2008 Woodie Awards
How I became an animaniac
By: Levi Joseph Wonder
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Forum
On March 29, my entire world was turned upside down.
Many of my preconceived notions of art and culture were recalculated, revamped, recontemplated, reanalyzed, refined, reanimated and completely redefined on that momentous day.
I gained a new appreciation for foreign cartoon artistry, I sampled exotic snack foods, I conversed and talked with a multitude of colorful, cheery, comical costume-clad characters.
I engaged in a panel discussion concerning the environmental hazards of future war technology. On top of it all, I came to a startling and surprising revelation:American cartoons need WAY more giant destruction-dealing war mecha.
Oh, and don't get too close to the cosplay people wielding the plastic kunai knives. Those things hurt.
In case you haven't guessed it already, I'm reflecting on my time spent at last Saturday's Animarathon, held at the University.
As someone who doesn't watch anime, I simply did not know what to expect at such an event. Ninja obstacle courses? Angry fanboys screaming at each other in defense of their favorite animes? I was clueless.
Fortunately, things were much more peaceful than the possible scenarios I had envisioned.
That is, if you perceive roughly 800-900 people swarming around the innards of Olscamp Hall (many of them in anime and video game character garb) to be a peaceful event.
Needless to say, things weren't to the level of bedlam-style craziness at the convention like my lack of experience at such events would want me to believe, but it was still remarkably busy inside those halls.
I saw a seven person group of black-cloaked, flamboyantly adorned elder ninjas. I witnessed two people clad head-to-toe in baggy Pikachu suits. And I met the legendary mercenary agent herself, Solid Snake (I bet you didn't know that Solid Snake is a girl, did you?)
Indeed, I saw some mightily awesome costumes. I only recognized a few of them (the video game characters), but almost all of these homebrew costumes were truly amazing in one way or another: Giant green headdresses, a six-foot-tall mock surgical scalpel and bright red jumpsuits.
Many of my preconceived notions of art and culture were recalculated, revamped, recontemplated, reanalyzed, refined, reanimated and completely redefined on that momentous day.
I gained a new appreciation for foreign cartoon artistry, I sampled exotic snack foods, I conversed and talked with a multitude of colorful, cheery, comical costume-clad characters.
I engaged in a panel discussion concerning the environmental hazards of future war technology. On top of it all, I came to a startling and surprising revelation:American cartoons need WAY more giant destruction-dealing war mecha.
Oh, and don't get too close to the cosplay people wielding the plastic kunai knives. Those things hurt.
In case you haven't guessed it already, I'm reflecting on my time spent at last Saturday's Animarathon, held at the University.
As someone who doesn't watch anime, I simply did not know what to expect at such an event. Ninja obstacle courses? Angry fanboys screaming at each other in defense of their favorite animes? I was clueless.
Fortunately, things were much more peaceful than the possible scenarios I had envisioned.
That is, if you perceive roughly 800-900 people swarming around the innards of Olscamp Hall (many of them in anime and video game character garb) to be a peaceful event.
Needless to say, things weren't to the level of bedlam-style craziness at the convention like my lack of experience at such events would want me to believe, but it was still remarkably busy inside those halls.
I saw a seven person group of black-cloaked, flamboyantly adorned elder ninjas. I witnessed two people clad head-to-toe in baggy Pikachu suits. And I met the legendary mercenary agent herself, Solid Snake (I bet you didn't know that Solid Snake is a girl, did you?)
Indeed, I saw some mightily awesome costumes. I only recognized a few of them (the video game characters), but almost all of these homebrew costumes were truly amazing in one way or another: Giant green headdresses, a six-foot-tall mock surgical scalpel and bright red jumpsuits.
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