© Richard HuangOn August 5, 2023, I was shopping at King Square Shopping Centre in Markham when a group of people in unusual costumes came walking toward me. Looking in the direction they had come from, I saw a crowd filling the parking lot: Toronto’s first Chinese anime convention was under way.
© Richard HuangCompared with Canada’s largest anime convention, the nearly thirty-year-old Anime North, this inaugural Chinese anime convention could not compete in either size or attendance. It was still in its infancy.
© Richard HuangThe scale was not the only difference: this convention had moved out of the exhibition hall and into a parking lot. One advantage of holding it there was free admission. Another distinction was the much stronger Chinese presence.
© Richard HuangMost of the vendors at this Chinese anime convention were Chinese, and there seemed to be quite a few young entrepreneurs among them. That set it apart from mainstream conventions, where large commercial vendors tend to dominate.
© Richard HuangThe better-established vendors put up tents. Smaller sellers simply parked at their pitches and opened their trunks, instantly turning them into stalls. That is one advantage of staging a convention in a parking lot.
© Richard HuangThe merchandise included all kinds of model toys and character figurines.
© Richard HuangThere was also a wide range of anime merchandise.
© Richard HuangThere were gaming booths too, along with racing simulators and other displays.
© Richard HuangIf you are photographing a convention in a parking lot, you have to capture some of that parking-lot character 😎
© Richard HuangA parking-lot anime convention has another advantage: it makes displaying customized vehicles easy.
© Richard HuangAll sorts of eye-catching cars, covered in equally dazzling decals, looked perfectly at home on display in the parking lot.
© Richard HuangTesla also made the most of the occasion, taking over several pitches to showcase its latest electric vehicles. Whenever anyone asked when they would be delivered, the answer was always the same: no one knew. The unspoken message was: prepare to wait.
© Richard HuangSpeaking of decals, this anime fan’s version was the most economical and practical of all: it caught the eye and was sure to please the boss.
© Richard HuangThe anime fans were the happiest people there. Dressed as characters from all kinds of anime, they braved the baking sun in layer upon layer of heavy clothing. Their enthusiasm truly matched the heat.
© Richard HuangBecause this was a Chinese anime convention, there were fewer Western characters such as Iron Man—heroes embodying adventure, heroism, and rebellion—and more of the sweet, innocent sensibility associated with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean animation.
© Richard HuangIt was hard to tell whether the anime fans had come to see the convention or exhibit at it. They had become part of the show themselves.
© Richard HuangDo not assume Chinese anime is only for Chinese teenagers. One older auntie made it clear that the love of dressing up knows no age. And so, young and old, Black and white, East and West all mingled happily together.
© Richard HuangIn my article “ Anime North 2023,” I asked the AI program ChatGPT about the negative effects of becoming obsessed with anime.
© Richard HuangSeveral months had passed, and I had heard that ChatGPT had made further advances, so I decided to ask it the same question again. Sure enough, its answer was considerably more comprehensive this time:
© Richard HuangAlthough anime has many positive aspects as a form of entertainment, it can also have negative effects. Some possible drawbacks include:
Poor time management: It may make it difficult to manage one’s time, interfering with school, work, and everyday life.
Social isolation: It may lead to withdrawal from real-world social interaction, affecting relationships and the development of social skills.
A distorted sense of reality: The fantastical elements in anime may impair a person’s judgment of the real world, blurring the distinction between fantasy, fact, and logic.
Obsession and addiction: It can become an obsession or addiction, affecting both physical health and mental well-being.
Stereotyping and discrimination: Some anime may contain stereotypes or discriminatory portrayals that shape viewers’ perceptions of different groups.
Reinforcement of negative emotions: Some works may emphasize violence, sadness, and other negative emotions, potentially affecting mood and mental health.
Reduced creativity: It may diminish individual creativity and imagination if too much time is spent passively consuming information.
Distorted values: The values portrayed in some anime may be at odds with social realities and could influence the values of younger viewers.
Physical health problems: Watching anime on a screen for extended periods may cause eye strain, poor posture, and other physical health problems.
Escapism: It may become a means of avoiding real-life problems instead of confronting and resolving them.
© Richard HuangThat is quite a list of problems.
All photographs were taken with a mobile phone.