Every Thursday, Cherry Hill East’s Anime Club meets in F083, the Computer Graphics room.

Club president Jean Harrell (’11), vice president John Cintron (’12), and seniors Paulina Gallo (’11) and Shannon Enstad (’11) are the officers running the club this year.

During a typical club meeting, members watch anime and eat food and drinks.  If there’s time left before the late bus comes, everyone has fun debating heatedly over a silly or controversial topic.

So far this year the club has watched anime TV shows Hetalia, Mitsudomoe, and Sora no Otoshimono (“Heaven’s Lost Property”), and is currently going through the episodes of Kuragehime (“Jellyfish Princess”), a show that centers around a young woman living in Tokyo who has an obsession with jellyfishes and fears attractive people.   After the club finishes with Kuragehime, members will vote on which show, or what anime film, to watch next. Genres range from horror to sci-fi to comedy.

Since many members are also artists who enjoy drawing in the anime and manga style, Anime Club’s officers also offer to give drawing lessons or just give tips in general, whether it’s a question regarding the anatomy of the character sketches or digital art computer skills.

This summer, Anime Club hopes to visit Animenext in Summerset, New Jersey.  The event, a convention that offers an abundance of anime and manga franchise, activities, costume contests and panels, will last two days, starting on June 10 and ending on the 12.

No guidelines, no pressure. Anime Club is just a laid-back club for all fans of the Japanese animation and comics to hang out.   Besides, “with all the laughter while watching Anime,” President Jean Harrell (’11) said, “you’re bound to have fun.”