header image

About Us

Club Mission

↑ back to top ↑

The University of Toronto Anime and Manga Association (UTAMA) was founded in September 2004. The club was formed with the intention of bringing together people who are alike in being interested in Japanese animated and illustrated media (henceforth referred to as anime and manga, respectively). Through regular meetings, contests, and events, members of UTAMA seek to spread awareness and appreciation of this niche form of entertainment throughout the university community.

In 2009, we were deemed Top Anime, Comics, Gaming (ACG) Club in North America.

What is Anime?

↑ back to top ↑

Anime is a particular style of animation developed in Japan, characterized by stylized art, colorful characters, diverse settings, and intriguing plots. Popular genres include (but not limited to):

Mecha
A type of anime involving battles between giant robots, often in space. Many mecha series touch upon social-political-military issues in an imaginary universe, often with anti-war undertones. Lamentably, many of these series are tainted by the presence of overly angsty and pacifist protagonists. Examples of mecha anime include "Gundam" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion".
Shoujo
Shoujo is Japanese for "young girl". This type of anime often deals with love between young adults as well as the trials and tribulations these characters undergo in their flowering relationships. Examples of Shoujo anime include "Kare Kano" (aka His and Her Circumstances).
High School
High School animes are often of a comedic nature, focusing on the every-day lives of a small group or class of students. "Fanservice", or gratuitous scenes of anime females in revealing or compromising positions, is not at all uncommon in this genre of anime. Examples of High School anime include "Azumanga Daioh" and "School Rumble".
Samurai/Ninja
Samurai and ninjas are Medieval Japan’s equivalent of Western knights and Special Forces, respectively. Anime of this genre often revolve around a young character’s quest to train and develop his or her skills in order to defeat increasingly powerful (and increasingly ridiculous) enemies. Examples of this genre of anime include "Rurouni Kenshin", "Nabari no Ou", and "Naruto".
Hentai
Hentai is Japanese for "perverted". Needless to say this is not a genre encouraged or shown by UTAMA, although one must admit that it is certainly popular, especially among the Japanese.

What is Manga?

↑ back to top ↑

Manga is a term that refers to illustrated Japanese comics. Manga usually comes in either in beautifully bound volumes or in serial form published weekly in magazines. Manga is virtually inseparable from anime, as many anime series have their origins in manga form. A variation of manga is doujinshi, which is a term reserved for unofficial works done by amateur mangaka (manga writers), often based on official mangas.

Membership and Meetings

↑ back to top ↑

UTAMA is open to all members of the University of Toronto community. Our membership varies from aspiring doujin artists to fansubbers to casual fans.

Regular meetings are held roughly every 3 weeks at locations around the university campus, usually on Wednesdays or Thursdays starting from 6:00 pm and ending around 10:00 pm. A number of episodes from several anime series are shown at each meeting, the specific series/episode usually decided by vote. Refreshments are provided at each meeting.

The membership fee for UTAMA is $2 per meeting or $10 per academic year.

Events

↑ back to top ↑

In addition to regular meetings, UTAMA hosts fanart contests, sushi dinners, trips to anime conventions (Anime North, CNAnime), picnics, movie nights, and more. Although we strive to keep everyone informed via e-mail, our website, and our RSS feed, Members are urged to follow our forums for up-to-date information on our various events.

Library Policy

↑ back to top ↑

UTAMA hosts a small but growing manga library. Currently, the library is "reference only" until a new system can be devised. The executive appreciate any suggestions you may have on this matter.

Club Constitution

↑ back to top ↑

Coming soon?

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the club, please feel free to contact us via email at utama@utoronto.ca or drop by during our Office Hours.