UlasanAnime.com – Another convention, another series of meetings and farewells, and most importantly, another party. It’s interesting to see Anime Boston experimenting with new approaches in its tenth year. I recall first learning about Anime Boston a decade ago; it felt distant and not worth the effort. Over time, they have significantly improved, and their formula for success appears to be a blend of innovation and adherence to effective practices.
I’ve written extensively for this wrap-up, so for ease of reading, please focus on the bolded points under each heading. While I believe the most crucial information is in the latter half of this post, that’s subjective!
I could begin anywhere, but I’ll start with some general con feedback. The panel setup was generally satisfactory, though there were some disruptions that led to the rescheduling or cancellation of certain events. I heard that Fakku’s panel was interrupted and had to be moved mid-session, which is quite unusual. Mike Toole mentioned an incident after the Hynes Center ejected its “contents” post-2 AM, which led to police intervention on the sidewalk; this is not uncommon. On Saturday, Anime Boston felt as crowded as in previous years, despite PAX East taking place concurrently. I attribute this to attendees who couldn’t or chose not to pre-register for PAX, as that event sold out on Saturday well in advance, whereas Anime Boston allowed on-site registration. For many, the decision to attend AB over PAX was a matter of circumstance.
Relocating the autograph session to the hotel was a welcome change once its new location was understood. However, a more efficient queuing system is needed. It’s both frustrating and somewhat amusing how it creates easy access for the press, as the interview rooms were conveniently located nearby. The press arrangements seemed to be handled much better this year, a definite improvement from my last visit.
PAX seems to have a significant draw for the “dealer room” crowd—those who spend a considerable amount of time browsing and shopping. I couldn’t make it on Saturday, but Friday and Sunday saw relatively fewer attendees. While this was convenient for me, it might not have been ideal for the vendors. In reality, it wasn’t too bad, though Sunday can be challenging when the convention falls on Easter weekend. The artist alley likely remained unaffected, but I only visited it once on Friday.
I didn’t attend many panels, except for the Guest of Honor (GOH) sessions. I briefly sat in on a couple. The Gothloli fashion show was quite impressive and stylish. I watched Chris’s panel for about thirty minutes, primarily to see bayoab. I’m pleased that FUNimation made different announcements at Sakuracon and Anime Boston, with both events featuring exciting news (perhaps more so for AB). I also appreciated FUNi’s cosplay marketing for AsoIku at their booth. I thought my photo turned out well, in a “dude, I didn’t hire these kids” sort of way. It’s certainly less embarrassing than admitting to being a creepy otaku next to Zange-chan.
But sometimes, all you need is a good laugh with a friend. Houki is absolutely wild!
And then there was the iDOLM@STER poster story (Postory?). I might be as verbose as Nisio Isin on this topic, so feel free to skip to the next set of bolded words. On Sunday, there was a programming conflict between Kanako Ito’s dealer room giveaway/game and Momoi’s second autograph session. I was keen to play the “guess which song” game, especially since she would be playing it live on guitar rather than using a recording. I attempted to attend both by going to the autograph session as early as possible and then rushing to the dealer’s room (which, while not extremely far, is still a considerable distance from the Sheraton’s third floor to the Hynes). I arrived just in time as they were finishing the guess-the-song game. Kanako Ito’s group ended up giving away two concert DVDs and a promotional wall scroll. They also distributed CD-Rs of the single she recorded for the Tohoku one-year anniversary song, so those present were fortunate enough to receive one (and get it autographed!).
Back on Saturday, some of the Momoists (these guys) created some impromptu graffiti on a poster board outside Kanako’s Q&A session. We were lingering there, and eventually, her group emerged and informed us about the Sunday session (by the way, the translator for her is quite skilled). In short, we intended to have her autograph the graffiti sheet. This was essentially the beginning of the “oh, there’s a conflict” situation.
Regardless, “Onii-chan” and the twins wanted it signed (they were quite adorable and effective, at least compared to the various GOHs). They scouted the dealer’s room to gather information about the session, effectively securing a spot. They later told me about the Nippon Columbia booth and showed me its location. They also mentioned that some awesome iM@S posters were just lying on their table and that some people took them, even though it wasn’t clear if they were meant to be taken. Actually, were they? I probably should have inquired about that.
I’m somewhat relieved I didn’t know what they (people and posters) looked like, or I might have become equally incensed!
By the time I arrived, it was prime lunch hour, and all that remained were the four posters hanging on the backdrop and a stand-up of Louise promoting Zero no Tsukaima F (it even had a small voice box where Kugyuu would threaten you to buy it!). The group decided to split up for lunch and reconvene later. Within the twenty-minute gap when I left the area and returned, someone had already taken the Louise stand-up. How audacious! The booth was set up simply: a table with the vendor’s name, some posters on the back, and the stand-up behind the table. There were no signs, and no staff present.
Seizing the opportunity, I couldn’t let it pass.
Amusingly, the person who took Louise also took it to the food court where we were having lunch. I suspect he didn’t admit to taking it when asked where he got the stand-up. Poor Louise. At least I can take comfort in the fact that anyone bold enough to take her and have lunch with her (on Easter! in public!) probably likes her.
Anyway, since we were mostly done with the con after lunch, I returned to the Nippon Columbia booth while everyone else queued for the closing ceremony. It was actually a great experience – I met two other iM@S fans! Both were anxious and excited about the possibility of taking home promotional posters for the second series. It sounds a bit strange now, but it was fascinating to observe these tense yet eager fans eyeing the same coveted items as I was, grappling with, well, moral dilemmas. Perhaps I’m older and more centered (LOLOL), but it felt like a social experiment, observing their behavior and the internal conflicts that arose under different circumstances.
The first person I spoke to was an enthusiastic guy with the facial expression of someone about to commit a crime for the first time. Despite his nervousness and chattiness, I didn’t engage him much beyond explaining why I was there (to wait if the representatives returned) and my purpose (because, well, you know). I explained that the representatives would likely notice a missing poster and that getting into trouble was improbable. However, these posters were clearly “not for taking” as they were displayed. I also clarified, as a fellow iM@S fan, that I was interested in a different iM@S poster.
There were four posters on display: one from CHANGE!!!! [four exclamation points!], a promotional poster for a Zero no Tsukaima CD release, and the promotional poster for the iM@S2 prologue CD. [Incidentally, the iM@S page on Nippon Columbia Records is quite impressive.] Ultimately, after speaking with me and three other dealers nearby, he reached up and took the poster for the iM@S2 prologue CD.
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That was amusing. Despite taking it without permission, the guy was nice. And as a fellow fan, I can’t fault him. He did what was reasonably possible in that situation, short of simply giving up.
It wasn’t long before the “honey pot” attracted another iM@S fan. This individual was much more reserved than the first, but by then, I was enjoying myself and engaged him in conversation. It’s probably typical, but this guy had only seen the anime and liked it. I regret not asking the most important question: who was your favorite? We ended up discussing the games, or rather, I did – because for me, iM@S isn’t nearly as enjoyable until you’ve had the chance to produce your idol(s) from start to finish, experiencing the ups and downs, mini-games, and random talk sessions. The anime was great, but it’s so much more. Anyway, me, at an anime con, not talking about iM@S all weekend? That’s tough. It’s good to finally do it with real people, as basically no one I was hanging with was into it. The saying goes, every bone in my body is LADY.
The social experiment aspect is a slightly different story. I told him we were now competing for the same item, and he agreed we should decide it somehow. I suppose he had to leave and wanted to settle it first so he could depart. I used this to my advantage and postponed the decision. It helped that I had things to do while I waited (so many tags for my 3DS) and people to talk to (sup lvlln, twins). It was truly divine providence that about twenty minutes before the dealers’ room closed, the representatives showed up. In fact, the main representative was a GOH at the con, this Shotaru Kizuka fellow. Then we asked, “Can we please?” and proceeded to play two out of three rounds of janken (rock-paper-scissors) to decide who would get it. Begging is within the scope of what I permit myself to do, as is exercising janken skills honed over hours of iM@S, amirite. The rest is history. In retrospect, I would have been amused even if I had lost. What I probably should have done is talk to the representatives and express our love for the games and the anime, and chastise myself for not bringing more copies of my business card.
It feels good to get that off my chest.
Accommodations this year were different. Then again, every time I attend AB, I stay somewhere new. The weather was pleasant, but definitely on the chilly side. It reached a point where a jacket was necessary, but indoors, it was shorts and t-shirts weather. The advantage of staying at the Sheraton is clear, as it’s attached to the convention center. The downside is having to retrieve your coats each time you go out for meals.
Like the namesake of Sakuracon, the historic residential district of Back Bay is lined with cherry blossoms. On Sunday, some began to shed, creating a beautiful scene. We stayed in a converted apartment building offering vacation homes a couple of blocks south of the convention center, so we had a suite with a kitchen. I made my own coffee, which was a nice touch, and it also marks the first convention in a long time that I didn’t visit Starbucks.
I must say, for me, a part of Momoi Halko’s appeal at an American convention is observing the Momoists. This is the kind of phenomenon you typically only see at West Coast conventions, with the occasional Minori Chihara tour group and similar occurrences. It’s enjoyable to witness these Japanese fans bring their cheers to concerts and endure the long queues for autographs and concerts. What distinguishes Momoists from other groups of hardcore anison otaku seen overseas is their unique style of wotagei, along with the significant number of Westerners who are part of the group. However, given it was Anime Boston, there wasn’t a strong showing, and in truth, only a few of them were, uh, ready to perform. But they worked as a team, and everyone contributed to make the event successful.
Before the convention, I already anticipated what would happen, having connected with some of them through these forums. I psyched myself out a bit, but in reality, they are not intimidating at all. I found coverman’s light baton collection to be quite special, like a magical item. The group (teams Socal, Japan, and Canada) was small but passionate. Armed with free glow sticks and call books, they did their best for AB’s challenging audience. I believe enough of the crowd got into it by the end that the real obstacle was the song arrangement and that the show was too short to truly build momentum.
I already shared my quick thoughts in the previous AB post I wrote. For the sake of completeness, Kanako Ito was exactly as expected. HalkoMomoi is a bit more complex to explain, so I’ll elaborate a little. I did attend her press session and will share the results in the usual place. To avoid making this unbearably long, you can read about it when I get around to writing it. Here’s just a brief overview for now.
In essence, I’ve heard various things about Momoi. This is partly due to being friends with Momoists and also because she’s attended many different conventions. She’s also been active for a considerable time, over ten years in music, as a personality, and as a voice actress. She’s around 34 years old this year and has been involved in writing and various other activities. I believe she’s a treasure trove of stories, and she shares them when prompted. In that sense, she truly is a cultural ambassador for Japan, capable of traveling the world and spreading Akiba’s captivating songs. She is the wind beneath her wings.
I spent way too much money on loot again, and this time, half of it was on shirts I can’t even wear. What kind of absurd sizing is “LL” or “F,” anyway? I suppose they could be given as gifts or bribes when the time comes. I wonder if I could run a charity auction or donate them. Or whatever. I did manage to acquire something much more practical: a Wagnaria plate and soup bowl set. Perhaps I’ll actually use it to eat soup; you never know.
What would truly empty my wallet is if, say, Benjamin Moore released cans of “moe” paint. I probably should repaint some of my rooms. I could also use some “moe” lawn seed/fertilizer right about now.
The rest of the loot consists of calculated risks and items I knew I was going to purchase. I assisted someone in buying a Kanako Ito CD and found a friendly face to help get it autographed. I truly appreciate this random act of kindness from a stranger (even if I suspect this mysterious helper is someone I interact with on a certain internet forum). It’s not uncommon for the freebies I receive at a convention to be more meaningful than the items I paid for, and I’m not even referring to the memories I made! Or that hole in the wall that will likely cost me money – that probably doesn’t count as a freebie.
Oh yeah, so I made a hole in the hotel wall. Partly because the night before, I was jumping up and down to see if I could outdo coverman’s airtime, but also because I was sleeping uncomfortably on the floor. I tried to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and my legs cramped, causing me to fall. I managed to break my fall using the wall, but well, now there’s a hole there. I wonder how much plaster it costs.
Finally, I’d like to give a shoutout to all my brothers and sisters in arms, but honestly, I’m bound to miss someone, which would make them and me feel a bit awkward. So, let’s just say that if I missed you, I apologize for not being able to connect. If I saw you, it was a good time. If you owe me money, you need
