The SF State Japanese animation club, Anime FX, held their first screening of the semester, attracting 40 students with diverse majors and ethnicities, in addition to appealing to off-campus anime lovers from high school to law school, on Friday at the Science building from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

During the viewing, voices speaking the Japanese language echoed at high volumes and a large screen displayed the action accompanied with subtitles to explain the story. Students arrived to refreshments and snacks, filling the room with laughter and excitement as they soaked up the latest Japanese anime.

According to club officials, the main purpose of the club is to provide an environment for students to get together and socialize with people who have similar interests. The club holds weekly anime screenings, as well as periodical off-campus activities such as attending anime fairs and anime conventions.

They try to reach out to a wide spectrum of students on campus to promote a general understanding of Japanese anime and Japanese pop culture. Additionally, the club hopes to change some negative stereotypes about anime fans, according to the club officials.

Anime fans are often depicted as “nerdy,” obsessing over anime or collecting related merchandise, according to club officials.

“I don’t see much difference between anime fans and car racing fanatics or wine fanatics,” said Jesse Barredo, Anime FX president and a senior majoring in design and industry.

He added that the only difference is the field, not the passion or obsession over their interests. All fans show the same commitment to their hobbies. “It’s not like we sit at home and watch anime all day. We do have a life, and enjoy things other than anime. Why not give anime a chance?”

The club hopes to introduce anime as a medium that can bring people together through common interests, just as films and TV shows do, according to Barredo. They have been trying to increase publicity for the campus club to attract more students and to get more members to help run the events.

Japanese anime attracts a wide range of people of many ages with different interests, regardless of gender, according to club members.

“Even though the market seems to be targeted toward males, there are a lot of strong female characters directed at attracting women,” said Yana Garcia, a senior majoring in chemistry. “I have many female friends who are into anime, (and) gender imbalance isn’t an issue for me.”

Many students expressed that their interest in animation at an adult age makes them feel bad, but Japanese anime allows for adult interests and issues to be depicted.

“In America, animation is generally marketed toward children under 12 years old, but what Japanese anime brings is a diverse array of subjects and stories that attract many people from different age groups,” said Barredo.

Dana Julius and Mike Alonso, two law school students who attended the event, are the founders of their own anime club “Kaiyo Kings” at New College of California Law School.

They made an appearance at the SF State screening to meet people and get some ideas for their own club. The two said they wanted to come and see the latest anime from Japan on their day off.

“Japanese anime attracts all walks of life, and people can express themselves through anime.,” said Alonso, who graduated from SF State in spring 2003 with degrees in criminal justice and La Raza studies. “It’s a culture and a way for us to get together.”

Watching Japanese anime was a way for Julius to pursue his interest.

“I took two semesters of Japanese language, just to get exact translations,” Julius said. "That’s more than a hobby.”

Some viewers shared their love in Japanese culture by catching a glimpse of it through watching the anime.

“I’m a Japanese major. I have a deep love for the entire country of Japan,” said McKinley Noble, a freshman who serves as Anime FX treasurer and secretary. He added that he’s not only fascinated by Japanese music and customs, but he's inspired by its religion, Shintoism.

After his graduation, Noble said he’s planning on moving to Japan.

To promote lively discussion among the members, two hours of the screening were devoted to the recording of an Internet radio talk show, “Unwounded Japan-a-Radio,” hosted by Barredo. It featured a discussion among club members on the anime that they watched and news related to anime and Japanese culture, Barredo said.