On April 4, the Anime Club had their first official event. The event took place in the Game Room, in the Student Union building. At the event, the club celebrated the blooming of the Japanese cherry blossom with water color painting and anime trivia.
The president of the club is Alexandria Flournoy-Syler and the secretary is Eghosa Emokpae. At the event, the club members chatted with one another about their favorite anime television shows over pink cupcakes and juice.
Eghosa showed off her backpack laden with anime pins to the other club members. When she took out her laptop, it was covered in anime and strawberry themed stickers. Eghosa was adamant on giving everyone anime recommendations. The club’s treasurer, Morgan, jokingly said, “Eghosa, I have a good anime recommendation… Avatar!”
The television show she was referring to is, Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated series made in 2005. The club treasurer explained that she didn’t really watch anime, to which Eghosa jokingly replied, “I think an e-board member should dabble in anime, but that’s just me.”
Celebrating the cherry blossom was Morgan’s idea. Eghosa and Alexandria explained that the idea behind the celebration is that anime is Japanese and it’s currently springtime, which is when the Japanese cherry blossom starts to bloom.
The cherry blossom, or sakura, is widely celebrated in Japanese literature, poetry, and art, according to the Library of Congress. It’s often seen as a metaphor for the ephemeral beauty of living. According to the Smithsonian Institution, the blossoms’ beauty peaks around two weeks and then the blossoms begin to fall. Around this time in Japan, according to the Smithsonian Institution, people like to have cherry blossom parties with loved ones. They participate in eating, drinking, and barbecuing underneath cherry blossoms. This custom is called hanami. Hanami or, “watching blossoms,” is a tradition that can be traced back at least one thousand years.
Towards the end of the event, the club members partook in a game of anime trivia. The top three winners each won a basket filled with Japanese sweets and treats, and cherry blossom themed stickers.
The next Anime Club event will take place on April 18, 2023, in the Cyber Lounge in the Student Union, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
