St. Louis Post-Dispatch 

April 20, 1994, WEDNESDAY, FIVE STAR Edition 

SECTION: ST. CHARLES; Pg. 3 

LENGTH: 565 words 

HEADLINE: SOCIETY OFFERS JAPANESE ANIMATED FILMS 

BODY: 


The Anime Society of St. Charles will mark its first anniversary with showings 
of Japanese animated films on two nights. 

Films from that country were chosen because they are so popular with animation 
fans these days, explains Chuck Lovelace, co-chairman of the society. 

Most of the characters have oversized eyes and use lots of facial expressions. 

"Their characters express a lot of emotion without speaking," he said. 

The mini-film festivals will be at 6 p.m. on May 14 and May 28 at the St. Peters 
Cultural Arts Center, Mexico Road and Venture Drive. 

There is no cost, and the showings are open to all age groups. 

"It appeals to both the young and adults," said Lovelace. 

Anyone thinking cartoons are just for kids need only look to Japan, he says. 

"Animated shows make up 38 percent of Japanese television, and most occupy the 7 
to 9 p.m. time slots," Lovelace said. 

Japanese producers seldom make an animated show unless its predecessor, a comic 
book, was successful, he adds. 

"A scrutiny of any subway will almost always yield some comic book-reading 
businessmen," Lovelace said. 

On May 14, the society will show about eight episodes of "Ramna 1/2," a Japanese 
series about a panda that turns into a human when it gets wet. 

On May 28, the festival will focus on Project A-ko, a comedy in Japan about the 
adventures of some schoolgirls, including one who is a superhero from 
outerspace. 

In the United States, animation is growing in popularity thanks to such 
successes as television's "The Simpsons" and Disney's recent animated movies, 
such as "Aladdin." 

"As people watch those, they're getting an interest in other types of animation 
you don't see on TV," said Lovelace. 

While his group has been concentrating this first year on Japanese animation, it 
will focus more on American animation in the fall. 

At their meetings, the group's members usually watch an animated film or two. 

"Some are comedies, some are dramas, some histories, mysteries or horror," said 
Lovelace. 

The group meets from 6 to 9 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each 
month at the St. Peters Cultural Arts Center. 

The St. Charles society is one of 30 or 40 in the United States. Most of the 
local group's 63 members are in their 20s and are people with an interest in 
art, comics and high-tech pursuits, such as watching interactive movies on laser 
disc. 

They also keep in touch with American animated film companies such as DIC 
Enterprises, which produces "Sonic, the Hedgehog," and Saban Entertainment, 
producers of today's most popular animated show, the "Mighty Morphin Power 
Rangers." 

Both cartoon programs can be seen regularly on television on the Fox network. 

The society's goal this year, says Lovelace, is to follow in the footsteps of 
the industry leaders by producing a five-minute animated short feature. 

The members will draw separate pictures for every motion made in the film and 
then scan these pictures, or cells, into a computer animation program. The final 
product will be created by hooking a video camera to the computer. 

"We'll get it accomplished in a year," said Lovelace, who is a drafting 
technician in the development department of St. Charles. "It's not like just 
turning on a camcorder." 

For more information about The Anime Society, call Lovelace at 278-1701 or write 
the society at Box 1191, St. Peters 63376.