UlasanAnime.com – Taiyou Con 2020, held during the very first weekend of the year in Mesa, Arizona, marked the convention’s 10th anniversary. This year’s event maintained its reputation as a low-key affair, drawing a modest crowd with a select group of guests who piqued considerable interest. Taiyou Con’s manageable size and relaxed atmosphere allowed attendees to fully appreciate the experience.
A notable guest pairing featured Miyake Marie (Marietti) from Pro-fit and Matsuzaki Rei (Reichama) from Mausu. They each had individual panels and autograph sessions, with a combined panel and autograph event held on Saturday. This dual appearance might have been facilitated by the convention being run by a producer.
The convention’s guest list was further enriched by two Japanese illustrators, Yukie and AmetoYuki, presented by Sekai Project. ProZD was also scheduled but had to cancel halfway through Friday due to a family emergency. Additionally, several voice actors and cosplayers, less familiar to the author, rounded out the guest roster. This lineup seemed appropriate for a convention of Taiyou Con’s scale, especially considering the inclusion of Japanese voice actors, a rarity at many similar events.
In terms of its fundamental operations, Taiyou Con has seen minimal changes since the author’s last attendance in 2017. This review will focus on the primary differences observed this year, delving into guest experiences and travelogue aspects.
A significant enhancement this year was the increased availability of merchandise, including a limited-count (16) VIP badge. This premium badge offered front-line access to nearly all events, including autograph sessions. However, the author found the value proposition questionable, as most events had a relatively small turnout. Even the Saturday seiyuu autograph session, which had the largest crowd estimated at over 40 people, was not exceptionally crowded. Other signing sessions rarely exceeded 20 attendees, and panels were far from full. Given the minimal programming conflicts, attendees could generally secure good spots in line regardless of VIP status.
The VIP badge also included complimentary merchandise, which, while appreciated for their novelty, did not hold particular personal appeal for the author. Importantly, the VIP badge did not grant benefits like pre-mailed badges or priority pickup. Consequently, VIP badge holders still had to wait in line to collect their badges. The author suggests Taiyou Con address this, especially since there was no pre-convention badge pickup, and badge pickup on Friday commenced only 30 minutes before the convention officially began.
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Taiyou Con collaborated with Sekai Project artists to produce a special illustration book. This book, essentially a high-quality doujinshi, featured full-color artwork and was priced at $30 for 16 pages, considered expensive by most standards. It included attractive illustrations of the convention’s mascot character, alongside work from a local artist that seamlessly blended with the professional Japanese contributions. The author had the fortunate opportunity to meet one of the illustrators later at the convention.
The author attended the live drawing panels for the two illustrators, describing them as “cute,” particularly Yukie’s style, which evoked a sense of gentle charm. Yukie’s panel offered an interesting demonstration of her shading and coloring process, likened to a professional gamer executing a complex strategy. The illustrators’ artistic styles seemed to strongly reflect the essence of their creations.
Notes from the three seiyuu panels were shared on Twitter. Matsuzaki Rei’s panel, in particular, involved extensive discussions about baseball, a topic that resonated with many attendees and served as a surprising point of connection between American and Japanese fans, reminiscent of a previous experience with voice actress Kawano Marina.
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The author made a point of congratulating Matsuzaki Rei on her recent marriage during her solo panel, which was her first public appearance since the announcement. The short timeframe between the convention and the announcement meant a proper wedding gift could not be prepared. Matsuzaki Rei expressed surprise at the attendees’ awareness of her marriage and noted the coincidence of two recent celebrity marriages involving baseball players.
The dynamic between Matsuzaki Rei and Miyake Marie was evident, with Matsuzaki Rei appearing more social and outgoing, akin to a “riajuu” (someone living a fulfilling real-life) baseball enthusiast, while Miyake Marie presented as more of an otaku. This created an interesting contrast, akin to a “female jock versus geek” scenario, despite both being voice actresses for otaku-oriented works.
During Miyake Marie’s solo panel, questions largely revolved around her role in Nana and typical voice actor topics like anime and games. Her journey to becoming a voice actress, significantly influenced by her mother, was highlighted as particularly engaging. The panel also served as a reminder of the quality of the first half of the anime Penguindrum. Miyake Marie came across as a genuine nerd with a strong interest in gaming and a voracious appetite for anime, demonstrating an admirable level of engagement with the fandom she participates in.
It remained unclear during the panel how many were aware, but a significant portion of Miyake Marie’s roles were in galge and similar games. This led to an amusing interaction when Chris from Sekai Project inadvertently found himself in a humorous situation during the Q&A session:
Chris: Are there any game projects or creators you would like to work with?
Marie: Oh, I was talking to people from Sekai Project in the Green Room, so it would be great if I can work on a project with them. Maybe galges or otome games, I can even play their games.
Chris: O…oh…
Me and some others: ROFL and pointing and laughing
Sujay (MC): Marie, this guy is the US head of Sekai Project.
Marie: I am in you care! My manager is in the back of the room, please talk to him.
Chris: O…oh…OK maybe later…
Marie: I am from Pro-fit, remember, Pro-fit.
The joint panel on Saturday was perceived as more humorous than the solo sessions. Initially, the MC, Sujay, posed basic questions about how the two guests met and their first impressions of each other. This led to polite, albeit guarded, compliments. It was revealed they met during the production of Penguindrum, where Miyake Marie had the lead role and Matsuzaki Rei praised her as “Pro-fit’s Miyake.” Miyake Marie gracefully reciprocated the compliment. Matsuzaki Rei recalled their meeting in 2013-2014, while Miyake Marie seemed to have no recollection of it, adding to the amusement.
Beyond the panels, the guests explored Arizona, as documented on their respective social media accounts. The autograph sessions were described as intimate and unhurried. Apart from Saturday, attendees typically received about a minute of interaction per person, with the option to re-queue. This was a positive aspect for the author, who found it interesting to communicate with staff members in Japanese and convey personal messages. The extended interaction time was highly appreciated, with the author managing to re-queue multiple times.
Overall, Taiyoucon was highly praised for its guest interactions this year, comparable to the positive experiences at ANorth 2014. Its small size contributed to a laid-back and problem-free atmosphere. The only notable drawback for the author was the VIP badge purchase, which did not exempt holders from waiting in line for badge pickup. Despite this, the convention was generally considered enjoyable, though the necessity of a VIP badge remained a point of question.
PS. During her stream show Home Run Radio with Hanshin-san, Matsuzaki Rei shared detailed impressions of her trip, including her experiences at the convention and at Arizona’s minor league/spring training complex.
PPS. Regarding food, the author sought out Tex-Mex cuisine during the trip, leaning more towards authentic Mexican dishes. A taco place visited by both guests and the author was deemed a legitimate Tex-Mex establishment. A separate Mexican restaurant provided excellent food, though it caused some digestive discomfort. The author also indulged in excessive eating to sample various dishes. On the first day, a unique Tex-Mex dish was tried at an Asian food establishment, which proved surprisingly good. On Monday night, a meal with convention organizers led to an even more highly rated Mexican dining experience.
In addition to Mexican-inspired cuisine, the author visited Waffle House and made a trip to In-N-Out, embracing the tourist experience.
A notable food truck at the convention offered Cajun/Creole fare, including beignets and coffee, a perfect afternoon treat. For those not inclined towards sweet fried pastries, hot wings and tendies were also available.
PPPS. The author’s first visit to the Talking Stick Arena was a positive experience, thanks to affordable tier-1 seats for NBA games, made possible by lower-tier teams. Tickets were available for $50 or less, offering excellent value.
At the second game attended, attendees received complimentary items, including Takis, which are not commonly found on the East Coast.
PPPPS. A significant disappointment was the inability of guests to sign character goods due to agency restrictions. This was a major bummer, possibly a repercussion from past incidents at ANorth.
