Monthly Archives: August 2016

The Best Idolm@ster Panel Material

There have been a splatter of fan panels in North American anime cons on the IDOLM@STER franchise. Of the few that I have attended over the past few years none of them were as good as NHK’s take. Granted it’s a bit cringe-y but it’s not like some of these panels aren’t either…

You can watch it here for the next few hours or see it ripped on youtube.

KutapP's underling huh

Here’s why I think it’s the best take so far:

  • It’s meant for a general audience. Different panelists may disagree and I would agree why their takes meant for a con audience is sometimes superior, but a general critique I have is that most of those takes are still too “general.” Why not this one?
  • It’s really concise and to the point. This earned massive prop from my end.
  • For the most part it is also very accurate. It’s not 100.00% spot on but more so than pretty much any other panel (except maybe Chuck’s).
  • It even talks about the seiyuu stuff.
  • Of course it’s also unfair that it has interviews with key creative people behind the scenes.

But just for the lead-in portion of the video where they go over the history and some of the well-known aspects of the franchise it’s such a precise and to-the-point thing that I wish all panels covered this much material, this closely, in this little time.

I had a similar problem, if you recall, doing the IM@S 10th panel. Because the 10th documentary in the Blu-ray was pretty much the same thing…


Otakon 2016: Wrap

I’ve been going to Otakon since 1998 and I have still never visited the Aquarium. I’m thinking Makino Yui did on her first visit…

My mouth was burning in Old Bay at the end.

I also have never had blue crabs in Baltimore until this year, so at least I’m trying, OK?

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Otakon 2016

It’s the last year the con is going to be in Baltimore.

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Uh, not much is going on for me at the con, which means I’ll line up for Makinon’s show, her autograph session, and attend her panel. I’ll probably also go see the Matsuri concerts and ALL OFF’s show on Sunday. Really going to just take it easy when possible. Going as attendee should make that easy.

There are some neat guests at Otakon this year as usual. Yamamoto Kazutomi is really a top get for dude seiyuu of that variety. The PA Works guys are coming again, with a little more reinforcement. LeSean Thomas is kind of interesting to see in this context, but he’s showing a kickstarted thing, as with the UTD guys. Akane Kazuki is a long-timer that’ll definitely draw a crowd. Lots of other people.

There’s also this thing, which is kind of amusing because that music lineup is more hype than the con’s proper lineup. Well, ALL OFF sounds like they would belong here more as well…

There is an Idolm@ster panel. And this is where I kek’d hard.

So while blogging has more or less taken the eternal waterslide to the depths unpopularity of a medium meant for a very specific use from the heights of everyone-had-one, these vloggers are gaining momentum, partly thanks to the format, medium and ecosystem around it, but also there is a lot of incentive for these folks to approach and walk the same walk, but reinterpreting the material fit for consumption in that way. The popular vloggers are like TV and radio personalities, and that’s kind of what they are. A vlogger/featured panelist is doing said IM@S panel. Check out this sample. Well, maybe that’s stretching things a bit, but it’s definitely a thing.

Otherwise, yeah. It’s a low note to the last year at Baltimore. Considering what’s in my immediate horizon Otakon feels like just a bump on the road, but hopefully it’ll be a fun hang-out time nonetheless.


Otakuthon 2016: Wrap

Just some building

I visited Montreal partly on a whim but also because this Otakuthon thing has gotten to a point where it’s worth figuring out. Last year when Angela visited I almost pulled the trigger on a last-minute trip too, but because their anison concert is always on Friday that made the trip a lot less worthwhile. This year the main attraction for me is seeing Tanaka Atsuko, who was there mostly for Saturday and Sunday, so that worked.

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Otakuthon 2016

Somehow I am YOLO-ing Montreal’s premiere anime convention, Otakuthon. I’ll be going as someone who wants to see Tanaka Atsuko first, the city and its offering as well as hanging out with friends all the while.

ALL YOU NEED IS TOM CRUISE

The con also features some neat guests, such as Obata of the Shonen JUMP mangaka fame and Back-On. Tanemura Arina, mangaka for Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne and others, will also be there. To round it out there are a couple A-1 Pictures producers and some guy from Bannam.

So going to just swing by and check it out, and then go home. I think I’m going only because I now know these Canadians from the area due to P activities, so it’ll be a good way to meet up with some of them. Visiting the city will also be a first time for me, so I guess we’ll see how it turns out. It feels weird being more excited about poutine and bagels with smoked meats than the con but alas.