DOVER — They talked costumes and video gaming, Japanese animation, characters and comic books.
The Delaware Anime Society gathered at the Dover Library on Saturday for a mini-convention that drew several dozen enthusiasts.
Evan Meinhold, 20, of Magnolia, was clearly in his own element, quickly and enthusiastically rattling off the benefits of gathering with like-minded individuals,
“It’s the friends, the raffles, building your own character, seeing all the Anime costumes, having fun, being around people who are as interested as you are,” said the Delaware Technical Community College student majoring in chemistry and physics.
After shedding his modernized Joker costume, Demarcus Rivera, 20, of Dover, reminisced on what sparked his love of comic books, the animation and video games that followed.
“My dad gave me a dusty 1963 Spiderman comic book he took from the attic and it just clicked,” said Rivera, studying game design at an online college.
Scanning the library area where Minicon unfolded, Mr. Rivera said it was “fun to go around and see people in costumes, how they interpret the character and what spin they put on it.”
Dressed as Team Rocket from Pokemon fame, Rebecca Moy, 19, of Lincoln, was soaking up the togetherness she described as an “inclusive environment. It’s nice to feel part of a group where many people can talk about the same interests and not be looked at as weird.”
Ms. Moy plans to translate her costume design interests after graduating from the University of Delaware with a major degree in apparel design and minor in fashion.
Taking the character of “William Spears the Black Butler” of animation and comic book publications, UD international relations major Victoria Szubielski, 19, of Magnolia, echoed the thrill of being with “people who share similar interests. I like the idea that you can have conversations with people who know what you are talking about.”
Drawn to the depth of Japanese Anime story lines, a costumed Christina Fitzcharles, 29, of Lincoln, said she likes dressing up because, “It gets me away from real life.
“Some of the costumes are amazing, and when I see them on TV or in a video game, I think ‘Oh, I want to be like that.”
The Delaware Anime Society was established in 2002, and has grown to 681 members on a mailing list and over 900 Facebook followers. More information is online at delawareanimesociety.com.