April 1990 Pt.1d UK Anime Fandom.

For the first time, new fans and Pen-Pals alike gathered, even the 'Zentraedi' spies (Ian, Keith & Paul Davison) where in attendance. People so infused with a passion for Japanese Animation to get the recognition that Anime was a new frontier worth exploring!

I can not after all this time (24 years have passed by) remember all those who where there at the meeting, only a few stick in my mind, luckily some of my letters from fellow UK Anime fans that have survived to this day to fill the gaps in my memory.

EASTCON '90 meeting attendees:-

Ashley (editor of Mektek), Carlo Bernhardi (Myself), Paul Davison, Ian (friend of Paul Davison), Keith (friend of Paul Davison), Helen McCarthy, Richard Poffley, and Jim Swallow (James Swallow).

Helen McCarthy would like to add; Peter J. Evans, Peter Evans, Harry Payne, Wil Overton, David Rowe, and Jonathan Weeks, to the list of attendees.

[NOTE: I will endeavour to contact as many attendees for their recollections of that day as I can.]

Jonathan Weeks Wrote "I never attended any Eastercons. My first contact with fandom was Animeday (1991)" (Posted on FB messenger march 2020).

DATE to be confirmed June\July 1990 (as Helen's first house meeting is Saturday 21st. July)

[ Post EasterCon'90 Contact news-sheet, the Proto-AnimeUK Newsletter. added in honor of the up and coming 30th Anniversary of the first Gathering of UK Anime Fans in April  of 1990 ]

What follows is passages from the Post EasterCon'90 Contact news-sheet (from Helen McCarthy & Steve Kyte), I hope these last few Blog pages have given you all an insight into what it was like and how it all started.

“KONNICHIWA!

Japanese for "hello, how are you," it seems a good way to start.

You're getting this because you were at the EASTCON 90 bar meeting or else have written to me to express an interest in Anime Fandom in the UK, and since it didn't really exist before EASTCON you're part of the setup crew!

It was nice to meet so many Anime enthusiasts at the con and I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to talk more to everyone running most of a programme stream plus the Art Show is a silly thing to do and doesn't leave you time for much else but hope to remedy this in the next few months. As I said at the con.

I think the 'best way we can ensure the wider circulation of Anime tapes and easier contact between fans is to do a newsletter and fanzine which will at least provide a point of contact to start with, and to try and set up viewing sessions in as many areas as possible.

Please get in touch with. others on the attached list and please set up local showings if you can.

Let us have any Information for future issues of the news-sheet - addresses~. contacts, anything you think would be of interest to other fans.

And now for the news from ANIME UK.....

“Don't forget to ask the organisers of any convention you are Interested in if they would run an Anime showing, and put them :n touch with me if they're interested."

[NOTE: Helen & Steve included an open house for viewings, as many of us did in those days. People all huddled around a small TV in a front-room or Bed-room.]

SATURDAY 21ST JULY - 2 p.m. NIGHT ON THE GALACTIC RAILROAD; PATLABOR; other items. Mostly in Japanese.

SUNDAY 5TH AUGUST - 2 p.m. BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: THE FIVE STAR STORIES, other items. Mostly in Japanese.

SATURDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER - 2 p.m. Programme TBA depending what we get in the interim.

We have only a certain amount of oxygen in the living-room so we CAN'T take more than ten people per showing. If you want to come please phone or write right away and book your airspace!

ANYONE ELSE WHO CAN HOLD SHOWINGS PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO I CAN PUBLISH DETAILS.

PLEASE WRITE on anything anime related - this newsletter needs your input!!!!!!!

[There was a contact List including 27 UK individuals...]

These 27 individuals are by no means the only Anime Fans known in the UK as of June 1990, just those that were in contact with Helen McCarthy, nor is it a complete list of  Anime Fan attendees at Easter Con '90, as far as I know.
[NOTE: I will endeavour to contact as many attendees for their recollections of that day as I can.]

To be continued..........Post Con thoughts...