UlasanAnime.com – As Otakon 2013 approaches, attendees can look forward to a packed schedule with various events and details emerging. This post aims to provide the essential facts, along with some opinions and advice for navigating the convention.
The official Otakon schedule is now available as a PNG image, though using the Guidebook app is recommended for easier access.
For music enthusiasts, T.M. Revolution’s concert, featuring Home Made Kazoku, is scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM in the Arena. T.M. Revolution will also be selling a special compilation CD at their booth in the dealer room. More details about this performance can be found on the Otakon website.
Yoko Kanno’s concert with Ishikawa Chiaki is set for Sunday at 1 PM in the main events hall. While a simulcast room will be available for those who arrive later, attending the live performance might require an advance lineup, potentially as early as 9-10 AM. Merchandise is expected to be available in the dealer room. Notably, this concert will now require tickets, which will be distributed in limited quantities on Friday and Saturday from 1 PM to 3 PM, and Sunday from 9 AM to 10 AM. Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a limit of two per person, available at the Sharp Street lobby by Hall D. A ticket is mandatory for the live concert, but not for the simulcast. Attendees will still need to queue for the live event as usual.
Good Smile Company will be present at Otakon, sharing a booth with Daisuki. Specific merchandise details are yet to be announced.
Daisuki is expected to host their usual activities, similar to their presence at Anime Expo, including a booth and a panel. It is anticipated that Crunchyroll will also have a similar setup, and it would be beneficial to check if they are conducting any guest interviews, especially with Ishikawa Chiaki.
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Aniplex has finalized its plans for Otakon. They will feature a charity poster and an OreImo event, which includes a poster giveaway. Autograph sessions are likely, with one scheduled for OreImo guests and two for Sword Art Online (SAO) guests. Leftover merchandise from Anime Expo will also be available for purchase. Adachi will be live drawing during the World of SAO panel.
The OreImo premiere screening’s room clearing status remains uncertain. If no room clear is required, attendees might be able to catch the Young Animator Showcase that precedes it, though this could present scheduling complexities.
Mangagamer has announced that five titles will be available at Otakon, in addition to potential leftover merchandise from Anime Expo.
Otakon will host its traditional Thursday festival, the Otakon Matsuri, which, while charming, is described as somewhat quaint. This year, the festival will be held at the West Shore Park.
Studio Nasu, responsible for Otakon’s video game events, is organizing a pre-convention game room experience for their Kickstarter backers. Details for this exclusive event can be found in emails or on the project’s Kickstarter updates page for backers before Thursday night.
Information regarding what appears to be special Hard Rock pins is available.
Funimation will be premiering the dub of Wolf Children at Otakon and will feature their usual lineup of voice actors and actresses. Attendees can also expect loot based on badge tags. A significant screening event is the Evangelion 3.0 showing on Friday.
Regarding autograph sessions, both T.M. Revolution and Yoko Kanno are scheduled for two sessions each. To manage crowds and lines, Otakon is implementing a ticket system for these high-demand autographs. A ticket lineup will take place on Friday morning at 10 AM. Further details are available on the Otakon website. The author plans to arrive very early to ensure attendance, as they have another commitment at 10:20 AM.
A new 21+ lounge will be available at Otakon, located at the top of the Hyatt Regency on Friday night starting at 8 PM. This lounge will feature a cash bar and dance lessons.
A reminder is given to catch the author for free iM@S tags if possible.
Finally, an invitation is extended to attend the author’s panel on Saturday at 7:30 PM in Panel 4 (BCC).
