MANY LANCERS belong to one or more fandoms, whether centered on a television show, a book series, or another unique form of media. The widespread interest raises questions about which fandoms Granger students participate in and what draws people to these communities. “My favorite fandom is definitely ‘Gachiakuta,’ ” Corrina Culver (12) said. Kei Urana created Gachiakuta, and Bones animated it. It follows Rudo, a young boy accused of murder and thrown into a garbage-filled wasteland, where he meets allies who help him fight using weapons forged from discarded objects. “I like the characters and the overall concept of the show; it’s very unique compared to other anime I’ve seen.”
Culver says that she especially enjoys fan-created content within the community, including original characters and artwork. “It’s always cool to see people make their own characters to add into a world they enjoy.”
Val Zetino (9) said one of his primary interests is “Epic: The Musical,” written and produced by Jorge Rivera-Herrans. “It’s about ‘The Odyssey,’ specifically about Odysseus trying to get home after the Trojan War and how it took 20 years,” Zetino said. “ ‘Epic’ is pretty welcoming to everyone. Of course, every fandom has its own controversies and stuff, but it’s mainly pretty friendly.”
Zetino says he enjoys the fan community most for its artistic contributions. “Definitely the artists — they’re amazing. All the art and how much time they incorporate into the animations, it’s just amazing.”
According to Kyra Nehring (12), one of her main interests is “Neverness to Everness,” a 3D action role-playing game created by Hotta Studio. “ ‘Neverness to Everness’ is about a character named Zero that you play as, and you fight anomalies with their power,” Nehring said. “You can get different characters to play as, and they all have a different ability. It’s an open-world game, and you go around a city doing quests or exploring.”
Nehring noted that the artistic design and gameplay stand out most. “I really like the design of the characters and the world; they’re very detailed. I also like the fighting aspect.” “ ‘Neverness to Everness’ is really fun, and everyone is super active in it — it’s very addictive, and you should try it,” Nehring said.
“I’m pretty active in ‘Percy Jackson.’ I like books a lot,” Jordyn Holliday (9) said. “It’s about Greek mythology, and the Greek gods had kids, and their kids go to a camp, and they’re trying to fight the Greek mythology monsters.”
Holliday noted that the sense of global connection makes the fan base special. “I like how supportive everyone is about it and how it’s really different in a way,” Holliday said. “It kind of is a way to connect people around the world, even if they don’t believe in it.”
While Granger students follow a wide array of series and games, shared creativity, mutual support, and a place to belong connect their experiences. “What makes being in a fandom fun is meeting people who are in the same fandom as you so you can talk about the things that you’re interested in and that make you happy,” Culver said. Holliday agreed, emphasizing how shared interests can bring people together. “Just being able to celebrate something everyone likes — it’s just something that brings people together, and I like that a lot.” “It’s pretty nice; I like that everyone helps each other,” Nehring said. “It gives people a community that has the same interests, and they’re able to express their thoughts and share them.”
Through fan art, discussions, or digital creations, fandoms give Granger students an active space to build friendships and celebrate the stories they love.
