SEATTLE, WA—During high school, Elizabeth Janeway was celebrated for her exemplary leadership as president of Greenwood High’s anime club. A voracious anime fan, Elizabeth constantly kept the club up to date on the best shows of each new season by holding episode screenings during club meetings and even advised her peers on what shows they might like based on their genre preferences.

“She was always so enthusiastic,” a former classmate recalled. “Even when the rest of us thought the season had nothing but the usual moe garbage, Elizabeth would always be there to explain why AKB4008: Next Stage was actually really insightful and worth watching.”

That all changed when Elizabeth entered college. Upon arriving for her freshman year and realizing that her university did not have an anime club, Elizabeth attempted to start one. Her efforts only lasted two weeks, during which time the club attracted a grand total of three members and hosted a single meeting that ended prematurely when no one could agree on a show to watch together.

“I tried to keep up with anime after that,” Elizabeth told Anime Maru. “I really did. But without anyone to talk about shows with, I just couldn’t see a point.”

Elizabeth spent the rest of college focusing her attention elsewhere, such as academics and getting a social life. She joined her school’s lacrosse team and graduated with a degree in business. Although she attempted to reconnect with her high school friends, she was mortified to discover that she could no longer understand references to newer shows.

“It was awful. They’d start talking about how amazing the newest slice of life show was and I’d just nod and pretend I knew what they were talking about by referencing the slice of life shows I watched four years ago. That usually works right up until they start asking about specific characters. Then you’re sunk.”

Elizabeth attempted to rekindle her anime fandom by attending a local convention, only to realize that she barely recognized any of the cosplays. “I saw the vice president from the old anime club, but I pretended not to notice him because I had no idea who the hell he was dressed as. Everyone keeps asking me if I’ve seen Kiznaiver and telling me how great Boku no Hero Academia is. Isn’t that last one the porn show everyone always joked about?”

Sadly, it seems that Elizabeth will never regain her lost anime fandom. In the meantime, she has been hired by a local bank and is expecting to marry her fiance—whom she started dating shortly after giving up on the college anime club—late this fall.

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