Planet Rinda

What is Anime? Part Six

     My sixth entry into what is anime will focus on the anime fan community.  Exploring anime can make a fan of you.  But once you become a fan, what then?  Who do you share your excitement and questions with?  Who do you turn to for advice on what to watch next?  Where can you go as a fan and feel like you belong?  The fan community can be the answer to all those questions and more. It used to be that local anime clubs and conventions were a fan’s only options to connect with other fans.  These days, thanks to the Internet, international fans of all kinds can unite in cyberspace.  There are forums, clubs, websites galore out there.  They can provide the anime newbie with direction and advice.  They can provide a home with others who understand your love of anime.  They can also lash out with their own opinions, so be wary.  Explore and discover but keep an open mind.

      Local anime clubs remain one of the gold standards for anime fan community.  There’s a reason for that.  It allows anime fans to connect at a local level.  Weekly or monthly meetings, with screenings of animes, can create close bonds.  But finding an anime club nearby can be tricky.  The Anime Web Turnpike is a great place to start.  They have links to international as well as American fan clubs, not to mention a host of other information for the anime fan.  Meetup.com is another good place to check online for a club near you. Unfortunately, there isn’t always an anime club located near you.  Maybe you’d like to start one up yourself?  There are several resources online to help you that as well.  Ehow.com has some great advice to help you.  ADVFilms and Operation Anime can help fledgling clubs by providing information on new releases and freebies! 

      Conventions are another great place to meet other fans as well as discover what’s new in the industry.  I recommend checking the Anime Convention Nexus for conventions near you.  Conventions can be a lot of fun.  There’s such a festive air about them.  And if you can’t find an anime convention near you, keep a lookout for scifi/fantasy conventions.  These days, conventions rarely limit themselves to a single genre.  The fanbases overlap so much, they’re forced to cater to a wider audience. You’ll find a an anime room and various panels devoted to anime at most larger conventions.  Cosplay, as well, is becoming more and more mainstream.

      Another resource for the anime fan exploring the fan community is the wide-variety of anime forums and websites available on the Internet.  There are so many out there.  And their numbers grow everyday.  My advice is to use your favorite search engine to look around a bit.  Most are devoted to specific types of anime, though you can find some general anime types if you look. 
 
      It’s hard to know what’s the best fit for you until you explore a bit.  It can really be worth the effort though.  Being able to share your love of anime with others who understand is a wonderful experience.  So expand your horizons!  Go for it!

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