The 241st meeting/20th anniversary party, on 17 May, was held at the ASIFAHollywood Animation Center-in Burbank. 39 people attended: 23 members, 12 guests, and 4 public. The Animation Center was full of animation posters and original cels, including a display of production cels from Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures. Jeff Roady and Alan Van Dalsem displayed anime character models. Mark Merlino brought a larger-than-life plushy of Theta, the C/FO's original unofficial emblem. Fred Patten sold YARF!, and gave out the 1997 Membership Directory to members. "Red" Baron sold The Complete Anime Guide, and the 20th anniversary T-shirt to members at cost. Free flyers & bulletins included the Inland Empire Anime's May bulletin (David Bliss), ConFurence 9 (Mark Merlino); Anime Expo 97, Loscon 24, the Los Angeles Comic Book Convention's June 15th meeting, and ANIMATION MAGAZINE's June 1997 anime column about the 20th anniversary of anime fandom (Fred Patten); and ASIFA-Hollywood's Life Drawing Workshop, its Adopt-A-Cartoon film preservation program, its membership form, and its May 1997 calendar.

Bob Miller, who was on ASIFA's Board of Directors, served as our host and ASIFA representative during the day. The meeting consisted mostly of a simultaneous video program inside the ASIFA hall and a barbecue picnic in the rear parking lot. Guest Ron Scovil gave out sample preview copies of the first issue of Mixxzine, his American edition of a genuine Japanese-format "phone book" manga. Our videos looked excellent on ASIFA's large-screen video projection system. Everyone came into the hall around 3:30 p.m. to hear our guest speakers (Fred Ladd, Jerry Beck, and Mark Merlino); and everybody gathered at the picnic for the anniversary cake serving around 5:30 p.m.

The speeches were all informal and humorous. Fred Ladd joked along a "see what you guys started!" theme, and answered questions about how he came to "discover" anime in the early 1960s. Jerry Beck talked about the C/FO-New York's beginnings in the early 1980s, and about how the new Mach Go Go Go remake in Japan was being readied for American TV. He showed its opening titles with a temporary sound track of a punk rendition of the Speed Racer theme song. Mark Merlino talked about the beginnings of the C/FO, and told how Theta, his skiltaire funny-animal character, had led to the creation of Theta's "sister", Fanta, as the C/FO's emblem.

Ed Ngai & Roy Yeakey started the barbecue, and Ed was the main chef throughout the day. Several people brought extra items ranging from pasta salads to ice for the soft drinks. Despite this, the food started running out in the early afternoon, so a collection was taken up and Steve Paschke, Eric Bitton, Greg Villagrana, & Roy Yeakey made a trip to the supermarket for over $50 worth of additional eats & soft drinks. No group photograph was taken, but Mark Merlino & Fred Patten, the only two C/FO founders present, were photographed cutting the cake together; and Patten served it to everyone.

Don Yee opened a streamlined Business Meeting by holding up the anniversary Tshirts to enthusiastic applause. He'd had 50 made, which had cost a bit more than expected; so their at-cost price to members was $7.00 instead of $5.00. Everyone agreed that they were well worth it. Mitch Beiro, the artist, offered to autograph any shirts bought. It was agreed that the cost of the shirts to the public, if there were any left after the members had bought all they wanted, should be $15.00.

V.P. Jeff Roady announced that the Mad Model Party 4, in Pasadena next weekend, cost $10 admission. He had not yet found out whether Jerry Shaw would sponsor any C/FOers who wanted to enter the modelling contest. He showed his models which he planned to enter.

Sec. Fred Patten offered the new Membership Directory to any members who had not gotten one earlier in the day. He read a letter of congratulations to the C/FO from Anime Sacramento's Laurine White. He had phoned the C/FO-Cleveland to confirm that it was alive & well, and they had asked when we were going to get our Web Site started?

Treasurer "Red" Baron reported that, "We have $205 or we have $5, depending on how you look at it." The $200 difference was the balance that we had owed the T-shirt manufacturer, which Don Yee had personally paid. If we had to reimburse Yee from the Treasury, we had only $5 left; if we collected enough in at-cost sales today to cover it, we had $205.

A brief auction was held. Robert John Williams paid $27 for Don Yee's art services, for a color drawing of his choice. A black-&-white drawing that Yee had done earlier that afternoon went for $10 to Terry Knepper, a guest from Pennsylvania. Peter Santell got a Cool World poster for $2.05.

Yee closed the meeting by asking for applause for Bob Miller and our other ASIFA hosts for providing such an excellent meeting place. Steve Paschke took charge of cleaning up to make sure that we left the Center as neat as when we had arrived.

The video program included both old favorites like Kimba, the White Lion (produced by our guest, Fred Ladd), and samples of the latest commercial anime videos. By popular demand, Don Fields brought back his "shocking" parodies of Rankin-Bass' animated Christmas TV specials. Jeff Roady brought a video of HBO's first episode of Spawn, to show that American animation had finally reached Japan's nothing-heldback shock level. Richard Reichman had chosen our feature, Toei Animation's 1971 Treasure Island, for four reasons: (1) It was directed by Fred Ladd and featured the familiar Astro Boy/Kimba/Gigantor voice cast; (2) It was also a 20th anniversary special, having been made to celebrate Toei Animation's 20th anniversary; (3) Jeff Roady had been asking for some of Toei's "Saturday Afternoon" movies; and (4) it was a surprise for fans of Hayao Miyazaki, whose influence was evident throughout it.

The May program shown was:

Kimba, the White Lion, #3, 'Dangerous Journey' .Kimba, the White Lion, #24, 'Running Wild' featurette: Super Atragon, part 11, 'Ocean Remembrance' (Kaitei gunkan seisaku Iinkai, 1996)

Gunsmith Cats, #3, 'High Speed Edge'

Burn-Up W, file 2, 'Search for the Virtual Idol' guest speakers

new Mach Go Go Go opening titles

Assemble Insert (beginning)

Spawn, #I, '9.9.9.9.'

Assemble Insert (conclusion)

The Archies excerpt with The Sex Pistols' 'God Save the Queen' overdub The Spirit of Christmas (I)

The Spirit of Christmas (11)

feature: Treasure Island (Toei Animation Co., Ltd., 1971)

-- Fred Patten, Secretary

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