YASUO Takase, Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, was pleased with Saturday’s turnout of participants at the Japanese Animation Film Festival held at the Garden Theatre Audio Visual Centre on the grounds of the St Andrew High School for Girls.

“I’m honoured to see so many participants in front of me. I take it as an indication that you are truly fascinated with the Japanese pop culture of Anime,” said Ambassador Takase to the large audience.

Three Japanese Animation films were on show. These were Miyori in the Sacred Forest; Crayon Shinchan The Storm Called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back; and Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur. All movies were subtitled.

Crayon Shinchan The Storm Called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back with its over-the-top humour mixed with a universal tale about family had film participants laughing till the end.

JA Cosplayaz, who brought various ‘anime’ characters to life on stage, took the time out to showcase Dog/Cat Frenzy, a Japanese-influenced animated short done by Jamaican Andre McLean. Shari Brown was announced as the winner of the Manga Poster Competition put on by the embassy.

“My drawing was of an original character I’d created for my favourite anime, Naruto,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The festival heads to Montego Bay Civic Centre in St James on Saturday.

— Rory Daley