The Fayetteville, NC Anime Club is a local club for anime and manga fans, a hidden gem tucked away in Fayetteville's community.

The local Anime Club provides a welcoming space for anime and manga enthusiasts to connect with others, indulge in their shared passion, and forge lasting friendships while having a great time.

Anime Club is an excellent place to meet fellow anime fans, make new friendships, watch and talk about anime together, and have fun.

Jessica Bundy, one of the founders of the Fayetteville, NC Anime Club, spoke with Up & Coming Weekly about the club's origins.

Fayetteville’s local libraries had anime clubs for high school students. It was a wonderful place for teens to socialize and share their passion for anime, she said.

Unfortunately, there was no place for the teens to go once they aged out of the group. Then the librarian suggested they start their own anime club, and the Fayetteville, NC Anime Club was born.

The Anime Club meets twice a month on the second and fourth Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. The meetings are held at Beans and Things Coffee shop located at 5554 Yadkin Road, where food and drinks are available for purchase.

There will be meetings on July 22 and Aug. 12. Future meetings will be on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FayettevilleNCAnimeClub

During certain months, they may only meet once a month because of holidays or special events. Any upcoming cancellations of future meetings will be on their Facebook page.

An Anime Club meeting usually involves showing a few episodes of either the latest anime show or an older one. There is a wide range of interests among the members. For instance, some people play Magic the Gathering while anime plays in the background.

Anime is a Japanese word for animation and means any animated film, unlike Manga which is printed cartoons. Anime also refers to Japanese animation. Anime-influenced animation refers to anime-inspired animation produced outside Japan.

Anime is popular globally and is a billion-dollar business. Famous anime shows that might sound familiar are Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, One Punch Man, Pokémon, Sailor Moon, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia. According to Netflix, over half of their 200 million-plus global subscribers watched anime in 2021.

To one of the Fayetteville Anime Club founders, the club represents more than a shared interest.

Jessica Bundy says, “It’s making friends ... hanging out with people who are just as excited about these things as I am. It’s a lot about friendship and community.”

For local anime enthusiasts, the Fayetteville, NC Anime Club is a hidden gem. It offers a community where stories are shared and friendships are created. Whether you are an anime enthusiast, or curious about anime, consider stepping into the world of the Fayetteville, NC Anime Club, where the sense of community and the shared passion for anime create an experience unlike any other.