Guides
Deep dives into helpful knowledge
Local Chicago
Special Interest Communities in Chicagoland
Chicago Cosplay and Photography Meet-Ups Volunteer-run events and hub for cosplayers and photographers to gather, network, and collaborate. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Cosmeetupchicago/ Gunpla Builders of Chicago Community of builders spreading the love of…
Local Businesses for Merch, Goods, Snacks, and More!
Mitsuwa Marketplace Japanese goodies galore at this supermarket, bakery, gift stores, food court, Kinokuniya bookstore, and more! mitsuwa.com/ch/ Tensuke Market Japanese grocery, sushi café, and Daiso reseller that also carries…
What to do at ACen? AnimeChicago Members Pick Their Favorites
Anime Central (better known as ACen) is little over a week away, so I decided to gauge people’s excitement. I talked with some AnimeChicago members at a recent mixer about…
Good Anime Stores in Chicago?
The short answer is “no.” You can view our directory of local retailers which may appeal to anime fans, but they do not meet our criteria for an all-encompassing anime…
Dance Machines
Whether you’ve played a few rounds at a friends house or play regularly at an arcade, there’s nothing worse than dance game pads you can’t trust. Most experienced players devote…
Anime Central Primer
Whether you’re a seasoned con-goer or just a one-day attendee from last year, many of have already experienced the convention in some form and can offer a some tips for…
Japanese Culture
Journey to Japan: Addressing the Challenges and Joys of Group Travel
AnimeChicago hit a huge milestone this year – we visited Japan! Nine members signed on for a 10-day excursion in early May, right before the chaos of Anime Central. As…
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…
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…
Fandom Culture
Gift Shopping: Selecting perfect presents for anime fans
So, there’s a special anime fan in your life. Great! Now, what do you get them for the holidays? That question is not so great. With endless series, movies, and…
Screen Time: The Watching Habits of Anime Fans
Eyes Peeled As diverse as the genres are that embody the anime landscape, so too are the viewing patterns of anime fans as they engage with the medium. Although technology…
Developing Tastes: The Evolution of an Anime Fan (Part 3)
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been going through the ever-changing tastes of an anime fan. Part 2, released last week, covered the majority of anime fans. In that article,…
Developing Tastes: The Evolution of an Anime Fan (Part 2)
Finding your anime tastes is quite the journey for any fan. Last week, I discussed the very beginnings of an anime fan. I looked at how their tastes are shaped…
Developing Tastes: The Evolution of an Anime Fan (Part 1)
Finding your tastes in anime is an evolutionary process that develops over the course of many years and is the culmination of everything you’ve watched, the opinions of the people…
What Kind of Anime Personality Are You?
If there is a greater window into the Japanese psyche than anime, I have yet to find it. Anime has always been about people and worlds. It includes vastly different…
Hey You! Stream that Anime! A Guide to Legal Streaming Services
How we used to watch anime There’s never been a better time to watch anime than right now. Fans of the 70s and 80s had to “know a guy” with…
Con Food Strategy Guide
With convention season getting into top gear, we at AnimeChicago would like to offer some advice on one of the biggest hangups that many con-goers overlook – food. As such,…
A Brief History of Anime and Manga: From Zen Cartoons to Sailor Moon
As caveat, we will be exploring anime and manga from a Western perspective and this small summary is by no means a complete history of either medium. Early History: Woodblock…
What are AnimeChicago’s Favorite Anime?
When you first join the AnimeChicago Meetup page, one of the questions you answer is, quite simply, “What is your favorite anime?” That’s a topic everyone loves to talk about…
Kyodai Hero: An Ultraman Introduction for New Viewers
We’ll continue the exploration of the monsters (in my prior article on Daikaiju Eiga), heroes, and robots that make up the cult classics referenced in many anime and tokusatsu series…
Daikaiju Eiga 101: An Introduction to Early Godzilla and Toho Sci-fi
Disclaimer: The following films are difficult to find and may be out of print. So you’ve watched a bunch of new anime and wonder, “why do they keep referencing these…
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…
Alternative Manga Panel Guide
“…in terms of popularity and sales, manga in America can be divided into Naruto and everything else. Aren’t most comics “alternative” to most of America? So what the hell. For…
Convention Safety
After hearing reports about the man who brutally held his ex-girlfriend he met at a con captive for two months, and news earlier this year about the convicted sex offender…
The Anime Dabbler
I can still remember the day my childhood friend called me on the telephone during the summer before my sophomore year of high school and said, “I’m really into this…
Gift Shopping: Valentine’s Day
Ahhh…otaku in love! What a delightful experience of having two souls with infatuations of giant robots and traveling samurai to share their love with one another. For some of you,…