I’ve seen a few Japanese anime cartoons, shorts and feature length films. They aren’t my favorite form of cinema but I admire their creativity and that they aren’t as confined as their counterparts in traditional U.S. animated story-telling.
Even though I’m not an anime fan myself, I love what it has done for my teens. They think the characters are interesting. I like that it gets them to branch out, listen to some Japanese language, read more graphic novels, have been exposed to other cultures, and its even inspired them to try their hand at drawing and computer-based animation. They also connect with others over the subject at a monthly event and have listened to a wider variety of music because of it. An entire community has been built around anime and because of that, my kids have a place where they feel comfortable and mostly accepted.
Because I write about what’s in front of me, I’ve written two articles about Bellingham Anime Convention (BA-CON). One is about the event’s founder, Bellingham Public Library Teen Services Librarian, Jennifer Lovchik for WhatcomTalk.com. The other is a Bellingham Experience Insider Blog about why the event is a perfect event for out-of-town Anime and Cosplay fans to attend.
I’m thankful for all the positives that BA-CON, Bellingham Public Library, and anime bring to my community, even if anime isn’t entirely my thing. Costumes, art, culture, free flying of freak flags, and community are just a few that come to mind.
My Wilde World 