UCJAS
university of chicago japanese animation society

fall quarter

SFFDMMB

For many years in the past, a small movie-screening gathering called Garden Party had been held at the beginning of the year, where an animated film was accompanied by officers' handmade treats to welcome new members to club. However, in Yida's reign this was erased. Now, the SFFDMMB has arrived to fill the voids left in our hearts with the destruction of Garden Party. At the Special Fantastic First Day Movie Marathon Bonanza, the officers pick one movie to screen via completely unbiased voting (yay for the hoax that is democracy!) and pull together food from several local restaurants to feed the teeming masses of people waiting for yet another Miyazaki film. Just kidding! We've never shown a Miyazaki (or even Studio Ghibli) film at an SFFDMMB; as if we would subjugate ourselves to something so mainstream.

spring quarter

ACen Skit

Every year, we plan and perform a skit at the Midwest's largest anime convention: Anime Central, aka ACen. ACen takes place usually on a weekend in May, and it is a three-day-long experience, for those who have never been before. The skit can accommodate up to eight people, but officers get first pick of taking part. Regardless of skill level, whether in acting, cosplaying, or otherwise, anyone can participate in skit. Check the designated ACen Participation page.
Cosplay Sweatshop

Usually held some time before ACen, Cosplay Sweatshop is a great opportunity to develop your cosplay hobby. Beginners can learn basic skills involved in cosplay making, while those with more experience can pick up and share many tips and tricks our club has accumulated from collective experience.
Mitsuwa Trip

On years where we come out of uchi-con and ACen with a budget surplus, our club charters a bus trip to Mitsuwa, a large supermarket complex at Arlington Heights. Besides the supermarket, there's also Kinokuniya bookstore (which has a wide selection of manga), a Japanese food court, and the opportunity to witness the UCJAS grand battle for all the turtle bread in the bakery.

year-round

Game Night

In one of the earlier weekends of each quarter, we host UCJAS Games Night as an extra way of letting us get to know our new members before university crushes us all. We play a variety of games there, from Smash to Anime Music Quiz to our large collection of board games. Rumor has it that the club won a mysterious game called Tragedy Looper in a past ACen event, but to this day nobody has managed to learn the rules to it. We end off with our special Anime Charades, featuring a selection of anime (from the depths of trash to the heights of culture) curated by our lovely Jester.
Reg Sleepover

During finals week of most quarters, club has a "sleepover" in the Reg. We conspire to sneak takeout past the unsuspecting entrance attendant, and proceed to play anime games and relax in our own little private room while everyone else suffers the wrath of the UChicago academic workload outside.