DAS Spotlight for February 2008: Melissa


First Pic: Melissa (in white with reindeer antlers) playing 'Apples to Apples' with many of the DAS card sharks at the DAS 3rd Annual Holiday Anime Minicon on 12/15/07 in Wilmington, DE.

Second Pic: Melissa on stage in her Inara costume singing karaoke at Zenkaikon 2007


  1. Name: Melissa M.

  2. DAS Position/Role: DAS Pennsylvania Chapter (Kanameiji) member (also in charge of meeting write-ups)


  3. Location: Ft. Washington, PA

  4. What are your favorite animes, music, and Asian cinema?
    I'm a big Miyazaki fan - when my uncle was in college and grad school, he had friends who did fan subbing and he used to show me videos of Kiki's Delivery Service, Nausicaa et al. I was so young that I couldn't read the subtitles fast enough and he had to read them to me. Anyway, that's one of my happiest childhood memories.

    As for music, I (of course) enjoy Joe Hisaishi, and I'm crazy about Uematsu. I loved doing karaoke of "Eyes On Me" and "Melodies of Life" in Japan.
  5. Hobbies outside of anime? I love to sing, read, and spend time with small furry animals. I also enjoy tabletop RPGs (White Wolf is my favourite system so far).


  6. What do you like best about the DAS? I like that there's some variety in what we watch and play, and that it's a very democratic atmosphere - everyone gets input.
    .

  7. What do you think the future holds for the DAS? From what I saw last Kanameiji meeting, lots of growth!


  8. Do you cosplay? If so, what are your favorite costume(s)

    I'm a performer, so I'll take any excuse to dress up (Halloween is my favourite holiday). However, my only costume of an actual character was my Inara (of Joss Whedon's Firefly) costume, which I wore at two minicons and Zenkaikon. Some friends dressed as Mal, Wash and Simon. I have several other cosplay ideas brewing, but it would really help if I learned how to use a sewing machine...

  9. Conventions attended and/or staffed?

    I've attended Otakon, Zenkaikon, various DAS minicons


  10. Have you ever named a pet/computer/insert word here after an anime or Asian character? If so, which and why?
    I've considered naming two chinchillas Salsa and March (the twins from Eternal Sonata) or Biggs and Wedge. We'll see what happens when I actually get them.


  11. What theme or institution in anime should be decreased or increased and why?
    I'd like to see more awareness of the variety within anime and recognition that it's a subset of animation, rather than lumping it all together as if it were a genre.


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