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Ryan Gavigan (left) and David Merrill (right) are part of the last
two waves of anime fandom. Gavigan is on the board of the organization
that stages Anime Central, while Merrill has been one of the leaders of
Anime Weekend Atlanta. Both men came from the anime fandom that developed
in the 1980's with shows such as Star Blazers and Robotech. Both men also
see the changes in anime fandom that will come from a new generation of
favorite shows - and new forms of communication. |
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There's the factor of online fandom, where people learn about anime
through the Internet. Gavigan acknowledges that change, but he seems to
yearn for an earlier age of mimeographed fanzines. "If you don't have a
computer, you can't be an anime fan because you can't get the information
- I think that's a bad thing," he said. Also, there's Pokemon, a program
that is bringing a new group of people into anime fandom and into conventions,
Gavigan noted. To acknowledge those fans, Anime Central staged a "Pokemon
call" where fans imitated the sounds of their favorite characters. |
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Merrill likes the influx of young people who, entranced by Pokemon
and Sailor Moon, have discovered the wider world of anime. "It's not something
where you have to be part of a secret society to enjoy it," he said. "This
is a medium that is a mass medium. American comic books are made for a
small audience. Japanese animation isn't a small, secret thing." |
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Gavigan and Merrill agree that new shows, broadcast on U.S. television,
that appeal to younger fans have meant a young and more female group of
anime fans and crowds at conventions, But what will happen in ten years
when the Sailor Moon and Pokemon fans, now in junior high school, are in
charge of conventions and take prominent posts in anime fandom? Neither
man would hazard a guess on what will happen. |
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