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Anime fans to gather Date: 3/21/2005 |
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Lars Jacoby The Arizona Republic Fantasy meets reality this weekend at Anizona, the state's first convention devoted to the art of anime. ? Fans of Japanese animation and comic books descend on the Valley this weekend to take part in the three-day event, know as con. Some of the biggest forces behind it are in the East Valley. advertisement "This is a place for all of the local anime clubs to gather in one spot and have a good time," said convention chairman Anthony Grutta, 25, of Tempe. Grutta has loved anime since he was a kid and grew up on cartoons like Voltron and Robotech. "It turns out I was watching anime before I even knew what it was," said Grutta, a student at Arizona State University. Event organizer Tiffiny McGuire, 22, of Mesa, traces her love for the art back to Sailor Moon, an anime series that debuted in the early 1990s. "You immediately notice it's different, and that's probably what got me started," said the ASU student, who describes anime as colorful and stark, with storylines set in the worlds of fantasy and science fiction. A local convention has been talked about for years. Highlights include a vendor area, a karaoke contest, a cosplay (anime costume) contest, an art show, a video contest and guests such as Yoshitaka Amano, designer of the Final Fantasy game series |
| Source: The Arizona Republic |
