With a new IDOLM@STER game grabbing my interest, it’s not too surprising the blog is in this hiatus-like state. Still I have ideas, and they must exit the system and go somewhere. Anyways, the holiday season is a good time to recap some stuff.
In 2023 I thought the cons in the USA would strike back from the COVID days in 2024. The State department has done a lot to shorten the visa times, but there are still some problems with that. With the political situation in the US being what it is, it’s probably more realistic to expect some hits in the next few years in terms of difficulties surrounding visa processing. But coming back to the last 12 months, some big cons did come through (AX, Animazement), but others didn’t (Anime NYC, and to an extent AWA). Some cons seemed more modest in terms of their steps forward (Acen, Sakuracon), while others were interesting to say the least (Kawaiikon, SoJ Miami, Holmats). Rather diving into each case, it’s just good to note many Japanese acts and events happened outside of the big cons also, like the One Piece concerts, or the Anime Orchestra thing (I didn’t end up going to). There were the Ado and Yoasobi tours, which to me were just as big of a deal. I didn’t get tickets to see Fujii Kaze, but that sounded great. There were also the Nier concerts, and Joe came back to MSG NYC. All of this is just some of the large number of anime-interested stuff building on top of what we already have.
I didn’t think anime cons in the US did all that much given the post-COVID bounce. I think part of this is fundamentally, anime events still haven’t recovered from COVID in a lot of ways. Texas cons suffered this year, with most notable AnimeFest and A-Kon shuttering. Canadian cons though, they cooked pretty hard. Edmonton and Vancouver especially was pretty great. Even Ottawa and Montreal did OK. Toronto was a weird vacuum, which is probably also due to the organization side not bouncing back.
Inflationary pressure and overall tourism bouncing back to pre-COVID numbers also did a lot to temper traveling in my experience. Japan experienced over-tourism at its key tourist traps out near Mt. Fuji and around Kyoto’s picturesque streets, and elsewhere. I don’t blame the locals trying to tamper it down using new laws and regulations, but everyone else, including the local hospitality industries, are still adjusting to the new normal. It’s hard to say 2025 will be any better–odds are it isn’t going to, especially with the continuing weakening of the Yen versus other currencies.
Yes, this makes me less wanting to go to Japan, but the people out at Bandai Namco has other ideas. I am not going to the Aqours final solo show in June, because I am already over-committed for the first half of 2025. I have already needing to sacrifice the Kanno NYC show at the end of March for Hotchpotch. There is already 2 weekends I wanted to go in the summer, not counting the annual Anisama festival.
Speaking of summer, the summer of 2024 was pretty brutal, and I expect the same for 2025 already. I logged like non-stop weekend travel for about 7 weeks this year, or 13 out of 15 if you include a 2-week gap I had, even if some were for family and vacation trips. For 2025, from Acen onward I probably will also have back-to-back weekends of traveling again, depending on if I go anywhere in June. July will have AX, which I probably should start booking now. July-August will have the usual gauntlet of summer cons, plus 2 weekends of IDOLM@STER events. I really should cut Anisama this year but that can wait until March…
Which is to say, like 2024, I welcome 2025 with worn vigor and tempered excitement. I think if Japan wanted to, they can do better than to bring Phantom Siita, and generate some real excitement. It’s the US-side of things that are the cold water pouring out to show the harsh reality of the domestic side. I’m glad people like Ado want to play along though. Someone has to stir the pot.
Happy holidays and hope to write more in 2025. Meanwhile I have a lot of anime to catch up.
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