Council chamber A is filled with chatter as both new and old Anime club members arrive for the first meeting of the spring quarter.

Extra tables are pulled out and pushed to the back of the room for those who want to use their electronics during the meeting. Food is opened in plastic containers and passed around. As soon as club president Fernando Alvarado invites members to say their names and favorite anime, a camaraderie begins to form between all of them.

Anime is a Japanese style animation. But to Alvarado it is more than that.

“Anime is a whole idea of sharing thing,” Alvarado, 20, film and animations major, said. “It helps other people get better ideas, inspires people to do something they want to do, and it exposes people to the whole culture… It’s a kind of therapy for some people.”

At a typical club meeting, members watch an anime movie or series. After the showing, the club members discuss it. Everyone is open to contribute opinions or suggestions on what to watch for the following meeting. Alvarado says the goal of the officers s to diversify the kinds of anime the club watches.

“I hope our new members can have an idea of what our club is about…by showing them something they’ve probably never seen in their palette in terms of genre of shows.”

Club vice president Jodel Sunga, 21, biochemistry major, said.

In addition to showing new Anime each week, Alvarado also wants to focus on the club’s outreach to new members. While the returning members and officers of the club have a close relationship with each other, Alvarado wants to expand what he calls the, “Anime family.”

“I want people to know we’re always like this. Even if a new person comes in, we’re are all going to be friendly to each other, nice to each other.” Alvarado said. “It’s like that, everybody helps everybody out. It’s a win-win senecio.”

For members like Alexandra Gracida, 24, English major, anime club has accomplished just that.

“It’s actually kind of nice being in that club,” she said “because I’m around people who love Anime and grew up with it. It feels like a place that I can really belong.”