Does Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Sailor Moon, or the ever so popular Pokemon ring a bell? These are all shows from a genre of entertainment called anime. Anime originated in Japan and has gradually transitioned into mainstream media. Fighting monsters in a hundred level virtual reality dungeon or being able to kill anybody by just writing their name on a notebook are just some of the many plots that captivated fans into the anime fandom. Not only refreshing plots, but the characters are developed in a way that the viewers can’t help, but be attached. The authors create this attachment either through a tragic back story or the character’s persona. Many of the characters in the anime world are well-rounded. For one, Beatrice, from the show Re:Zero, has a cute innocent appearance, but is one of the strongest characters in the show. Her personality is very cold and distant, while her settings and appearance is very girly. As the anime industry grow so those their fans. All over the world, anime lovers began to create clubs, cosplay events, and festivals to enjoy the shows they love with others. For one, Anime expo has been visiting California ever since 1991, increasing in size every year. This summer, anime expo will be taking place in the Los Angeles convention center featuring Legend of Zelda authors the Akira Himekawa duo, voice actress Amalee, and singer Mari Iijima.

At Yorba Linda High School, Audrey Takenaga created an anime club for anime lovers. Audrey Takenaga (10) “was inspired to create the club because [she] had always wanted to join an anime club.” Throughout her years in middle school, Audrey was excited to join an anime club in high school, but when she realized there was none, Audrey decided to create one herself. She also stated, “anime is entertaining, addicting, and fun. If you find a show you like, you are likely to get immersed in the world of anime… Anime is such a large establishment that is really diverse. It’s kind of like American TV Shows just animated.” The club board members include Audrey Takenaga as President, Hallie Takenaga (12) as Vice President, Amy Weitzman(12) as Secretary, Jenna Weitzman as Treasurer, and Taylor Chelliah (12), Page Richey (10)  as Publicity officer. Jenna Weitzman (10) believes anime has such a large fan base “because it’s interesting and has a lot of relevant themes in our lives.” Meetings occur every Thursday in Mrs. Ikemoto’s room. They watch Anime shows, play trivia games about opening theme songs, and discuss new, old animes to watch. Anime has transitioned from a small industry in Japan to a global phenomenon all the way to Yorba Linda High School.