With the fest just around the corner, The APOGEE English Press interviewed Ayush Choudhari and Kavish Kashyap—the Club President and fest coordinator of The Eastern Outlook respectively, to gain insight into their workings.
Ayush shared that this year they will be conducting four events: Anime Quiz, Manga Cafe, Mini Squid Games and a screening of an anime film. The screening will take place a week before the fest and aims to generate excitement for APOGEE.
The Anime Quiz is their flagship event, consisting of three rounds. The prize pool is approximately Rs. 3,000, with the winner receiving Rs. 2,000 and the runner-up getting Rs. 1,000. Ayush noted that the quiz was an event for the last five editions of the fest and has been refined this year.
Their third event, the Manga Cafe, will showcase various mangas and Japanese art forms. Attendees would be allowed to peruse and purchase manga books, as well as keychains, posters, and other trinkets.
The final event to be introduced this year is the Mini Squid Games. This will be a ticketed event, priced at Rs. 100 per person. Each participant would be given an invite ahead of time to replicate the feel of the popular show inspiring this event’s name. Players will be given badges, which can be taken by other participants to eliminate them (to compensate for the lack of bloodshed). Ayush mentioned that the aim was to closely mimic the games of the show (Squid Game) such as the honeycomb game but in accommodation for the budget cuts, Lifebuoy soap bars will be distributed and the players will be asked to carve out the logo with the help of a needle.
Kavish explained that they faced challenges with the Manga Cafe due to difficulties in finding a suitable vendor. He elaborated that manga can be hard to source at affordable prices. Ultimately, they found a vendor from Delhi and secured good deals.
When asked about his experience as a coordinator, Kavish stated that it has been positive. While the workload was slightly more than what he had anticipated, he said that he had been able to manage it so far. He added that his team was enthusiastic about conducting a new event and had been working diligently. He also mentioned that his experience with the CoStAA had been smooth.
On a parting note, Kavish encouraged everyone to get ready for the Mini Squid Games, mentioning that surprises were planned for participants. He encouraged attendees to visit the Manga Cafe to explore the world of mangas and have a good time. Ayush added, ‘Anime is not just about some weirdos watching cartoons, it’s about people enjoying themselves and exploring their interests, so you should give it a try!’