Articles
Musings direct from our members
Anime Central 2025 – Across the Board
We’re a few days from Anime Central, Chicago’s biggest anime convention fondly known as ACen. So we asked AnimeChicago teammates what they were most excited to see and attend. Plan your weekend along with us so you don’t miss out on your favorite panels, events, and industry talks! Download Guidebook to draft your schedule. What’s…
2024 Annual Report: A Year of Connection
18 years later, and AnimeChicago not only keeps the lights on – we’re strengthening our social ties daily. Tough times call for resilient communities. Our focus is uniting Chicagoans through all things Japanese pop culture but we can aim higher than that. That’s why we stepped up against social isolation, connected people with kindness, and…
What to Expect at this Weekend’s Symposium
This Saturday at the Japan Information Center, AnimeChicago is hosting its second Symposium, with the theme being transformation of both the body and the mind, in anime and manga. If you’re still on the fence about attending or just curious about what will be discussed, this article is here to give you a quick overview…
Welcome to the Ramen Review
Back in 2011, I heavily researched Japanese tourism to prepare for a seventeen day backpacking spree. That’s when I found GoRamen.com and learned about the exhaustive qualities, variations, and techniques that go into a bowl of ramen. The author, Keizo, visited Chicago in 2012 and 2013 right before ramen caught fire here. He didn’t have…
Not Our Final Form: A Discussion of Transformation in Anime and Manga
Last year on a very snowy afternoon in November, AnimeChicago presented Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga , the first installment of an ongoing series centered on anime and manga. Not only was the event an engaging homage to a great pioneer, but also this symposium represented a triumph and a new era for our organization.…
Do’s and Don’ts of Learning to Read Japanese
Reading is probably the hardest part of learning Japanese, so I thought I’d share some strategies that helped me improve my reading while I was in Japan. This is directed at people who are taking Japanese classes. I don’t have any experience with self-study from scratch so I can’t offer much advice there. If I…
How to Keep Warm, Japanese-Style
The seasons are finally starting to change in Chicago, and warmer weather is on its way. But as those of us who have lived here a while know, we haven’t seen the last of cold weather. Hopefully now that we’ve hit 60 degrees we at least won’t see the negatives again for another year, but…
Imperial Stouts: My (Beer) Love Story!!
Valentine’s Day may have just passed and winter will probably stick around Chicago for another month or so, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of warmth and sweetness to be found, especially in AnimeChicago’s Round Table choice for the month of February, My Love Story!! My Love Story!!, also known as Ore Monogatari!!, is…
Writing the Unwritten Rules
In light of the upcoming convention season, AnimeChicago has been speaking more about the safety and comfort of our members at club-sanctioned events. Here’s one of a series of articles on this topic. Content warning for excessive talk on sexual harassment. In the last decade that I’ve been running AnimeChicago and visiting conventions, I’ve heard…
Analysis: What’s So Freaking Great About Cloud Strife?
***Contains spoilers for Final Fantasy VII*** The Final Fantasy VII remake is finally happening. If you’ve met me in person in the past month or so, I’ve probably talked your ear off about it. I’m currently replaying the original, remaking my Cloud cosplay, and rereading fanfiction I wrote when I first discovered FFVII 8 years…
5 Great Bars in Anime
I’m certain you have seen at least one place in an anime series or movie where you thought, to quote Liz Lemon from 30 Rock, “I want to go to there.” Be it a scenic getaway in Japan, or an awe-inspiring fantasy land, the locales in anime are definitely travel-worthy. As an enthusiast of fine…
A Brief History: One-Punch Man
With the autumn anime season wrapped up, one series making big waves is One-Punch Man; a story about a hero who has become too strong for his own good. The laid-back demeanor and beautifully animated fight scenes have made the series one of this season’s must-watch shows. Even more interesting than the show itself is…
2015 Annual Report
State of Chicago’s Anime Scene You have a million ways to view anime legally (Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, Funimation, etc.) but there are fewer ways meet like-minded fans nowadays. Streaming services promote solo-viewing which encourages staying home, and maybe sharing thoughts on impersonal social networks or among hostile comment sections. This shift has lead to a…
Tezuka’s works shine at AnimeChicago’s first Symposium “God of Manga”
On November 21st, 2015, AnimeChicago hosted its first ever symposium at the Cards Against Humanity Theater, focusing on the “God of Manga” Osamu Tezuka. Despite the uncooperative weather, a dedicated group of attendees enjoyed a day filled with education and entertainment, which was the culmination of a great deal of effort and passion by the…
The Anthem of the Heart
Words can hurt. In today’s Internet culture, hateful and spiteful comments are thrown left and right without a second thought. It’s easy to forget that our words can carry weight and greatly affect others. The Anthem of the Heart is a genuinely endearing modern fairy tale that reminds us of the power of our words.…
Analysis: Gender Portrayals in Tiger & Bunny
**This essay contains spoilers for Tiger and Bunny as well as the movie Tiger and Bunny: The Rising** As much as Tiger and Bunny is a story about superheroes, it’s also a drama about human relationships. To that end, director Keiichi Satou, character designer Masakazu Katsura, and scriptwriter Masafumi Nishida have carefully crafted a unique…