Regina holds first-ever Anime Film Festival

The first-ever Regina Anime Film Festival was held Oct. 15 at the Regina Public Library Film Theatre.

The event included screenings of Japanese feature films, a cosplaycontest (costume play), and displays of modern Japanese popular culture.

Proceeds from the event will support the Saskatchewan Prairie Yokohama Student Exchange, a non-profit organization that encourages Grade 8-11 students to participate in educational and culturalexchanges in Japan.

"What better way to promote Japanese culture, the Japanese exchange, then do anime that is based in Japan?" said Pat Rediger, a volunteer with SPYSE.

Anime

Japanese films, The Boy and the BeastandRedlinewere screened at the festival.

Debbie Bogart attended the festival dressed as a ninja from Naruto, a Japanese anime series. She said that cosplay allows fans to dress up as your favourite anime character, video game character, or comic-book character.

"The guy who created [anime] actually was inspired by Disney, so he combined a little bit of Disney with his own unique art style. That's basically how anime got started," said Bogart.

Anime series popular in western culture include Sailor Moon, Speed Racer, Pokemon, and Dragon Ball Z.

"Typical cartoon have more realistic proportions [whereas] anime, it's more of bigger heads, bigger eyes, but the body isa bit more proportioned," she said.

Bogart said she loves anime because there are so many styles andsubgenresto choose from. From horror to comedy, there's an anime series to fit all.

"Basically animegives you that feeling that you can actually belong in whatever genre you kind of prefer, you can dress up as characters, you can connect with them easily as long as you have that connection to the genre."

Anime fans gather for festival

8 years ago

Duration 1:36

Anime festival in Regina