It’s about three weeks to Otakon, and Otakon still has one guest to announce for their Sunday music showcase. For those of you unfamiliar with North America’s second largest anime convention (boasting probably close to 35000 unique attendees for this year), in recent years Otakon employed their main events each day in this way: Friday night features a concert, Saturday night features the masquerade, and Sunday afternoon the second concert. For the 20th Otakon they did things differently by doing a concert on Saturday instead of Friday so they can reinstate the MST3K event that Otakon used to do, but that was just for last year. Also, it made renting the Baltimore’s First Mariner Arena more feasible.

Again, it’s about three weeks to Otakon. As mentioned before ALTIMA is Otakon’s Friday guest. We have no idea who will be for Sunday yet. Three weeks is a magical period of time because of how the airline industry works. Booking too close to the date of the event and you will be paying out of your nose, and there are rarely any deals closer than 21 days prior. That’s not to mention availability of flights. So yeah, good luck, west coast bros.

The great thing about Otakon is that the management knows this. In fact it’s not just them. Knowing however is only half the battle. It is all too common with multi-party negotiations though, that if working with these third parties things invariably can get drawn out and delayed. Japan will take its time. There might be something unexpected that delay the process, who knows. What makes Otakon slightly better, in my estimates, compared to others, is how they work to avoid these issues that comes with the process. Because knowing means you can try to mitigate these external factors. Emphasis here is try.

Because, let’s face it, these things happen all the time. I’m grateful for the opportunities these large or mid-size cons provide, to make a concerted effort and bring over Japanese guests who worked on anime or what not. But in the end it’s these little things that distinguishes a great con from just a good con. It’s the difference between being able to meet one hardcore JP fan at the con versus a dozen of them. It’s the difference between going to a con or not going to a con for me, if it’s not a con already on my agenda that year.

As someone who had a jolly time hanging out with said JP fans at AN and Acen this year, it makes a difference to me. I guess it’s just something that can’t be helped. But is it? I think it can, even if it is very difficult. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the enjoyment of fans going to a con directly hinges on the competencies of the con management. I’m just numerating a clear example of it. Some things might matter more or less to some people. Some might not matter at all to just about no one. I wonder if you’ve got a group of experienced con managers (like Otakon has in the past few years), this is one way they can iteratively level-up how they run a con and squeeze that last drop of enjoyment from the whole endeavor. And since JP guests cost so much resources to bring over, why not maximize the experience for the fans who enjoy the guests? Go all the way.

But then again you still have the situation we’re seeing today. It’s three weeks till Otakon. Do you know where your guests are?

PS. On the flip side, Otakon hotel cancellation deadline is Friday, so if they announce the music guest Thursday and it’s a hit for you, you might have a shot at getting hotel space. Hotel space is likely not the most important item for attendees, but it’s probably second most important for a lot of people.

This AX I’m just going to ignore the fact it’s disappointingly thin guest-wise with the fact that it really actually is packed full of people from Japan who are interesting to see in person. It’s like seeing Mikatan in person along with the president of uhh Native, and seeing them asking a fellow P which boob size he prefers. That guy happened to be an Amimami P so you can figure that out from there.

There are other things like this. Hiro Takeuchi is with Yamakan again and Yamakan’s panel is actually just a WUG panel. Which makes sense, he’s sold out to the IP. It’s like seeing yourself in the videos Hiro took during the Acen concert as they play snips of it for the panel.

We had a P dinner with Luna Tsukigami and he’s a pretty cool Miki P with the stuff to back it up. We had also a Miki cosplayer doing some major assists.

Traveling to AX this year is new because somehow I got in a rental car. Day 0 was kind of impromptu because we hung out with new guys this time around and it’s delicious as usual. Food-wise there was a dimsum meal snuck in there and it was great.

I thought I did a balance of hanging out in groups, in small groups or large, by myself, and doing press. I kind of wished I did more press but it just wasn’t meant to be.

Of all the premieres at AX, I was looking forward the most to Ninja Slayer. But that clashed with the focus panel with Yuzu-nee and Amisuke. Originally I was going to sneak out half way from the seiyuu panel and go to NS, but Yuzu-nee/Amisuke’s panel was way more awesome than it had any rights to be and I forgot about Ninja Slayer. If you saw Amisuke’s Tokyo Encounter episode, it’s kind of like that except Yuzu-nee and Amisuke are both high tension boke-types, and there’s no Sugita to bring them down. Safe to say it’s up there in terms of seiyuu panel quality.

We did talk to a guy who attended Ninja Slayer panel and it sounded just like any other Wakabayashi-level panel. Yeah, he was here to present it. I scored a throwaway poster and well, it’ll be in the loot shot if I can put it in my luggage.

If I had to score my AX in terms of what I accomplished, in the category of the Exhibit Hall, I totally failed. Saturday was my first day where I had time to actually roam the room, but it’s mad packed and felt like hellish. I just went from event to event. Like, there was a IM@S and Love Live battle event at the Daisuki booth which was luls. I should’ve cosplayed Kuniyoshi if I knew it was happening.

I probably didn’t score very high on autographs too. Missed Butch, only got Trigger once. Did score the big one with Yuzu-nee and Amisuke though. Yamakan…well. I got a Miyu sticker out of it? Bonus would be seeing Uki Satake and getting an autographed board from Minami prez.

Well, I’ll take a break and think about it some more for the wrap.

I think the smart thing to do for me is to quit AX. I had to pull some magic out of my butts and owe coworkers favor. Anyone looking for a job in NYC? We are hiring.

That said I guess I am going to AX anyway. I will probably fly out tomorrow but if things don’t pan out the way I wanted it might mean flying out the day after. I don’t know. Yeah, that kind of a situation. Nonetheless, I’ve got AX kind of set up already. Here are things to watch for.

Before I forget, guidebook, guidebook, guidebook.

Angela & King Records. At previous cons when the two attended they set up shop at the booth doing autographs for people who bought their stuff. I don’t really think they’ll receive a super-warm welcome in SoCal but maybe the fans will prove me wrong. At any rate this means you can hit up one of their autograph sessions at the booth easily just by buying their oversea-only compilation CD (or any of the other neat merch. I recommend the BEAM shirt if you can fit it). Details on all that, and their K event, here, here, here, here. Oh, I guess the autograph sessions are at Kinokuniya’s booth.

Did I mention the official con autograph area is in the game/cosplay room this year? Exhibit hall will be wall-to-wall dealers.

Sekai Project…these guys are another outfit/startup trying to localize JP indie crap. By indie I mean doujinshi-ya in the form of games and books and what not, and by that I mean they sit kind in between MangaGamers and the more game-y outfits. And also since I’ve hung out with one of the two founders on a bunch of time now it’ll be fun seeing them trying to pull this legit-ly. They have a booth in the morass of the exhibit hall and I’m highlighting it because Luna, the Japanese illustrator/mangaka, is taking commissions. And doing autographs, if you want to pick up their kickstarted doujinshi on headphones. Details here. They’re also going to sell those kickstart-only scrolls at AX.

FUNI will be doing a Zankyou no Terror premiere.

Aniplex will be doing a big one for SAO2, but also something for Adonah Zero along with Butch.

Project H has some H matsuri at AX and…well, probably nothing that remarkable but something to think about.

JAST, MangaGamer, and Sekai Project all should have cool announcements. Especially that third group.

There’s an announce for a license at AX that will lead to some guests (dub actors) at Otakon. I guess we’ll find out this week.

Aniplex: Here is their page of goods stuffs. Should be pretty exciting, all around.

FUNI: This stuff. A step down from usual, because this is what they do for the usual cons. AX typically gets something a tad nicer.

NISA: Nothing special going on, their usual PR guy left the company about a month ago and you can totally see how it kinda collapsed. Actually it’s not that bad but HR transition is something I am all too used to pyohohoho orz. They owe their fanbase an AX update, which is probably due out today if God willing. From the other licenses you can kind of figure out what you can get, and it’s not like the drill hasn’t been “go to booth to ask first thing” anyway.

MangaGamers: Haven’t heard anything other than they have announcements lined up. Not sure what they’re doing special at the booths.

JAST: Likewise…

Fakku’s big announce with going legit is going to be a lingering question, which their panels Saturday may help answer?

In other 18+ news, there’s going to be a lewd figure panel co-hosted by Mamitan (Francis) and Mikatan, who now works for Native (!!). Must attend, if just to see Mikatan in person.

Kyoto Animation will be a presence at AX, they will screen the first two episodes of Free season 2, which means you get to see episode 2 before Japan. Cool huh? There’ll be Q&A afterwards. There’s also a booth, seems like the one ex-Kyoani intern from US will be helping out there. No goods though.

(Wait, Yamakan is at AX too huh!)

Mirai ni Neiro will bring their usual lineup of Ps. Details here. Wataame, Kagome P (woot), UtataP (!), Sunzriver, buzzG. Also that Mikumentary Documentary person.

On that note, while there is no Meet the Guest scheduled for 2014 (boo) Nihongo de OK is still on. Details here.

Crunchyroll is solid on my radar now since WUGcen. They’re doing this a bit niconico style which is not the worst thing. Details on this updated forum thread (that’s a tad ghetto but I can deal). Key takeaway so far is that JP Jojo producers will be on site to take questions at the Jojo dub screening, and Aoi Eir is showing up on the live stream on Day 1 2:30 Pacific. Actually there’s even going to be a giveaway there (and online) so worth checking out. Their physical store at the con will also have limited items for sale (that Kurisu for $75 is not bad). Oh, I guess there’s that Love Live thing. Hahahahaha.

Anyways, IM@S Panel is right after the KLK event on Friday. I’ll be there because the guys running it are uhhh organizers of some notorious oversea Ps. Especially the main guy. Bring your KBs (from the KLK event w). There’ll be a cosplay gathering for IM@S at the Bamco booth, which is at the far corner towards main event, inside the exhibit hall. Tentatively Saturday afternoon?

Not sure if they need more endorsement but go to Sushio and Nakashima’s panel. It’ll be a great time. I’m going to make time for Ninja Slayers panel for sure.

Giovanni’s Island…I want to go but it won’t fit anywhere.

21+ Lounge has some idoling events, but also these guys LOL. Details here. I might show up, who knows.

…and that’s it! This post may update over time.

PS. Side note but Otakon will do their music guest announces next week right after AX. Starting with a guess-the-guest probably.