What to share here that Liz at LA Weekly hasn't in her wonderful post?
Well perhaps some of my more internal feelings regarding this valiant, last moment effort to help the many people now enduring terrible hardships in the aftermath of the Tohoku Quake & ensuing tsunami in Japan. While the many of us stateside watched in growing, creeping horror, many were spurred into action, leading to a volley of events such as this one. But the particular itch this one had for me was multi-fold, and finally taking the time (and much needed money-to be honest) to stop by and support this led to some of the most surreal crossovers I have yet to experience. It was much like a scrappy, small scale surreal & yet hopeful twist on a Fellini film. Everyone other person around you a part of your past. Many in mildly new, yet similar roles to which I has knew them to embrace, and others advancing in ways mysterious.
Where stages of life converge.
To be honest, with the crowd growing, and the energy increasing, Meltdown Comics that night was nothing short of dreamlike. Much like how anime conventions used to feel to me once upon a time, but this time blessed with a sense of knowing. Knowing that we all felt a deeper need to be there. Feeling that this was what many of us had done as workers and as fans of this culture. This was something ingrained deep, and no financial difficulty was going to stop us from helping make it happen.
Whether it be meeting the promoters, the voice actors, or just finally getting acquainted with fellow bloggers in that much anticipated local meetup, I'd say this was effort well made. It's a reminder of why I chose to live in this community, and of what comes when voices come together on common cause, regardless of cosmetic differences, and circumstance. Voice actors, artists, staffers, bloggers, reporters, photographers, co-workers, friends...This is what it means to have community. And with community, whether here, or in Sendai, there is hope.
Special Thanks to Liz Ohanesian, Stephanie Sheh, Dianne Garcia, Chase Wang, Daniella Orihuela Gruber & so many more for making such a memorable evening possible. Here's to doing more for the islands that have given us so much. Cheers.
(Those looking for a return of the usual Kaijyu & Anime Diet shenanigans. A little more patience, please.)
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