Short answers, pulled from the story.
An anime club is an organization that discusses and celebrates Japanese animation. Participants range from teenagers to adults in their fifties and sixties who gather to show and promote Japanese animation.
Members of an anime club engage in viewing anime music videos, reading manga, singing karaoke, and cosplaying. They also host online forums, lend books and manga, and organize local anime conventions.
Anime clubs typically exhibit shows in their original Japanese language track with English subtitles. Some clubs maintain separate rooms for localized anime and fansubs, often called the divx room.
Anime clubs face challenges balancing the dedication of long-time fans with the accessibility required for newcomers when screening long series. Shows like Bleach and InuYasha run for 366 and 167 episodes respectively, which can occupy a club's schedule for months.
Anime clubs must obtain written permission from the domestic rights holder known as Public Performance Rights or exhibition rights. North American anime licensors such as Funimation and Bandai Entertainment have established programs to facilitate public screenings.
Anime clubs promote Japanese cultural understanding by hosting events like the National Cherry Blossom Festival and kendo demonstrations. They integrate traditional elements such as saké tasting and table top games like shogi, go, and mahjong to educate members on Japanese history and customs.