Library celebrates Halloween with anime

Demon Boy, a horror rock band, played spooky jams to set the mood for the East Meadow Public Library’s anime Halloween party last Friday.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

The top runners of the costume contest formed a ghoulish lineup.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

Jacki Sgambati, dressed as Dead Master, looked intimidating with her Dead Scythe.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

Katherine St. George walked onto the contest floor in a Homestuck costume.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

Haiden Dick was more intimidating than cute as Rainbow Dash.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

Gabrielle Eversgerd posed in her homemade Mikasa costume from the anime Attack on Titan.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

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The East Meadow Public Library has become an epicenter, of sorts, for anime in Nassau County.

Anime, a style of Japanese film and television animation, has grown immensely popular in the United States. Each spring, the library hosts EMCon, an anime festival, encouraging residents to dress in vibrant costumes of their favorite characters.

Last May, the fourth annual event boasted its highest attendance, with library officials estimating that upwards of 5,000 people filtered into the building for its two-day event.

Kelly Gordon, the library’s art director who started the event, helps bring world-renowned anime artists and musicians to the library to meet with residents.

Last Friday, the EMPL continued the anime fest, with a Halloween Cosplay Extravaganza inside the building. Hundreds swarmed the library in costume, and the Herald was there to catch the action.