Anime Festival 3

[Dennis Kininger]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently at work and recently hosted our third anime festival today.

Yeah, the childrens librarian wants to do programming for teenagers so, since I'm the only one at work who knows anything about manga or anime, guess who gets drafted to run the anime programs?

Not that I object or anything: I get to sit on my ass, watch anime for two hours, eat pizza and still get paid since it counts as "work"! How cool is that!?! All I have to do is introduce the anime to the kids and run the DVD player.

We've had two earlier festivals, which did well, this one was sparsely attended as the PR didn't get done (Not my fault!) so we had a girl and four boys come to watch. The girl has been to all three festivals and the boys were new...everyone said they enjoyed themselves and there will probably be a 4th festival in February.

Here's what I showed the kids...I like to bring in a variety of material from my collection:

CHOBITS, episode 13

FULL METAL ALCHEMIST, episode 13

PARANOIA AGENT, episode 1

FLCL (Furi Kuri), episode 1


I also played part of an episode of the original ASTRO BOY, just to show the kids what very old anime looked like.

Anyway, I had fun and the kids enjoyed themselves.

Oddly enough, this is how Fred helped get me hooked on anime back when I first met her.

She had recently begun attending meetings of a comic book club I used to help run. Fred and two of her friends, who also attended (Joy's cousins) kept going on and on about anime and manga. Since I worked at the library, I set up a couple anime festivals and they succeeded in addicting me.

Yeah, I would've addicted myself, eventually but it's better when someone else does it.


So, that was my third anime festival and hopefully the next one will draw a bigger crowd.


Dennis

[Joyling]

Wow, you showed quite a variety there. Glad you had a good time, hopefully attendance will be better at the next one. ^_^

[Dennis Kininger]

Thanks Joy!

There's another school break in February and the next anime festival is scheduled for an afternoon during that week off. Hopefully, the PR will be better next time and more of an audience will show up.

My first two festivals drew between 10-15 kids each.

I do like to show some variety as there's certainly a lot of it out there. So I just tap into my collection and pull some random episodic stuff.

I'd love to show a Miyazaki movie sometime but my library director says there's some issues in showing movies in a public place like a library. Miyazaki material airs on TV once in a great while but I doubt very many of these kids have seen any Miyazaki movies. I DO get a couple girls who claim to have seen "everything" but I imagine most of these kids probably see anime on Adult Swim and that's about it.

There IS a license we can buy to air live-action movies at the library but that expired a couple years ago and we haven't renewed it.

All the anime I've shown is from my own collection, which means I've already paid for it. The program is absolutely free. I don't publicly advertise what I'm showing the kids because I usually choose stuff the night before. Nothing is being illegally copied or sold. No one has raised a fuss about the previous two festivals.

Anyway, I'll keep working on the boss and see if I can get permission to show an anime movie next time. While the episodic material is good, getting to see a full blown anime movie is even better.


Hey, maybe I'll show AKIRA!


Dennis...likes to yell "TETSUOOOOOOOOOO!" for no real reason.

[Gozaru]

Azumanga Daioh is always a good one to show.

Out of curiosity, do you put on the shows as dub or sub?

[Dennis Kininger]

Believe it or not, I actually had some AZUMANGA DAIOH in the stack I bought with me to the anime festival.

I like the series...very cute and funny.

Since it was such a small group and mostly boys, I held off until the next festival.

Oh yes, there's something screwy with our DVD player at our library. I can't scroll down the episode list and I can't change the languages.

I have to play the first episode on the disc and it's dubbed.

Yeah, I can take or leave dubbing...sometimes it's good, sometimes it sucks. It depends on the anime. I asked the kids what they prefer and they didn't seem to care either way. Personally, I like subtitles but the translations come out odd now and then.


Dennis

[Kubey]

AZUMANGA is AWESOME! I love Osaka!

Did anyone ever get around to reading Yotsuba? It's by the same author and equally hysterical. Not an anime yet, as far as I know. But like Azumanga, it's a really short series, only 3 books this time. I highly recommend it!

[Gozaru]

Yeah, I've read Yotsuba& as well. I like it better than Azumanga, personally, but it's a near thing. If you're ever looking for just some simple clean quick humor, Yotsuba& is it.

There are more voumes available in Japan. Who knows what ADV is doing.

[Special K]

I think I like Azumanga better... though I do love Yotsuba... she's so adorable, the little clover!

[Dennis Kininger]

Yeah, AZUMANGA is fun. I like the anime but I haven't seen much of the manga.

YOTSUBA looks like a cute manga, I may try it sometime.


Dennis

[Dennis Kininger]

Before I forget again, I thought I'd mention that I hosted a fourth anime festival at my library on February 19.

This time, it attracted 9 girls and one boy, which was a better attendance than the last one.

I also showed an episode of AZUMANGA DAIOH...the first sports festival episode.

I showed both episodes of DRAGON HALF, the kids liked the first part and wanted to see the rest...plus, the second part also has boobies!

Yay!

The final anime was an episode of WOLF'S RAIN.

Anyway, the kids all seemed to enjoy themselves and I still got paid for sitting on my ass, eating pizza and watching anime for two hours...yes, my job rocks sometimes.

I still want to show an anime movie (There are many great ones to chose from) and will probably do that next time.


Dennis

[Jaded Deceit]

Another Festival eh?
I hear really good things about Wolf's rain and would love to see it. 9 girls and one boy? That is great to know that the stereotypically nerdy boy is being pushed over by nerdy girls! My generation is well past isn't chance to have equal grounds nerd-wise. But the next one seems to be even. This is a victory for every nerd who remained hopelessly single who came before.

( Okay that was all nonsense really, I am glad though that there is more interest in hobbies growing now )

[Dennis Kininger]

LOL!

Yeah, the girls were a hoot! Rather lively but they enjoyed themselves. I don't think the boy knew what to do by himself but I think he had a good time.

WOLF'S RAIN has a strange premise but I still like the show.


Dennis

[Special K]

LOVE TOBOE!

[ColonelMCmuf]

good to see you had a good time

[Dennis Kininger]

Yup, 'twas a fun afternoon and I hope to do another festival sometime soon.

The schools around here have a spring break in April, so I may get to do another one then.


Dennis...wishing he could turn into a wolf.

[Dennis Kininger]

I'll be doing a FIFTH anime festival on April 13!

I haven't decided what to show yet but I'm impressed that I've done so many of these things.


Dennis

[Jaded Deceit]

Show some El Hazard! Masamichi Fujisawa for the win!

[Dennis Kininger]

Hmmm...I'll have to see if I have any El Hazard, I forget at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

I'm thinking of showing another batch of episodic stuff or perhaps an anime movie.


Dennis

[Rick Olney]

Break a leg, Den!

[Dennis Kininger]

Yes!

I just finished the fifth one of these puppies today and I'm pleased to say that it went well and drew a good sized group of kids.

I brought in a few anime movies and a few episodes of stuff. I gave the kids the option of watching a movie or episodes and they wanted episodes.

So I showed the new HELLSING OVA, an episode of SAMURAI CHAMPLOO and an episode of TRIGUN.

I heart Jin's glasses and want a pair for myself.


Dennis