes MNA members go to anime conventions out of town, often without approval from ASI. But Christman said such gatherings are an opportunity to meet people that work in the anime industry as well as enjoying fun and games.
Even without the blessing from the campus clubs, Christman noted that MNA has something for everyone at the price of $2 a quarter for membership.
“Even if you don’t like anime or manga, it is such a great community club,” Christman said. “Everybody’s there for each other, and I’m really proud to be the president.”