Anime is more than a style of animation. Over the past two decades, many fans have built a diverse culture around anime, manga, games, music, cosplay, art, collecting, conventions, and independent creations.
What is ‘anime’
‘Anime’ is a term commonly used for Japanese animation, encompassing everything from action and adventure to romance, comedy, fantasy, science fiction, and everyday stories. While anime can be enjoyed by people of all ages, it has grown into a diverse global culture that extends beyond watching shows and movies. Fans connect through manga, games, music, cosplay, art, collectibles, and events. Many fans connect online and through social media forming their own communities all wanting to find find their own way to enjoy and participate in anime culture.
Music and Performances
A large portion of the anime culture comes from the songs, music and performances. Often times, certain anime will have dances that become popular and many fans will do their own covers of said songs or performances. They can range from vocal covers, instrumental and dance covers. Many of said fans eventually form their own groups and perform at various events and conventions.
What is ‘cosplay’?
Cosplay comes from the combination of ‘costume’ and ‘playacting’. Many fans like to dress up as their favorite character from their favorite series, manga or game to show their love for the series and the character. Cosplays (referring to the costumes themselves) can range from simple to very elaborate, and from store bought to custom made. Often times at events, there are contests to see who made the best costume and who represented and ‘played’ the character the best.
