UP AME presents AME Monogatari

This org is very special to me. Aside from the fact that I've been a member since first year college (even an officer for a year), it taught me responsibility, initiative, working relations, cooperation, leadership and many others. It introduced me to a variety of TALENTED people and to my awesome friends. I could go on and on about how much this org played a role in improving my personality... which is quite ironic because anime is mostly considered for kids and yet the org helped me grow a lot. I learned so much things from that org... things that you don't learn inside the classroom. Honestly, I can't imagine myself right now if I didn't join that org during my first year.

I can also remember my parents being VERY apprehensive about my joining this org (i.e. I can't go home late from attending meetings) and we'd even fight a lot over it. I kind of understand them because they don't want me to screw up my studies. But then after a few years, I was able to prove my parents that I can balance academics and extra-curricular activities with academics still in top priority.

I'm sure some people laugh at the back of their minds whenever they see "UP Anime Manga Enthusiasts" in my resume. If you look at it from the surface, it seems childish. And maybe yes, it is childish but you have to see past the "anime" and "manga" to see that it's actually some serious business. But that's the best thing about UP AME: it's a mix of fun and work.

The University of the Philippines Anime Manga Enthusiasts (UP AME) is the first-ever recognized collegiate anime organization in the Philippines, and are the same minds behind Una kAME!, kAME ulit!, AME Matsuri, AME Gakuensai, AME 8th Avenue, AME no Jidai and last year's AME Track 10. This year, we are celebrating our 11th anniversary through another event: AME Monogatari.

For more information, check out UP AME's website or the official AME Monogatari Facebook page

If you look closely at the org's profile, you will realize that while the members who organize the event are just anime-loving college students who also have plates, exams and papers to worry about, you can't simply call them "a bunch of kids". I mean, organizing events like this isn't a kiddie task! The org has been pulling this kind of event SEVEN TIMES prior already (successfully, if I may add), five of which I attended as a member. This year is going to be the first time that I'm attending the fair as an alumna. It's set one week before the board exams but I'm still not missing this. Maybe I'll just go home a bit early (not early dawn). You shouldn't miss it too!

I may not be as much of an anime or manga fan as before (gah, maybe I'm growing old and growing too busy... I haven't watched anime for more than a year already) but I love and am proud of my organization just the same.

Edit at 6:35pm (because my AME buddy is an awesome artist and she's not from Fine Arts, she's from ComSci)

Awesome art by Numi. That's just one of her many works. Find more of her art here.