Another Otaking Follower

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labsenpai
Posts: 181
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:48 pm
Anime Fan Since: 1985

Another Otaking Follower

Post by labsenpai »

Ohayo from Ohio! Gah, that sounds face palm worthy.
My name is Lee Barber, and I've been doing what I can for the bone-dry anime scene here in the corn-belt since 1989. My initial exposure to modern anime occurred in Cleveland when AKIRA and LAPUTA were on the art film circuit. I was also able to watch videos at an Indianapolis comic book show, provided by the venerable Dayton Animation Club. Nothing really fell into my hands though until I made a connection through the Anime Hasshin fanzine, to a true senpai in Los Angeles who traded master tapes for my illustration pieces. Of course, it was those incredible tapes that impressed fellow otaku more than my art.

Horribly, I picked the one university where nobody seemed interested in anime. So, I had to become a "satellite" member of midwestern college groups, namely Akron U, Purdue, and Ohio State. If you are familiar with the Venice archive or productions of Killer Nuts Anime, then you know what the latter club was doing in the mid-90's (with hijacked university hardware maybe...) For the most part, I was there to share the latest recordings from my west coast pal and make sojourns to conventions. MY first event was OTAKON 95, where the "King" himself told us that we were the next otaku generation. That was one highlight, another was actually making it to AX in 1996 and meeting my distant client with a million laserdiscs.

I'd say all the marvels lasted about a decade, vanishing after campuses and convention halls were replaced with career snafus and splitting paths. I'm glad that the internet tech my peers built has lasted, and the goal of a digital supply more or less direct from Japan has been met. Maybe I can't be the next Shirow or Sonoda, but watching Miyazaki with my young nieces is just as sweet. Telling tales here sounds fun too!
davemerrill
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Anime Fan Since: 1984
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Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by davemerrill »

Hello, and welcome to the past! The AnimePast, that is.
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yusaku
Posts: 257
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Anime Fan Since: 1988
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Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by yusaku »

Hi Labsenpai! Welcome. You found a good place to be on the net. I lost touch with a lot of my anime clique. You will meet new people here; and some familiar people may come through sometime.
***^__^***
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usamimi
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Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by usamimi »

Welcome to the board! Ah, I know the feeling...I was the one who got tapes & introduced members of my local anime club to things back in the day, too. Memories, eh?

I almost wish I had nieces/nephews/cousins to show Miyazaki (and other stuff) to! XD It really is fun to get kids into the stuff that's actually meant for kids.
*:・゚・✧ TwitterThe Anime Nostalgia Tumblr & Podcast ✧・゚・:*
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greg
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:00 pm
Anime Fan Since: 1989 (consciously)
Location: Shizuoka-ken, Japan
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Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by greg »

Welcome, Lee! Sure, it's a bad pun, but I am jealous that you got to use it!
My presence on the Net, with plenty of random geekiness:
My homepage
My YouTube channel
My Flickr photostream
My Tumblr page
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Kame-Sen'nin
Posts: 451
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:20 am
Anime Fan Since: 1996

Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by Kame-Sen'nin »

Welcome to the board Lee!
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Daniel
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Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:56 pm
Anime Fan Since: 199X年
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Re: Another Otaking Follower

Post by Daniel »

Welcome, welcome!
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