Weebs, otakus, japanofiles, whatever one calls them, now have a place to gather and discuss everything related to anime and manga.
The Halton Hills Public Library has launched an Anime Club at the Georgetown branch, with the inaugural meeting held last week.
The group is set to gather every fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. All one needs to do is register online and come as you are.
“The plan is to watch an anime together. The group will decide what they'd like to watch, and then we'll have some time to discuss it as a group,” Youth Services Librarian Emma Lupinacci, who developed the club, said.
The club is geared toward high school-aged youth, however, there's some room for younger students. The library will not turn anyone away as long as the parents give permission for their child to attend.
Just over a half-dozen members christened the club on Jan. 24, with snacks and crafts, like Perler beads, being part of the fun.
The members voted to watch an episode of the show Demon Slayer on the streaming site Crunchyroll, which the club has exclusive access to.
Library associate and Anime Club host Victoria Bell said the group's purpose is to build a community.
“We have the Discord channel up and running,” they said. “[We are] creating that space not only in person, but also bringing it outside of the library so people feel like they still have a community they can come back to.”
Bell added: “Because anime tends to be such a niche interest, I felt it was very important that the teens were selecting their own materials - something they were passionate about, something they actually wanted to engage with.”
