So, This Bar wants me to Run an Anime night...

Churba

...and I need ideas - Its been a long time since I've run anything of the sort, and frankly, my old style stunk. I'll be running a trial night sometime soon, hopefully - I'll be showing the Dub of Afro Samurai, but at the moment, that's all I've got.

The Venue is FAB cafe, a geek bar in Leeds, England.

I've culled a few ideas from old Geeknights episodes on the topic, but they have been mostly Anime Club Focused - Running one in a Bar might be a somewhat different prospect.

Ideas, suggestions, comments... help?

onewild

I cannot really help you other than saying tell me when the night is and if I'm not working I'm there. I love Fab Cafe!

Churba

I don't know the night yet - as I still have to finalize the organization of it, and also, if I don't find a job and somewhere to live, fast, I'm screwed, and I have to head back to Australia.

But I will keep you informed if it is going on - Tell me, what do you think I could use to pad out the evening? You know, quick stuff for between episodes, stuff like that? Basically, What would you enjoy doing at this sort of event, because I'm all about the patrons.

Also, if the night is successful, but I have to go home, I will give them a framework to run the nights in the future.

Wyatt

Let people make suggestions about what they want to see. Put a sheet of paper on the table and ask people to write down what they would like to see. Do some themes but I would avoid just playing one long movie or more then 2 episodes in a series.

To spread it out either do an intermission or play AMVs or other web shorts. Better yet do a mini trivia game. Ask a few questions to start. Have them turn in their sheets. Play an episode. Announce the winner of the last round. This way people, even if they don't want to see the episode, will stay to see if they won. Make sure they turn in their sheets so they don't cheat. Then you do it all over again. Since they stayed this long they might as well do the next round.

Trivia nights are CRAZY popular in Albany lately and I've been to most of them.

Cremlian

Actually I attended a anime club in a bar a couple of times.

What kind of room do you have? The club that I attended was in a old bar on the second floor with a projector. It averaged about 4-10 people on a Monday night and showed two hours worth of anime with some music videos added in. I thought it was a really cool idea but it didn't take off and I came in near the end when they were moving to a new location (for the bar) and they didn't continue the night. I'd go for anime that you do not have to pay as close attention to and encourage socialization, because after all your at a bar... Unless you have a private room, then you can do what you want... Just get the word out and try and start with as many people as possible (invite friends to the bar) because if your not commercially viable they are not going to care about you.

Σπεκωσποκ

Gurren Lagann. It's a bar, so you want something light, exciting, and easy to get into without a huge time investment to get to know the characters and plot. You also want something more accessible to the average bar patron. Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop would work well too, as well as Baccano! or Trigun.

andy_xie

Gurren Lagann. It's a bar, so you want something light, exciting, and easy to get into without a huge time investment to get to know the characters and plot. You also want something more accessible to the average bar patron. Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop would work well too, as well as Baccano! or Trigun.

Well if it's for a night, I think a series is definitely too long. if you make it a course over a couple of days, then yes it would be fine. I think you should go for a movie. And if it's successful then ask the audience if they want a series or another movie, that is if you get another go at it.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

For the love of.....STOP SUGGESTING GURREN LAGANN. Look I understand you love your giant robot show that includes scantily clad teenage girls, but seriously, suggest something classy for a change.
Think about it for a second, do you want Lagaan to be the first anime someone sees? Seriously?

chaosof99

Could you narrow it down a little bit? How much time have you got to fill in that night? What's the intended audience? Are you looking for a movie or a few episodes, possibly self-contained?

VentureJ

For the love of.....STOP SUGGESTING GURREN LAGANN. Look I understand you love your giant robot show that includes scantily clad teenage girls, but seriously, suggest something classy for a change.
Think about it for a second, do you want Lagaan to be the first anime someone sees? Seriously?

Actually, that's not too bad of an introductory anime.

Churba

Could you narrow it down a little bit? How much time have you got to fill in that night? What's the intended audience? Are you looking for a movie or a few episodes, possibly self-contained?

Well, I'll propably start it at seven or eight, and run through till close, or close to.

I was going to show Afro Samurai because I don't actually possess any other Anime at the moment, and my ability to download any is close to zero - I might be able to get something else, it really is a game of seeing how my finances go.

Now, I have to go eat, but I'll address the rest of the questions soon.

Eryn

For the love of.....STOP SUGGESTING GURREN LAGANN. Look I understand you love your giant robot show that includes scantily clad teenage girls, but seriously, suggest something classy for a change.
Think about it for a second, do you want Lagaan to be the first anime someone sees? Seriously?

Out of curiosity, have you seen Gurren Lagann yet? If so, how much?

Σπεκωσποκ

For the love of.....STOP SUGGESTING GURREN LAGANN. Look I understand you love your giant robot show that includes scantily clad teenage girls, but seriously, suggest something classy for a change.
Think about it for a second, do you want Lagaan to be the first anime someone sees? Seriously?

Actually, that's not too bad of an introductory anime.

It was the first anime I showed my friend, and he was blown away by the awesomeness (he loved it to death). Plus, are you really suggesting that an anime club in a bar needs to show classy shows? I would think bar patrons would love a show with giant robots and scantily clad teenage girls.

ColdfireSerge

If you can get online, I would hit AnimeMusicVideos.org and grab a few good ones to put in between episodes. Even if you are running just one series all the way through. They could provide some changes in tone and extra down time if folks need to run to the toilet.

Churba

Alright - I have seating for maybe 100, The sound system is good, and instead of a projector in front of one big group, The bar has six or seven TV's scattered around, so that no matter where you sit in the bar, you can see one. I don't know if they have a wireless mic, but it doesn't matter so much.

I should have some photos up tomorrow for you all.

sibnova

For the love of.....STOP SUGGESTING GURREN LAGANN. Look I understand you love your giant robot show that includes scantily clad teenage girls, but seriously, suggest something classy for a change.
Think about it for a second, do you want Lagann to be the first anime someone sees? Seriously?

Yeah TTGL would be great to be introduced to anime with. Giant robots punching the shit out of each other and sex appeal, sounds pretty much like what the average western male wants. I started my anime experience with Love Hina, and well I regret putting that much time into a show that will never ever end or have a reasonable conclusion.

Alright - I have seating for maybe 100, The sound system is good, and instead of a projector in front of one big group, The bar has six or seven TV's scattered around, so that no matter where you sit in the bar, you can see one. I don't know if they have a wireless mic, but it doesn't matter so much.

I should have some photos up tomorrow for you all.

You may want to look at buying released Anime. TTGL hasn't been released in japan yet on DVD, so in a Bar legality may come into affect. Also you should find something with an English dub, it pains me to say this but most people hate subtitles, I would suggest GIT:SAC due to it's good dub but the language is too complex for a relaxed bar. You should be looking at something that a western market already knows something about, and doesn't require you to know anything about Japanese society. Black Lagoon would be good because it was pretty much marketed straight to the American public.

Li_Akahi

TTGL hasn't been released in japan yet on DVD

It's out in North America.

Σπεκωσποκ

You may want to look at buying released Anime. TTGL hasn't been released in Japan yet on DVD, so in a bar legality may come into effect.

Umm... dunno about you but I can go down to the local movie store and buy the entirety of Gurren Lagann on DVD (and I have!). I would say that it's pretty much "released", as long as one has a computer/region 1/region-free DVD player.

Churba

Also you should find something with an English dub, it pains me to say this but most people hate subtitles, I would suggest GIT:SAC due to it's good dub but the language is too complex for a relaxed bar.

Yeah, I was going to go dubs - Most people would get the shits really fast with subs.

You should be looking at something that a western market already knows something about, and doesn't require you to know anything about Japanese society.

I was thinking Trigun - Its pretty funny, gunplay a-penty, and you don't need a degree to figure out what the hell is going on. Also, It breaks the stereotype of "Japanese cartoons means Big robots and girls with little mouthes, little clothes, and huge...eyes"
Black Lagoon is another good suggestion, I'll see if I can hunt down a copy - there is some good stores in the city, including a great one that sells all sorts of first and second hand stuff.

The format I'm thinking of going with is Doing an introduction, (Brief overview of the anime, what the trivia prize is, so on), then run an episode, do a section in the trivia and maybe an AMV or two, run another episode, announce the winners of the last trivia round and maybe read out some of the funnier answers, Short break for more drinks, have a smoke, whatever, then another episode, and so on. The Prize will be whatever I can get my hands on - A Comic, a DVD, an action figure, something like that.

Σπεκωσποκ

Also, GTO might be good. It's funny and high-energy.

Churba

Also, GTO might be good. It's funny and high-energy.

Hey, I didn't think of that one - again, I shall keep my eyes open.

Symmetry

When I hear "bar" I tend to think "Black Lagoon" for some reason.

onewild

Also you should find something with an English dub, it pains me to say this but most people hate subtitles, I would suggest GIT:SAC due to it's good dub but the language is too complex for a relaxed bar.

Yeah, I was going to go dubs - Most people would get the shits really fast with subs.
.

I don't know about that with Fab Cafe, they have films on all the time with subtitles so they can play music at the same time. But as long as I can enjoy watching it with a pint of beer and a refresher bar then it's ok by me what ever you decide to do.

MrRoboto

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

sibnova

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

We have a winner, no ideas from this point on can possibly compare to this.

Σπεκωσποκ

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

We have a winner, no ideas from this point on can possibly compare to this.

Except... maybe... dubbed shows (which the OP has requested).

MrRoboto

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

We have a winner, no ideas from this point on can possibly compare to this.

Except... maybe... dubbed shows (which the OP has requested).

Kenshiro speaks the language of manliness... you need only to be a man to understand.

Σπεκωσποκ

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

We have a winner, no ideas from this point on can possibly compare to this.

Except... maybe... dubbed shows (which the OP has requested).

Kenshiro speaks the language of manliness... you need only to be a man to understand.

Right, but he speaks it in Japanese.

MrRoboto

Im Pretty sure some of it is dubbed, but with no ATATATATATATATATATATATAAAAAAA... which takes part of the charm and manliness.

Churba

I don't know about that with Fab Cafe, they have films on all the time with subtitles so they can play music at the same time. But as long as I can enjoy watching it with a pint of beer and a refresher bar then it's ok by me what ever you decide to do.

Well, yes, but this is mainly on nights without an event like this.
This will be similar to Movie Sundays (except I probably won't show the occasional Video Nasty), People are coming there to watch the thing, for the most part.

Im Pretty sure some of it is dubbed, but with no ATATATATATATATATATATATAAAAAAA... which takes part of the charm and manliness.

One of my bonus questions in the trivia section - "What is the name of the anime that following quote comes from - ATATATATATATATATATATATAAAAAAA!"
English is fine, Japanese is fine, bonus points for both.

sibnova

Hokuto no Ken, and every time he says "You are already dead" or something awesome like that, everyone has to drink the remainder of their current drink instantly.

We have a winner, no ideas from this point on can possibly compare to this.

Except... maybe... dubbed shows (which the OP has requested).

Kenshiro speaks the language of manliness... you need only to be a man to understand.

actually speaking of manly, dubbed show why not JoJo's Bizzar adventures?