It's been a long, perilous journey for the Penn State Anime/Manga Organization (PSAO). But along that journey, PSAO has blossomed into a successful Penn State staple.
"It's been a lot of work, but it's also been really fulfilling," said PSAO President Sara Savini (senior-history, sociology and classics and ancient Mediterranean studies), who co-founded the club, of its four-year history.
"When I came to Penn State, as a freshman, I said 'If there isn't an anime club, I'm starting one,' " Savini said, citing an almost lifelong interest in watching animated television series from Japan. Savini is also an avid fan of Manga, anime's comic-book counterpart.
She joined PSAO in its first year, but that version of the organization quickly dissolved after a legality issue resulting from the publication of a February 2000 Daily Collegian article. The officers hadn't obtained the rights to show the films, Savini said, nor did they have permission to do so on campus property.
As the club went on hiatus for a while, the Penn State Science Fiction Society assimilated anime into its agenda to temporarily satisfy the niche.
But Savini was determined to create a club dedicated exclusively to anime, so the she and the new officers sought to obtain the necessary permission to show titles on campus.
"You have to be willing to step out on that limb, to call up the distributors and ask them 'How can I get permission to show this film?' " she said.
Once the legal issues were settled, things started to come together for PSAO, which now boasts a 200-person membership and 30 to 40 regular participants.
The club meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday in the Waring Commons Cultural Lounge to view either a few episodes of an anime series or an entire anime film. The club also has an official library of over 60 titles, from which official members have access to borrow.
PSAO public relations officer Benton Purtle (junior-communication arts and sciences) said the library's selection, as well as Japanese animation in general, represents a broad diversity of entertainment.
"If we have a [live-action] genre here, there's an anime for it," Purtle said.
PSAO Secretary Traci Haimowitz (senior-anthropology) said she agreed that the scope of anime is wider than the general public perception would allow.
"I think it really is an art form that people don't know things about," Haimowitz said. "It's discriminated as Pokémon, Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z, but that isn't all that anime is. It's an expressionistic art form."
In addition to weekly screenings, PSAO offers a steady schedule of events, including monthly marathons, informal meetings at Bobalicious, 436 E. College Ave., and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) nights.
"The concept of DDR is tied heavily to anime culture," Savini said of the popular video game. "Go to any [anime] convention anywhere and you'll see it."
There are plans, she added, to include DDR in the club's official name.
These are all part of an attempt to expand PSAO socially, Savini said.
"When we first started, we were just trying to form a place for people to watch and enjoy anime," Savini said. "But with the core people, strong bonds and friendships have developed. [PSAO] has grown into an organization that's trying to facilitate all of the social aspects of entertainment."
Savini added that although PSAO is a "fringe club," its members are diverse and from "all walks of life."
Purtle agreed that most perceptions people have about anime enthusiasts are misguided.
"They think that we're all nerds, that we have no social life and that all we care about is anime," he said. "Only some of those are true. Most of us are nerds, but not in the stereotypical way. We've found something we like, and we don't understand why so many people find it so wrong."
