Search
Partners
Anime News
|
Anime fans flock to Midstate convention Date: 4/3/2005 |
|
By SHARON L. NARCISSE If you'd walked into the lobby of the Millennium Maxwell House yesterday, you would have thought Halloween and Mardi Gras had converged in April. Instead, the Middle Tennessee Anime Convention (MTAC GO!) had come to Nashville. ? Better break out your anime dictionary because it carries its own language. Anime is a form of art and animation developed in Japan roughly 50 years ago. It has developed quite a following of anime ''fandom'' in the United States. The characters, called anthropomorphics and known as the ''furries,'' dominated the convention, although there were plenty of people dressed in vibrant kimonos or as samurai warriors. ''Our future is bright, and we hope it is full of more good times,'' Lucas Leverett, 27, chairman of MTAC's Nashville chapter, said as he took a moment to share his thoughts about the visually enticing art form. Leverett called himself a passive fan who simply loves the visual arts. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Stephanie Chateau's eyes lit up as furries passed by and excited screams came from the rooms where activities and panel discussions took place. ''I think it is a necessary step toward humanity and evolution to our future because it embraces cultural diversity, and everyone has such a really good time here,'' said Chateau, an artist from Birmingham, Ala., referring to the diversity of people at the convention, which ends this afternoon. Also during yesterday's convention, several artists sketched characters, and tables were filled with manga, the printed version of Japanese animation. The hotel lobby was home to many parents who came in support of their child's fascination with anime. Jessica Crockett, 18, said she has enjoyed anime since she was 13. Her mother looked on yesterday and took pictures of her daughter dressed as Lady Kayura, one of Jessica's favorites. ''It took me months to make this costume, and I love the way all the characters express themselves,'' Jessica said. Young enthusiasts were excited to share whom their favorite anime characters were: Mao Chan, Misora Chan, Sailor Luna and Totoro, to name a few. Remember, Japanese influence is the new J-pop culture behind this craze, according to Angil Miller, 18, of Smyrna, and Josh Swanson, 16, of Virginia Beach, Va. You either need to know a little ''Kanji,'' the Japanese language, or embrace subtitles in the world of anime, fans said. |
| Source: Tennessean.com |
