Ambitions, goals and art!

Tap, tap, tap, tap, the sounds of finger tapping on a table in an uneasy environment. Silence and the sound of Trey’s fingers were the only sounds coming from the corner of the school library that they occupied.

Suddenly the silence is broken when Anthony stands up and shouts, “Girls with guns!”

Trey stands as well, “Ultra violent Seinen!”

Isabel finds herself sighing again as it somehow became her role to bring them and the group together, “Guys, we need to appeal to the masses, I don’t think we are going to do that with sex and violence and…um… sex and violence.”

Trey, “The masses? Pfft! I made up my mind to never compromise my beliefs and hobbies again!”

Anthony, “Wow! So cool! Well said! I expect nothing less from my hero and savior!”

Trey, “Who are you again?”

“Ack!” Anthony lets out a comedic grunt and falls back to his seat, deflated and with his head down on the table.

“Okay maybe I overgeneralized a bit but I do think it’s in our best interest to try to appeal to the mainstream, the group purpose is to get others to appreciate the hobby as well.” Isabel says.

“Yeah but that’s the problem, people can’t accept different things.” Trey snaps back with snark.

“Yeah and we decided to face the world and change things right?”

Trey bashfully turns away.

“But…” Isabel continues on, “In order to fix the problems, knowing what they are, is the starting point.”

“Well if problems are what you’re looking for, we have plenty.” Trey leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head, “Our biggest problem is that the teachers are trying to make clubs into a college checklist. Whenever they talk about them they make it about adding to our college résumé. They really are pushing things like Science fair club, Environmental club or hell even arts and craft. If people have it in their mind that they have to use clubs to get into college, Japanese cartoons are going to be a hard sell.”

Anthony suddenly blurts out, “It’s not just cartoons…anime…anime…” his voice becomes quieter and lower, “...Anime makes me happy.”

The area becomes silent again as they all take in everything that was just said and contemplate their options.

Isabel turns and looks at Anthony, in deep thought she thinks, “Isn’t it important, something that makes you happy, gives you courage and brings light to your life? How is that not valuable?”

“Ok guys, good meeting. I think we really all got a lot to think about. We should really de-stress by going on our very own beach episode soon.” Isabel says while insincerely laughing to herself. “Lunch is almost over, so I’m going to go ahead and get ready for my next class.” She waves to them as they acknowledge her leaving and then they begin to start to pack up as well.

Isabel walks to her locker, with a few remaining minutes left in lunch voices can be heard coming from the cafeteria and outdoors as stupids laugh and chat it up during the last few minutes they have left before being forced to depart and head to their next classes. All the voices and topics stir up more thoughts in Isabel's head about the subject that was discussed during the club.

“What is the link, what do students find enjoyable? What do teachers appreciate? What makes anime valuable? Is it? Is it possible to universally appeal to people? If anime is that, how come I can’t find the answer?” More and more questions continue to flood her head. Without any answers coming to her head she decides to try to take her mind off the subject and hum a song to keep her mind busy.

“hmm hmmmmm huu hmmmm” before she knew it her humming became outright singing.

“No longer what pain comes my waaayyyy.

I will take it on and strive.

Even if I sat her all alone.

I will know it’s enough that I’m still here and alive.

The power I have in my heart will help me rebuild.”

A song from an ending to an anime she was watching. As much as she wouldn’t to continue she arrives at her class right as the first bell rings and enters and has a seat.

“Good afternoon Isabel.” The art teacher, who stood at a shorter than average 5’6”, at least in this country, with short black hair and glasses and a white dress shirt, greeted her.

“Good afternoon Sayavong-sensei!”

Isabel's response is met with a confused expression from the teacher, who watched her without immediately responding for a few seconds.

“Um…actually I’m Laos, not Japanese.”

“Oh no! I didn’t say that because you’re asian…” realizing the damage is already done, she resides herself to the current situation and sits down in her chair.

With three minutes left until the second rings, the other students make their way in the room and start to take their seats while the teacher continues to prepare for the class, placing the books he pulls out of his bag either to the left of him or the right and then starts to right on the board. On one side of the board he writes in big letters with his blue marker, “Expressionism” and to the right of it, with a red marker he writes, “Impressionism”.

The second bell rings signaling the start of class and the arrival of anyone else being considered tardy.

“Alright class” Mr. Sayavong starts, “Today we are going to continue the projects we started yesterday and then at the middle of the class we are going to go around the class and discuss what we drew using the techniques and styles we discussed earlier.”

With that statement the students enthusiastically pulled out their artbooks and began drawing things that each and everyone liked. The works included a variety of sports cars, aliens and monsters from movies and even flowers, portraits and cityscapes. With just as much passion as the other students Isabel begins attempting to draw anime inspired characters and poses. All the students seem to go into a focused creative state.

“All the things you are drawing, you are drawing for a reason. A key component to art is emotion, try to think of a way to express this in your art.” Sayavong says as he walks around the room observersing the students as they start to draw.

“Yeah, art is expression.” Isabel thinks, “Like when all of Princess Bun Nee’s friends were defeated and she attempted to sacrifice herself to save them and the world. It was happy, sad, powerful and…and…”

Isabel looks around the room at all the other works of famous paintings and drawings from artists over the years and looks at hers. She then thinks back to what the teacher said, “express this in your art.” and turns and watches him walk around the room.

“Art can tell a story, on a much deeper level. You may see a woman in this picture but have you asked yourself why she’s in the picture? Why is she smiling? What can you hear the creator saying?” Sayavong says.

Isabel looks back at her drawing, “What I am saying? I was just imitating her art. Wait…what was she saying.” Isabel recalls all the anime and manga she has seen over the years: war torn worlds, relationships, reincarnations, victories and losses. They just kept flooding into her head one after another.

“That’s it!” Shouts out loud. “I know what I must do.”

Everyone in the classroom including the teacher pauses and stares at Isabel who stood up out of excitement but before anyone could say anything or respond to her actions she shouts out.

“I have to go to the bathroom!” and runs out the room.

Everyone in the room just stares at where Isabel once stood and almost in unison they all go, “Ehhhh?!”

Outside the classroom Isabel darts down the hall.

“If I recall correctly after lunch Trey and Anthony both have…um…Math class together! Math, math, math.” She continues to repeat herself to stimulate her thoughts and remember where the class is located. “Ah, the second floor.” She heads to the hallway and down the sets of stairs to the general education floor, which starts from room 200 to 210.

“Okay, I did not have a plan here. I guess I’ll just look into the rooms until I see them.” She walks up to room 200 and peers in quickly trying not to be noticed. Not seeing them in the room she steps back and looks down the long hall. “I know how this situation works, with my luck they will end up being in the last classroom. Time to outsmart destiny!”

Isabel runs down the hall and starts checking at room 210.

They were in room 203.

Mentally exhausted from her loss to destiny, Isabel looks into room 203 and sees Trey and Anthony in the classroom and perks up.

“Now how do I get their attention? Oh I know!”

Isabel gets close to the closed door and taps on the window and immediately ducks under the window out of visibility so that she won’t get caught.

In the classroom, one or two students briefly look at the door and then turn away.

“Drats! One more time.”

She moves up higher and taps on the window slightly louder and ducks down again.

“Come on notice me…wait, this plan makes no sense. What am I doing?!”

She pauses, “Okay! Time for the direct approach. I went this far, I have to continue.”

Isabel stands tall and takes a deep breath and opens the door.

“Sorry, I’m late. My locker got stuck, ha ha ha…” Realizing the boldness of her actions she begins to start to tremble. “Oh wait, this is the wrong room.” She then makes a comedic anime pose to ease her own nerves, sticking out her tongue, winking and putting her fist against her head.

Trey eyes widen and he looks at her with complete shock, thinking that she has gone mad he can’t help but to not stop looking at this train wreck.

Isabel, “W…well…I should get going. It’s not like I need to talk to anyone in this room or anything. You know in the hallway. Sorry! Goodbye forever!” Then she darts out of the room, face completely red.

Anthony jumps up out of his chair turning the attention from the stupefied classroom from Isabel to him, “Teacher!! I have to go to the bathroom!”

Anthony heads towards the door and then stops and turns back and looks at Trey, “Oh Trey, can you help me?”

“HELP YOU!?” Trey exclaims at the completely absurd remark that he just stated in front of the whole class.

“Yeah, you know, heellllppp me” he begins winking.

Trey facepalms and slowly walks to the door joining him.

“Hey! Where are you two going!” The teacher exclaims as they walk out the door.

Everyone in the room just stares at where they once stood and almost in unison they all go, “Ehhhh?!”

Out in the hallway Trey and Anthony spot Isabel standing by the stairway and walk over to her.

“Are you insane?!” Trey says

“That was crazy cool.” Anthony says

“Guys, I have the answer to the problem. Anime is art! And we are going to show them why.”

Soon a big dark shadow looms over them and interrupts their conversation.

“Well I hope you three don’t have anything planned after school today. Ditching is not something that’s tolerated here and you will be subject to an hour detention in the study hall after school today.” The principal says with a stern expression befitting his gruff no nonsense buzz cut, thick eyebrows and square chin. “Now go back to your classes.”

“Sorry.” They all say as they head off towards their rooms.

Despite the situation, Isabel's eyes shined with a magnificent glow. She had made up her mind, she wasn’t going to show the school what anime meant to her but what it meant to their creators and it was going to be great. Every situation and scenario she had in her mind put a giant smile on her face.