A meeting place for anime and manga fans, a place to post favorite fanfiction, and generally an awesome place to meet fellow otaku!
Club Otaku FAQ’s for parents:
What in the world is Club Otaku?
Club Otaku is a club at Whitehall Library for local teens. Its goal is to get interested teens together who would like to learn about and discuss two popular mediums: manga, or Japanese print comics, and anime, or Japanese animation. The aim of the club is both to create a forum for teens to discuss these increasingly popular forms of art, as well as to encourage discussion about cultural variations, the sequential art format, and history as presented in these medias.
What is Otaku?
Otaku (oh-tah-koo) is a Japanese word that means “geek.” This word has been adopted by Western fans of manga and anime to identify themselves.
What is manga?
Manga is the general term for Japanese print comics, the equivalent of comic books and graphic novels in the US.
What is anime?
Anime is the general term for Japanese animated work, including television shows, movies, and direct-to-video releases.
Who are Club Otaku’s members?
Club Otaku is for teens and pre-teens ages 13-19.
Who is Club Otaku’s moderator?
The club is moderated by Whitehall Library staff member Kyrra Henry. She initially became interested in anime in middle school when she fell in love with the show Sailor Moon. Her interest in manga blossomed in high school during her sophomore year. She loves to share this art form with others, and is excited to encourage discussion as well as learn something new about anime from club members.
Why would my teen want to join Club Otaku?
Club Otaku is a place for teens to meet and discuss manga and anime with other teens who share their interests. Members include teens curious about graphic novels, Japan, animation, art, or those looking for a new and interesting form of entertainment. All are welcome to join the club. Discussions range from the titles themselves, to visual literacy, Japan and western history, culture, and pop culture.
What kinds of anime and manga will you be showing and reading?
As all genres are represented, we will be reading and watching a variety of titles, featuring realistic dramas, science fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy adventure, just to name a few. The aim is to experience the breadth and depth of the media, as well as to discover the kinds of stories told, both familiar and unique, in Japan.
How do you decide what to read and show?
In terms of anime, the moderator will chose titles for the group in keeping with suggestions from the club members. All anime shown will be at the PG to PG-13 level, as ranked by the production company. The moderator will preview each title to ensure age appropriateness.
Further Questions?
Please don’t hesitate to contact the club moderator Kyrra Henry. She’ll be happy to answer all your questions about the club.
412-882-6622 and ask for Kyrra or contact me by e-mail at [email protected]
[Source: Understanding Manga and Anime by Robin E. Brenner: Libraries Unlimited 2007.]
To watch, read, and discuss as much anime and manga as possible!
