Posted on 14th January 2025 by

Animangapop: Behind the Scenes

The interviews

In this short series we take a look behind the curtain at some of the people who make the magic happen. These people give huge chunks of their spare time to bring these shows to life all around the country and are dedicated in making sure they put on the best show they possibly can, making sure everyone has a fabulous time and leave them wanting to attend Animangapop again. So without further ado, let’s say hello to… Jody.

Hello Jody, thank you for taking the time to sit down and answer some questions.

Can you tell us what your role here is at Animangapop?

I am crew manager and look after not only our crew but also our guests and you, our attendees.

How did you get involved with Animangapop and have long have you been here?

I have been working with Showmasters for nearly 22 years, and after some of the crew helped support us at a show, I decided it would be good to return the favour at the beginning of 2024.

What is one of your favourite tasks and why?

My favourite task is checking people in at the front desk – it means I get to interact with every one of you whether it be giving directions to the show itself (looking at you, Top-floor-Bristol ) or complimenting on Cosplays.

What is the one task that is a grind but needs to be done?

Reloading the van is my bugbear – we know it all came out, but it never goes back in the same way!

If you had to pick one memorable thing that has happened in the last 10 years of AMP, what is it?

That celebration cake for the 10 Year Anniversary – it just never seemed to get any smaller!

Animangapop embraces all forms of Japanese POP-Culture. What is your favourite part of Japanese culture and why?

My favourite part of Japanese culture is their love and respect for animals – you only need to look at the Nara Deer or the cats of Tashirojima to know that they are well cared for – after the Earthquake and tsunami in 2011, all have been Cat-alogued, neutered and many have been adopted to provide them a safe place in winter months as the islands aging and dwindling population means there are not many homes left for them.