#watch as making art dolls helps me overcome depressive episodes

[furby-o-rama]

[purplesurveys]

422

Do you enjoy watching birth vlogs? I’ve never watched this particular kind of vlog. I’ve seen photo stories of births on Facebook though and while I find women fucking metal for going through childbirth, I’m rather squeamish and I feel like crying when I see the process :((( Would you rather paint on canvas or wood? I’d...rather not paint at all. I’m really not artistic. What regret keeps coming back to haunt you daily? I have this one class that I regret taking this semester just because there were two available sections, and I still ended up in the section with the shittier professor. It’s a pain in my ass every Wednesday and I can’t wait to give a review for this teacher. Do you miss someone? Always, but I’m on depression break at the moment and I just want to be alone for 7 days. If you could cure yourself of one allergy, what would it be? I don’t have any.

Do you know anyone else with your name? I know two people. When I was still applying for AIESEC, I was surprised that there was a sudden abundance of Robyns haha. There’s never any Robyns anywhere. Have you felt like the main character in a book was you? I’m not a big reader, so no. Which country's flag is your favorite? Nepal just because it went ‘fuck it’ on how flags traditionally should look like. What would you be most afraid of happening if you were to visit Africa? Getting arrested??? I’m down for anything but I can’t get in trouble, because I’m a big fucking baby when it comes to crime lmaooooo. Where are you tempted to move to sometimes? Canada. Have you ever hiked a mountain? Nope, but would love to someday. Who seems like they have the perfect life? People who graduate summa cum laude while juggling multiple orgs and have both a tight-knit family and a love life??? How???????? Do you ever take pictures of negative moments? I have. I still have them on my phone.  I don’t see the point of taking nor keeping them if they just make me upset every time I see them but since I have a photo hoarding problem, I can’t bring myself to get rid of them. Do you think it would be a good idea to post photos of negative moments as well as positive? It’s different for everyone. Some might want to capture their negative times to remind them that they went through it and they’re a stronger person now. Some might prefer to block negative stuff from their mind as soon as they overcome it. I’m the latter. What time zone are you in? Idk how the format is...but I use the Hong Kong one. Would you ever post a picture of yourself crying on social media? No. ^Why or why not? It’s just something that would make me feel uncomfortable. I don’t even like crying in front of people other than Gab, so even more would I not want something permanent like a photo to capture me crying. Do you like dark blue jeggings or light blue jeggings better? Light blue seems to be the trend recently. What color is the rim of your whiteboard? I don’t own one. Do you have trouble staying organized? I’m generally organized, but there are certain things that I can never seem to maintain, yes; like I can never keep my closet organized. And my school bag. What was the last thing you cried about? I had a short breakdown in the car last Friday because I had to usher for an event and run errands all day while the weather was RIDICULOUSLY humid and I could feel the sweat seeping in my pants for 8 whole hours, and then when Gabie came to visit she didn’t do the one thing I asked her to do. I exploded by the end of the day and gave myself ample time to cry. Funny how the universe works though - in the middle of my episode, the known dogs that roam in my college skipped over to my car. I had some leftover lunch so I fed them and I instantly felt better. Have you ever held a newborn baby? I have, but he started squirming and crying and I almost dropped him onto the ground. I was 9 and I was assigned to watch over the baby. I’ve never held an infant since. Do you know anyone who has twins? Yes. I was surprised to see my classmate from comm research posting photos of her and her twin on Facebook. Would you rather look older or younger than your age? Younger, and that’s how it works so I’m satisfied.  Related story: I went to get my driver’s license renewed a couple of weeks ago. The guy in charge made me fill up a bunch of forms and made me do unnecessary shit in the process (i.e. made me go ACROSS THE MALL to have my ID xeroxed) because he thought I was a student driver and that I was getting my license for the first time. I would have gotten my license SO MUCH QUICKER, but he gave me the process meant for student permits. I was annoyed, but in the end 1) he apologized profusely, and 2) I just took it to mean I look much younger than 21 which I can be happy about. Where do you buy calendars from? I don’t buy calendars because I already have one on my laptop and phone. Do you shop at the dollar store often? We don’t have dollar stores. We don’t even use dollars. What does your name rhyme with? Bitchin’. Are you following in the career path of any family members? As far as I know, no. I think I’m the first to take up journalism. My maternal grandfather’s side are all very...lawyerish and diplomat-ish though, and I guess that’s kind of related to journ and the fact that I’m taking up history, psychology, and political science courses. Have you ever met anyone who talks like a robot? THAT PROF I TALKED ABOUT A FEW QUESTIONS AGO URGH. He’s probably like 25 but I wish he would resign. He’s awful. What is your favorite country in Europe? I don’t have one. Probably one with a lot of history in it. Name something unique about your town. It has a lower and upper part, haha. I’ve never heard anyone else talk about their province and if they live in the lower/upper part of it. Who does all the chores in your home? My mom. She prefers it that way. Do you feel you missed out on a lot as a kid? I believe so. I was exposed to a lot of nasty shit, so while I was pretty privileged and went to a good school, had all the cool toys, and kept up to date with the cool TV shows, I had to grow up earlier than the kids around me. What is your best kept secret (or one big secret you have right now)? Kinda the point of having a secret. Do you have anyone you can tell your secrets to? I know I can trust my friends, but I’m generally most comfortable telling my girlfriend. ^If so, who? ^ Who was that best friend you ever had? If this question was meant to be in past tense, then it would be Sofie. I really, really hope she’s doing well and that she’s happy where she is. Do people appreciate you and accept you for who you are? I hope they do? What color is your laptop? Silver. What class would you like to repeat over again just for fun? Any art studies and history class I’ve taken. I also had this one class where all we did was have oral presentations/monologues, and it was so much fun, even for an introvert. Passed that class like a breeze. It helped that I had an amazing professor who believed in each of us and knew that we all had stories to tell and share. What are five careers you think you'd be good at? Researcher, analyst...anything that entals organization and data, really. Are you thriving in your life right now? We’re all thriving. We all just have our own paces. :) Who do you have moral support from? College friends, Angela, and Gabie. Who encourages you to go after your dreams? There’s this shirt that says “I work hard so my dog can have a better life,” and that pretty much hits the nail on the head. Do you have people in your family who want you dead? Wow. List all the antiques you have in your room. None. What Bratz doll resembles you the most? I’m not sure about resembles because I guarantee you no human being looks like a Bratz doll, but Jade had always resonated with me. She always seemed like the spunkiest one out of the four. Do you have a walk-in closet? No, I’m not really interested in one. What was the last thing you ate? Krispy Kreme doughnut with Nutella filling. What would you do to save money for your wedding? Work my ass off. I absolutely need to have my dream wedding. Have you ever been manipulated, lied to, abused, or controlled? Sure. Are you against plagiarism? ...Aren’t we all?

[cloudjumpervalka]

sometimes and by that i mean a lot of the time, i remember how much elsa means to me as a character. in general she’s very mediocre in comparison to others, but she was there for me when i was hella depressed and she’s like a form of comfort for me now.

i was following the production of frozen for the longest time, let’s say about 5ish years before release? i was excited for it, i was disappointed in the changes made, i refused to believe the original elsa and anna leaked design images were real because they looked so bad, i read the script when it leaked and was mad at the conveluded plot.

but the movie came out during the semester of art school i got severe depression through. i had always dreamed of going to art school and working in the animation industry and i had a single thought that went in my brain a week before the semester started. it said i would never be good /enough/. it kept playing back over and over when i would turn in assignments. i did well in school, but the workload was a lot when you decide to take 3 studio classes at once. i started getting overly picky with what i considered to be good enough in my work and eventually stopped turning in assignments. sometimes i would have them “done” but it wasn’t good enough so i didn’t bother

i was living with my grandparents at the time and locked myself in my room to be alone a bunch. i didn’t socialize in classes and who i considered friends were out of reach. i had just started dating my bf a few months prior and the time zone/distance/etc was a new experience altogether. i was constantly scared i would lose my friends not just to distance but other personal reasons not meant to be shared on tumblr. my grandparents gave me my distance and i just spent a lot of time alone. i remember skyping with dean and staying up all night with him bc i didn’t want to be alone.

i got more depressed over time, i was just sad. i would try to fill the void with buying things i had left at home with my parents. i remember i would drive out to the mall. i would get a pretzel to eat. eat it outside the disney store, maybe buy something after. if not disney merch, i would go buy clothes. i had not been eating much aside from the almost daily pretzel and lost about 40/50 pounds within a span of 3 months. i just thought i was losing weight for walking around the city to go to classes and spent a majority of the money i had saved up over my childhood on clothes that i have never been able to fit in aside from those few months at the end of 2013.

the day the game grumps released that one wind waker episode about dans ocd story was released during this time. i watched that episode and immediately started crying bc i knew i wasn’t okay. i had completely changed in a span of about 2 months at that point. i was sad and didn’t know what to do. i constantly wanted to not exist and spent a lot of the time crying and sleeping and starving myself. i called my mom and asked for help. parents tried helping but they didn’t understand at the time what depression meant on that level. i told them maybe i could handle school better if i dropped one of the 4 classes i had. and of course i dropped the history class and not any of the studios. i made schedules and plans to complete the semester but i still. felt overwhelmed and not good enough and lonely and sad and frustrated at these emotions because i couldn’t just focus like a normal person. i lies to my parents to my grandparents to a lot of people that i was continuing my work but i stopped doing 2 of the remaining 3 classes altogether. ended up with withdraw failures in them.

the last class was my life drawing class. i enjoyed it a lot. i took a train into the city to go to it. i found peace in the hour listening to music to get there. i would talk to dean before he went to bed on my way there and greet him in his mornings when i went home. i thought i could handle it and it was going well. besides for the assignments that were meant to be done at home. we had a final that was meant to be an illustration showing our learned skills in the class in a 24x36in size. not bad at all. i got the paper, had the sketch. i just had to do it. but i didn’t. when i was in that room at my grandparents place i felt nothing but emptiness. so i filled it whatever i could think of

my hyperfixation of things soon moved to the release of frozen. i had followed it previously and was excited to go see it. i had bought the classic dolls for the main characters the day they were released and left them in box in case i didn’t like the movie and wanted to sell them. my immediate family came to visit my grandparents for thanksgiving that year and i asked my mom if we could go see frozen at it’s earliest showing on release day. she agreed because i lied to her saying my figure drawing class had been cancelled for the holidays (it wasn’t bc we were meant to show progress on our finals)

i cried so hard so fast bc whatever i was feeling i felt through elsa. i projected so much onto her and i fell in love. it gave me a second wind. i bought the frozen soundtrack and would sing along to let it go on the way to the train station. i felt like i could overcome my depression as simple as that. but circumstances don’t work like that

i never turned in that final despite it being the assignment where “if u don’t turn it in u fail”.

i dropped out of art school, telling my parents maybe i wasn’t meant for art. i’m not good enough to make it in the industry if i’m like this. i was gonna go home and go to the local state college instead. get a degree in something ... useful.

i left art school with a total gpa of 0.9

elsa is a character that’s just. i never understood the popularity frozen had. it has problems. it’s ... not that great honestly. but elsa stood out for me. she was some sort of proof to me i could be happy.

a lot has happened in the past 4 years, but i can say i’m honestly happy. i have a lot of good things going on. though i think the most important to this story i guess is ?

i’m graduating with my bachelors in art in may. my gpa is back at a 3.6. i took 3 studios classes this semester on top of 2 art history lectures and made it through. i thought so little of myself and my abilities over the years. i never thought i’d graduate college at that point i was at 4 years ago. when i applied to my local uni, i had to appeal to get in because of my low gpa from those 4 semesters of art school. i spent 2 years there not knowing if i even wanted to do art again. but i realized this is something that’s always been a part of me. it’s who i am? and i want to use this talent i had to. make it in the industry. my dream for as long as i can remember is to make media for kids who feel lost and alone. it’s always been my dream and i won’t let anyone or anything keep me from trying my hardest to make it happen, which includes not letting myself stop me.

i don’t know what the future holds but i’m excited to see where it takes me

and it just happens to involve me and my fleeting hyperfixation on elsa asking for the olaf’s frozen adventure limited edition elsa doll for chrismas because i want to say i look at her and think everything i just said

but in reality i just go shheeeees my wiiiiiiiife i looooooove herrrrrrrrr

[kuwaiti-kid]

The 10 Best Christian Anime

Watching a couple of hundred series and hundreds of more episodes, movies, OVAs, and other anime content, I have been able to find several that can be relatable to Christians.

Now, I am not saying these are anime made by Christians, or for Christians, or are they biblical in theme.

There are a couple of those, but I don't recommend them as they are pretty ancient (Superbook, Flying House). Instead, the list below reflects anime that either has lessons that we can apply to our daily walk with God or biblical themes found in the characters or plot.

One way or another, for me, these anime reminded me of who God is or how He wants me to live my life to honor Him. Some you might know, while others might be a surprise. Let me know which ones you think should have been on the list, and which of these you enjoyed or want to watch!

The 10 Best Christian Anime

Trigun

This is an older series, one of my personal favorites that I watched years ago sometime after it was released. I had no idea it would have any Christian themes until analyzing it a long time after viewing it. The series is about a wanted man named Vash the Stampede, who has a mysterious past.

He is very silly, but is extremely skilled with a gun and has an impeccable aim. He is hunted by all sorts of people who want to collect his bounty, but the anime gets much better later on as you discover his history and what truly happened on the planet.

Vash's gentleness and desire to help others is his motto, “love and peace!”. He exemplifies good character, is respectful, but most of all, he understands the weight of his sins and seeks retribution for them. Along for the ride is Wolfwood, a priest with a large machine gun-shaped as a cross.

That doesn't make a lot of sense, but if you watch the anime, you'll see why his character is very impactful. Overall, I recommend this one even though the animation is somewhat dated; you will love this one if you like action, some comedy, and a strong plot.

Clannad

I have not watched this one again for some time, but now (as of this writing) it's on Netflix, I hope to rewatch it. It's a love story about two students who fall in love, friendships, and the hardships of life. What makes Clannad stand out for many fans, myself included, is how deep it hits you.

This show is not afraid to get real with emotions, daily struggles people go through when in a relationship or marriage, and the effects of depression and pain.

It can be a little bleak at times, as the content gets pretty heavy later on in the series. Don't let the beginning fool you, it's lighthearted and seems like a regular slice-of-life or school anime, but it hits your heart later on. I don't want to spoil anything, but let me know what you thought after watching it!

Haibane Renmei

Haibane is an older anime that you might not have heard of. It wasn't very popular, but the story was unique in that it deals with angels. The characters are all angels, dealing with their past in a slice-of-life and drama setting.

It's not a fast-paced, action-packed anime, but it deals with the repercussions of our actions, good or bad. It keeps the mystery of how they arrived where they are, which keeps you entertained. Overall, an excellent anime to watch if you aren't looking for anything heavy.

Violet Evergarden

Wow, this anime (which currently can be watched on Netflix) helped remind me why I love this genre of animation. There's so much bad, dull, or copy-cat animes out there that I was looking for a breath of fresh air, and I found it in Violet Evergarden.

The animation, for me, was excellent, and the story of how Violet becomes an Automemory doll, transcribing letters for clients to express themselves through words. The show delves into the meaning of love, finding peace in pain, and shares the personal stories of various characters in each episode.

It's a spectacular show that I hope you enjoy.

Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

I have not finished watching this whole series, as I am still going through it. This is a remake of the original, so you can either view the older version or the redone one from 2017. Kino rides a motorcycle (that talks!) through various places and nations, discovering different cultural, political, or other differences in each one.

What makes this anime special is how Kino interacts with the citizens or situations she is put in. It's a very philosophical anime that asks a lot of questions and gives us perspectives that we don't always have an answer for. I think it's good to have questions, and not have all the answers, because it makes us human and knows that we have to rely on God to help us even if we never understand it all.

Rurouni Kenshin

If you have never watched Rurouni Kenshin before, then you will are in for a treat. It's an older anime and looks a little dated, but the story and its main character are the highlights.

Kenshin is a traveling ex-assassin from a war that has ended in old Japan. He decides never to kill again, so he uses his reverse sword (its sharp side isn't used) to stop that causing chaos wherever he goes. His passion and conviction to not kill is an example to die to ourselves when we want to harm others.

It's hard to do, and Kenshin experiences very trying situations that push him to his limits, but you will have to watch the anime to see what happens. I recommend watching the New Kyoto Arc as it skips a lot of filler.

Samurai Champloo

Another older anime but a classic. It also deals with samurai, two of them, who go through various adventures with a young girl who tags along. The music is one of my favorites in a series, the animation is top-notch, as is the action, and it deals with a group of Christians around the end as part of the story.

It is somewhat historical, so you get a taste of what life was like in Japan back in these days, and I highly recommend checking it out. 

My Hero Academia

This is a more recent anime that has gained a lot of popularity. It's all about superheroes, which is the perfect time to capitalize on that genre. MHA deals with a young group of students going to school at a hero school called U.A. and goes through their adventures of fighting villains, learning about their powers, and teamwork.

What makes this one stand out for me as a Christian, is its morality and how good overcomes evil. It doesn't make it so black and white every time, so it makes the viewer think if the villain's actions are justified or not.

Overall, it's a fun anime with action, drama, mystery, and quick-moving plots that keep you hooked!

My Last Day

Though it's not an anime series, it's a short video showing the crucifixion of Christ in excellent animation.

I highly recommend it, as it's a powerful display of what it might have looked like to see the Son of God take the cross, be crucified by the Romans, and how He left the grave. 

Manga Messiah

Yes, it's a manga, but it's very well done. I am a proponent that if Christians are going to be involved in the creative arts (music, art, writing, etc.), we should do our best.

This series of manga goes from Genesis until I believe revelation, each volume dealing with a different section in the bible. This one deals with the coming of Jesus Christ, His miracles, and preaching the kingdom on Earth, death, and resurrection.

Definitely check it out if you're a manga fan.

The post The 10 Best Christian Anime appeared first on Your Money Geek.

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[floridageekscene]

Otaku culture values a lot of things–community, open-mindedness, art, pocky… But two valuables I find especially prevalent among anime aficionados are “breadth” and “depth.”

Breadth is the desire to enjoy variety—that spice of life that broadens our appreciation for culture, genre, and style. Breadth, for example, is the ability to watch anime genres as opposite as Attack on Titan and Bunny Drop side-by-side and acknowledge (if not enjoy) both of them.

If breadth is valued by otaku culture for its ability to expand horizons, however, depth is what internalizes those experiences and makes them meaningful. A desire for depth is a craving to dive as far into one particular series, genre, or author as possible and churn the soil for its richness. The deeper I plunge into a series, the more mastery I wield over it and the more of it I am able to apply it myself and the world around me. It’s when I internalize the anime I’ve watched that it’s able to shape my perspective, my beliefs, and even my comprehension of focus subjects like the Meiji Era (Rurouni Kenshin), volleyball (Haikyuu!!), and mythology (Fate/Zero).

Florida Anime Experience not only grasps the importance of depth, but also acts on it. Since its creation in 2011, FAE has been religiously dedicated to becoming, not the largest of Cons, but the most focused of them. Six years later, FAE is still a passionate love letter to otaku, bringing all forms of Japanese entertainment—video games, manga, maid cafes, J-Pop, cosplay, and, of course, anime—together under one all-but-pagoda-shaped roof.

The Scoop:

What – A three-day event centered on Japanese culture, with special focus on anime and manga’s influence on creativity and culture

When:

Friday, March 10th: 10:30AM – 10:00PM Saturday, March 11th: 10AM – 11PM Sunday, March 12th: 10:00AM – 4:30PM

Where – Radisson Resort & Conference Center

Who – Amanda Miller, Cherami Leigh, Cristina Vee, Kate Higgins, Stephanie Sheh, Al Aki, Noise Complaint, Nerdy Karaoke, and Maid Café Mikkusu

Price – $20-$25 (single-day), $45 (weekend)

Perks – An anime viewing room, costume contests, a vendors room (with over forty booths), an artist alley, a Japanese video game room, a maid cafe, and more

My first, and only other, trip to Florida Anime Experience was in 2013—a year when the closest thing I’d ever experienced to anime was Kingdom Hearts and Avatar: the Last Airbender. While I felt very welcomed at FAE 2013 by open-armed staff and conversational cosplayers, I wasn’t able to engage the event from an otaku’s point-of-view and felt very much like I was looking through a window into a wondrous, unfamiliar world. My previous convention experiences had only been with Con giants like Megacon and Metrocon—both events with worthy fame to their names but that focus on scooping up as many fandoms as possible into their weekends. In other words, Cons that, quite successfully, go for breadth.

Four years and 150 anime, manga, light novels, and OVAs later, I returned to Florida Anime Experience, eager to finally participate as a fully-fledged otaku. By the end of the day, I left feeling like I’d become Hokage.

To be more specific, Florida Anime Experience provided (and attracted) everything I’d ask for from a Con centered on Japanese culture. More importantly, I left the event with many experiences, ideas, and keepsakes that I didn’t have when I entered. I believe that’s a true mark of success for any convention.

For example…

I stepped into the Anime Viewing Room and caught a few minutes of My Hero Academia—more than enough time for me to scribble it down on my lengthy to-watch list. I tried two new flavors of taiyaki. I witnessed a round of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA in action. I met three voice actresses for the first time and obtained six signatures. I put on my first kimono. Most significantly, I made a new friend while waiting in the autograph line.

It’s said that you get from something what you put into it. I think that’s true when attending most any Con. In the case of Florida Anime Experience, though, the process became almost subconscious. New experiences burst around every corner and from every vendor’s table, many of which I ran out of time (or money…) to try for myself—boba tea, the manga library, the maid cafe, henna… Fortunately, hundreds of other otaku were able to experience these novelties, with no table ever left unoccupied by a curious passerby.

Vendors reflected Florida Anime Experience’s distinct themes with katana-sharp pin-pointedness. Figurines, phone strap mascots, rare blind box collectibles, window-sized wall scrolls, dakimakura, and weapon replicas maintained a very strict emphasis on otaku interests. Video games, film, music, literature, and snacks originating in Japan also found their way into vendor’s wares, in-between all the Yuri on Ice, Haikyuu!!, and Naruto merchandise. Despite being of Western origin, RWBY unsurprisingly managed to carry a significant Con presence through both cosplay and fanart.

The Artist Ally wrapped around the centralized vendor’s hall like a picture frame. While there weren’t as many artists as there were merchants, I got the impression that FAE selected them very deliberately. No two were alike, and I don’t just mean that in the “all art is unique” sense. Each artist had a particular medium they specialized in—felt character magnets, clay chibi dolls, three-dimensional shadow boxes, traditional art, digital art… And, of course, most art was inspired by Japanese media. Not all of it, but most. It seemed FAE wanted to honor its artists’ liberties, as long as a certain portion of their wares were dedicated to the Con’s theme.

Due in large part to FAE’s selection of voice actresses, Sailor Moon was a frequent sight all around. I lost track of the number of blonde hair buns and magical staffs I passed, and that’s to say nothing of the themed panels, fanart, figurines, wall scrolls, and other memorabilia based on the Senshi.

Amanda Miller, Cherami Leigh, Cristina Vee, Kate Higgins, and Stephanie Sheh held two autograph signings each day, which idealistically allowed for everyone to participate in the meet-and-greet. I stood in line for an hour on two separate occasions and was the cut-off in front of a few dozen people the first time around. Fans patient enough to try their luck a second time found themselves rewarded, and the convention staff put a limitation on autographs and photography in order to ensure as many attendees as possible were able to meet the actresses.

Despite having never watched a single episode of Sailor Moon, I went home with six autographs from other series. Amanda Miller, Cherami Leigh, Cristina Vee, Kate Higgins, and Stephanie Sheh have impressive resumes and have starred in many of my favorite anime—Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, and Naruto. (As it was Higgins’ first time in Florida, I was especially excited to get a Saber autograph.) Essentially, whether I was a Sailor Moon fan or not was far from a deal-breaker in the autograph line, much to my delight. My encounters with the actresses were brief but pleasant, and I took away the impression that they enjoyed being among the fans and hearing their personal stories.

The actresses also shared some stories of their own. A Sailor Moon Q&A with all five special guests allowed both Senshi and fans to lay their hearts on the table. Amanda Miller related how the role of Sailor Jupiter helped her overcome a period of heavy depression. I could feel  silence weighing the room as listeners took in her story.

That sense of transparency characterized Florida Anime Experience. The staff were very personable and the attendees responded in kind. I never felt as though I were being “babysat” by the convention staff. Instead, I was treated as though I were “part of the show,” spoken to as an equal and subconsciously asked to help keep things running smoothly by playing my part.

When I obtained my press pass, I was informed that I wouldn’t get any special access with it—because FAE wanted me to experience the Con from a regular attendee’s perspective. Florida Anime Experience is a “by fans, for fans” event, with the playing field courteously levelled. It’s one of the most laidback Con experiences I’ve had the pleasure of attending. Other Cons would be wise to take note.

At the beginning of my review, I made a big deal about Florida Anime Experience going for depth, rather than breadth. Naysayers may argue that FAE limits itself by restricting its theme, but it’s this singular focus that allows FAE to dive as deeply and precisely into its own Con culture as it does. If you are a fan of Japanese media—especially anime—and you live in Central Florida, then Florida Anime Experience should be on your list of annual pilgrimages.

And if you have no idea what kawaii means, who Tezuka is, or which way to read a manga, but you have a curious and open mind, then you’re guaranteed to get a hands-on, cultural crash course more fun than any other at Florida Anime Experience.

Florida Anime Experience is a three day pop culture convention celebrating anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture.

Visit the FAE Official Website

Follow FAE on Facebook

Photography by Amy Covel

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  Florida Anime Experience 2017 Otaku culture values a lot of things--community, open-mindedness, art, pocky... But two valuables I find especially prevalent among anime aficionados are "breadth" and "depth."