By Luis Adoni Salazar, Barrio Alegría
I still remember the first anime I ever watched. It was Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya, and it felt like stepping into a whole new world. I’ve loved anime ever since. So when I heard about Shin Sekai Anime Fest, my first anime convention, I got that same feeling all over again.
Shin Sekai Anime Fest happens Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. 5th St., Reading. People are invited to dress up as their favorite characters, shop from local vendors, and watch some classic anime together. Barrio Alegría is putting it together with The Wonder of Anime, a local anime blogger and creator.
Lisa De La Cruz, creator of The Wonder of Anime, says events like this matter for Reading. “Reading has always had a big anime fan base, and it’s important to give the community the space to express their love of anime. It gives new and old fans an accessible way to participate in fandom.”
She hopes people leave feeling like they belong. “Anime Fest-Shin Sekai is a welcoming place for every type of fan: new to anime, lifelong anime fan, or just curious. This event brings the best from big anime conventions to a small local scale.”
The venue will have four areas, each named after a different anime. The Main Stage is the heart of the festival. The UA Academy section will host crafts and games. The Kame House section is where the vendors will be. The Going Merry section will be the film screening and karaoke room.
The day starts at 10 a.m. with a My Hero Academia meetup, coloring activities, and a Naruto screening. At 10:30 a.m., there’s a Jujutsu Kaisen meetup. At 11 a.m., there’s a Magical Girls meetup and a flower sword craft. At 11:30 a.m., there’s a One Piece meetup.
At noon, Lisa De La Cruz hosts a live podcast with Victoria from Moonies Club, plus Poké Ball crafts. At 1 p.m., there’s anime trivia and a Pikachu craft. At 2 p.m., there’s a cosplay competition, with a Kurama craft. At 3 p.m., a voice acting contest closes out the day, along with a Studio Ghibli-inspired Susuwatari craft. Vendors will be selling their wares all day.
Elaine Lopez, one of the organizers with Barrio Alegría, wasn’t very familiar with anime before working on this event. Now she sees it differently. “I don’t know too much about anime, but one thing I do know is that it’s a whole different world. Working on this convention, I have learned so much and realized that it’s an entire culture.”
For her, it comes back to what Barrio Alegría is all about. “We look to connect, engage, and most of all, create transformations by creating spaces where you’re allowed to be yourself. Anime brings together people from different backgrounds and generations through a shared passion, creating a space where everyone can belong.”
“Shin Sekai” is a Japanese phrase that means “new world,” and that’s the idea behind the whole event: a space to celebrate anime and make real connections.
Barrio Alegría hopes to see you there on Saturday, July 18.
