It's great to be an otaku today, though I’m certainly not as hardcore as some fans. My shrines to Tenchi Muyo have been packed in boxes, but my dining area still features a beautiful Vampire Princess Miyu poster, and action figures are scattered around my house. We grow up, we get new interests, but we’ll always be otakus at heart. We’ll see someone with a Naruto t-shirt and give them a smile and a nod, that is, if we don’t have time to start up a whole conversation about the inherent coolness of ninjas.
When I started doing columns here at theOtaku.com, it was great because suddenly I was in touch with my audience. People from all walks of life, all demographics, could give me input, correct my mistakes, and point out something I forgot to factor in.
I’m excited about Version Vibrant, and I can’t wait to try out my columns again. I do plan to put in more information and news updates about topics I find interesting, as well as focus on my columns about aspects of otaku life. I plan to set up a tagging system to identify different topics, so if you’re only interested in one thing, you can just check on that.
Some of the topics I’m planning to cover are:
Anime Conventions, AMVs, Otaku Socialization, Cosplay, Dealing with Parents, Writing, Publishing, Artists Alley, and Making a Difference in the Anime World
In a really good marketing move, Britney Spears has decided to do her latest video in an anime style.
Whether or not you like Britney, I do think she was once very good at marketing herself and her image (until the last few years of constant dumb moves) and this could be what she needs to reconnect with her core demographic, teen/tween girls. This also disconnect her with the music a little, which could help with parents who don't like the rolemodel she's been setting lately.
I don't really care for the song, but I think the video is far more entertaining than most. It does a good job of telling a short story.
Oddly enough as I type up this post, I can hear CNN in the other room talking about this very video. Of course, they are mostly talking about her messy court case and custody battles.
Reprint of older guide, previously published on theOtaku.com
This column, let’s talk about the meat of convention events: the panels, viewing rooms, Dealer’s Room, and Artists’ Alley.
Panels
The meat of the convention, “panels” is a term that covers most every scheduled event. The larger events will be mentioned later, so let’s just focus on the average panel.
Typically, panels are educational in some way. This might be talking about the popularity of Fullmetal Alchemist in Japan and how Christian influences shaped the show, or it might just be telling you what’s going on with Naruto around the world, from franchise options to the current storyline. Culture is also often covered at these panels, varying from playing Go to putting on an authentic tea ceremony. The variety of panels depends entirely on who is in the area to lead one. If you feel brave enough, most cons allow people to sign up to lead panels in the months before the convention.
Industry panels are another typical type, talking about what the different anime and manga companies in America are releasing in the coming years. Some groups, Funigirls is one, give out prizes and hold contests at their panels. This can be a great place to see trailers for upcoming anime. At the big conventions, like Anime Expo and Otakon, these panels might also include first time announcements about big new releases. One downside is that sometimes the panels are extremely boring, consisting of a guy, a DVD player, and a list of facts.
Creative panels are the last, most common type of panel, though they do also fall under educational. Here you can learn to draw in a new style or work on sewing a UFO catcher. Many cons provide the materials for free, though some may charge a few dollars extra for these panels, to cover the high expense of materials. These are a great way to have something to show off after the convention.
Viewing Room
Anime conventions started as a place to see new anime and watch subtitled tapes that had been painstakingly translated by fans. While there will be new releases and premiers occasionally, now it is more of a chance to watch what is currently released. Companies are getting stricter about fan subs, and many fans find that the viewing room is not as big of a draw as it used to be. AMV contests and fan videos, though, continue to be popular and draw in the crowds.
Artist – Cinnie
Keep your eye out for that life altering item from Japan. Then be prepared to explain the price tag to your parents/spouse/friends!
Dealer’s Room
Here is where you fulfill all your anime dreams and go into severe debt after the weekend. Make sure to have cash on hand, since only about half of the dealers are usually able to take credit cards, and the ATM may very well run out of money by the end of the weekend, especially if I need to use it. Trust me, going on a quest for the nearest ATM in an unfamiliar city is a bad way to kill a few hours.
Dealers tend to carry a large variety of anime t-shirts, action figures, pillows, dolls, and everything else you can imagine. While some of the stuff is available in America, many times you can find odd little things you will never see again.
In order to use your first time in the most effective way, try to have some idea of what you are looking for. If you just want to browse, late in the afternoon on Friday or on Sunday are going to be your best times. Early on Friday will be the rush, and there are typically too many people at each store to really get to browse. I always have a list in my mind of what specifically I am looking for.
Prices will vary, and unless you really want something, it might be best to keep shopping around. I have bought many a toy only to see it two stores down for ten dollars less. It is a trade-off though, because if you really want it, then you might want to get it before someone else does. Take a look around the store and see how many of the item they have. If it’s the only one, then it might be better to risk overpaying in order to get the item of your dreams.
Manga is another great thing to buy at conventions, because most stores that specialize in manga will have convention specials. There is also a much larger selection of DVDs, but since dealers don’t get them at the same kinds of discounts as Wal-Mart and Best Buy, the prices can be somewhat high. A lot of dealers will make deals with people who are buying multiple titles.
Artists’ Alley
Here is where artists show off their wares. Everything in the Artists’ Alley is going to be hand produced, though the original artwork may be being sold as prints or in a book. It’s a great place to find new artists and get costume pictures of your favorite characters. Want to see Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth making out? Someone there will draw it for you.
Cosplay props and jewelry are also often sold here, along with statues, dresses, pillows, stuffed dolls, and whatever else some creative person has figured out how to bring a new anime spin to.
Dating Games, Anime Improv, Quiz Shows, Karaoke, and More
There are many different names for the things above. Some may require you to have signed up ahead of time, while others are on a first come, first serve basis. If there is a prize involved, it’s more likely that there will be prior sign up.
These events are what give a convention a new edge, and once it’s successful at one con, others will pick up on it. Recently there have been AMV Iron Editor contests, Anime Triathalons, and ramen eating contests. There will always be new, fun events coming out, so read through your program to see what the convention offers.
Next column, we’ll talk about those who are attending the con with you: the guests, the AMV creators, and cosplayers.
Reprint of older guide, previously published on theOtaku.com
Welcome to the Otaku Survival Guides, a series of guides that ventures into different aspects of the otaku lifestyle. Feel free to ask questions in the comments and correct me when I'm wrong.
In the first column, we’ll talk about how to get the most out of your first or fifteenth anime convention.
It’s like your first day of high school. Sure, you’ve got the program and the schedule of events, but where the hell are you actually going? And why is Vash making out with a distinctly female Miroku?
Welcome to an anime convention.
You’ve picked out the con, pre-registered, gotten a hotel room, sworn to your parents that they would not be hearing from the local authorities, and now you are finally standing on the threshold of a new part of your life.
Sooner or later, you’ll have to come out of the corner and interact. Hopefully you’ve brought some friends, maybe they even know what they are doing. So where do you go from here?
Let’s take a look at why you came to the convention. Is it your love of anime? Did you come along to socialize with your friends? Looking to put yourself in debt buying things you can’t usually find on this side of the ocean? Planning to educate yourself with panels? Or did you just have to meet that certain voice actor?
You never know what or who you are going to find at a convention. Art by Zeda
Planning Your Weekend
All right, so think about those above questions. Does one of them strike you as your reason for existence at this mecca of anime?
Conventions are hectic and overwhelming, even for a veteran. So take a few minutes (or maybe a lunch break) and think about what you really want to accomplish this weekend. The Dealers Room can have long lines, as can the cosplay and AMV contests, not to mention if you want to get the autograph of a popular voice actor. Thus, we must create a strategy as if we were at Disneyland, trying to figure out how to ride on every ride in one day. If something is important for you to do this weekend, mark it. Personally, I like to bring different colored highlighters to mark up my program.
Maybe it would be helpful to go over what some of these common events are, so that you know exactly what you are doing or missing.
Registration
First things first, you need a badge to be able to get into all the events at the con. There are usually two lines, one for people who pre-registered and one for those registering at the con. The advantage of pre-registration is that the line should be faster and the price should have been slightly cheaper. Some conventions have started mailing out badges in advance, so if that happened for you, make sure you bring it. This is your passport to gain entry to everything you want to do this weekend. Have your ID ready, so you can prove who you are and your age. Even if your badge says you are an adult or over eighteen, you will still most likely need to show it again at adult events. This is to prevent minors from getting badges from friends.
So ends the first column, leaving you ready to start your first day at the convention. Next week we’ll look at what events you can participate in at the con.
Otakus in America are in elementary school and graduate school. They are doctors, lawyers, store clerks, teachers, artists, writers, managers, and everything in between. We come in all shapes and sizes, all backgrounds of life and from across the country.
In other words, we are becoming as diverse as the original Japanese target audiences.
It's great to be an otaku today, though I’m certainly not as hardcore as some fans. My shrines to Tenchi Muyo have been packed in boxes, but my dining area still features a beautiful Vampire Princess Miyu poster, and action figures are scattered around my house. We grow up, we get new interests, but we’ll always be otakus at heart. We’ll see someone with a Naruto t-shirt and give them a smile and a nod, that is, if we don’t have time to start up a whole conversation about the inherent coolness of ninjas.
When I started doing columns here at theOtaku.com, it was great because suddenly I was in touch with my audience. People from all walks of life, all demographics, could give me input, correct my mistakes, and point out something I forgot to factor in.
I’m excited about Version Vibrant, and I can’t wait to try out my columns again. I do plan to put in more information and news updates about topics I find interesting, as well as focus on my columns about aspects of otaku life. I plan to set up a tagging system to identify different topics, so if you’re only interested in one thing, you can just check on that.
Some of the topics I’m planning to cover are:
Anime Conventions
AMVs
Otaku Socialization
Cosplay
Parents - both for parents and teens (or adults) dealing with parents
Writing
Publishing
Artists Alley
Making a difference in the anime world
Plus, interviews as well as whatever readers suggest I cover!
First I plan to republish some of my earlier columns, as well as some things I’ve been publishing on my website in the meantime.
