What’s up JMACers,

Through yesterday’s Groundhog Day predicts the coming of spring, today in Japan (February 3rd) is Setsubun, the day before the beginning of the spring season. This day is accompanied by a ritual to cleanse away evil for the coming year by throwing beans~

A Few Reminders

Tomorrow, February 4th, is Uchi-con, a one-day convention organized by the University of Chicago’s Japanese Animation Society. On Saturday from 10am-6pm, "poor college students bring you the best free convention on this side of the Atlantic," which includes an artist alley, cosplay contest, game room, karaoke, and a variety of panels! (check out the guidebook for more info)

If you’d like to meet up with JMACers for tomorrow’s (unofficial) event, a group will leave at 10am from Brownstones in the Student Center and commute together from Lincoln Park to Uchi-con~

On February 11th, JMAC will welcome voice actress Erica Mendez! She graduated from DePaul with a BA in Animation in 2011. While she hasn’t completely made use of the actual animation part of her studies, she instead has lent her voice to plenty of animated characters in shows. She’s best known for her roles as Ryuko in Kill la Kill, Gon in Hunter x Hunter (2011), Aladdin in Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Yuuki in Sword Art Online II and Nico in Love Live!

This event includes a Q&A session, a meet-and-greet, and free food! It will take place on Saturday, February 11th from 12 to 4pm in room 254 of the Schmitt Academic Center. For more information, please contact us by email~

Next Week’s Meeting: Winter Quarter Week 6

The next JMAC meeting will be on Monday, February 6th from 4-9pm in room 314A in the Lincoln Park Student Center. Our social hour will be Nerd Jeopardy, beginning at 4pm.

The weekly showing will be Death Parade. In this anime, there is no heaven or hell, but a bartender that challenges pairs of the recently deceased to a game that decides their fate: ascending into reincarnation or falling into the void.

And finally, we will begin the second running series for the winter quarter: GATE. When off-duty officer and otaku Youji Itami attends a doujin convention, a mysterious portal in the shape of a large gate suddenly appears. After supernatural creatures charge and destroy the city, Youji must lead a recon team to restore order and create peace with what lies beyond the gate.

Last Week’s PowerPoint (Week 5)

Check out the latest news in the JMAC powerpoint, which can be accessed online via dropbox~ The theme for this week is the lunar new year!

Included in this week’s powerpoint is the manga of the (half) month about a viking named Thorfinn and a nostalgic music video by a band that has done many anime openings.

Have a spectacular weekend!
Sara S.
JMAC Secretary

JMAC Website