With students returning to in-person learning, the issues that surrounded zoom, including frozen screens and slow wifi, are over. Anime club now has the chance to share a screen in a new way. 

Anime club members socialize, discuss and watch anime during Wednesday PIT in Room 1503. You can check out the club’s description by going to the student PIT portal, clicking any Wednesday and choosing “Anime Club.” Anime club welcomes everyone, experienced or inexperienced.

“This week’s show is called ‘Erased,’” President Angelica Burtscher said. “‘Erased’ is a show on Netflix and it is about the main character, Satoru Fujinuma, who can travel back in time to save others’ lives. When he wakes up 18 years in the past, he has a chance to save his murdered classmates.” 

Burtscher took the job of president over from her sister, who led the club in years past. Her favorite anime is called “Doctor Stone,” and she hopes to share it and other favorites with the club’s new members. 

“I got into anime really young,” Burtscher said. “It just started by watching Pokémon on TV and transitioned into watching anime.” 

COVID-19 prevented members from bringing snacks during Anime Club due to health safeties. The club’s officers and sponsor wanted to keep their members safe, so sharing food was prohibited. But this year, you can bring in your own snacks while watching the show. 

“We typically watch anime and talk,” Burtscher said. “There are usually snacks but we are trying to figure that out.” 

 Burtscher said she would be ecstatic if she could inspire love of anime through the club, and she hopes that new-watchers would be able to have a lot more fun in meetings because of it. For some members, however, anime has been part of their life for a while.

“Once my dad brought me to Pacific Mall, an Asian mall in Canada, and I saw ‘Sailor Moon’ merchandise,” club member Gabriela Diaz said. “After watching it, I wanted to watch and know more about anime”

Sophomore Vladislav Kondratev is another member of the club who says he hopes to connect with people who share his interests by joining the club. 

“During my freshman year, I saw an ad on the wall and asked my friends what it was,” Kondratyev said. “I was interested because before I was just watching anime by myself.”

“Knowing that the club led someone to a new pastime would make me really happy,” Burtscher said. “I hope that they will be able to have a lot more fun in meetings because of it.