UlasanAnime.com – Anime NYC 2019 managed to attract a stellar lineup of guests, with Rie Kugimiya arguably taking center stage following the Lantis Festival 2019 which featured JAM Project, True, ZAQ, and Guilty Kiss. The event also included the enigmatic Yoshiyuki Tomino, alongside the director and writer of the Code Geass movies, and voice actress Yukana. Younger talents like Miku Itou were present, promoting Bang Dream and Fragtime, while Atsumi Tanezaki made a surprise appearance. Mariya Ise returned to the US, and Ise Mariya also graced the event, though I unfortunately missed her panel. The formidable duo of Aoi Yuki and Rumi Okubo were there for Fate/GO promotions. These are just the most prominent names; I also had a valuable signing session with Eunyoung Choi from Science Saru. The Dr. Stone manga creator/writer duo were busy scouting locations, and I even spotted TAa and artists like Vofan and Poppy. It’s worth noting that the convention hosted many more Japanese production staff and artists than I could possibly mention, and I’m grateful that many of them fell outside my specific interests.
For me, the impressive guest list was only half the equation for a successful convention. The other half relies on the flawless execution of the “con” aspects: pre-convention communication, online ticket sales, efficient autograph and ticketing processes, and effective line management at the venue. For the most part, Anime NYC 2019 delivered on these fronts. Barring the chaos surrounding the Lantis Festival, everything else ran smoothly, though that particular incident did cast a shadow over my experience.
Interestingly, by Sunday, my schedule at the convention was quite light. Aside from the programming featuring Rie Kugimiya, there wasn’t much demanding my attention. This is a positive development, as it suggests a better distribution of top-tier voice actor events. While I still missed all of Yukana’s scheduled appearances, that was more a personal oversight than a fault of the convention. The concert being a single-day event this year also helped manage the packed schedule on Saturday.
Not having to rush to the convention early in the morning was a welcome change. I still found myself waking up quite early all three days, but at least I was present at the venue, unlike in previous years. Furthermore, on two of the three days, I commuted from home, rather than from my friend’s place which is significantly closer to the city.
In summary, Anime NYC 2019 was a resounding success. It effectively filled the void for a major anime convention in New York City and has grown significantly. The event was expertly managed by a capable team with the vision to host a large convention of 46,000 attendees. I’m fortunate to have this as my local convention.
Let’s delve deeper into the Lantis Festival situation. The issues were threefold. Firstly, there were distinct ticket tiers. Secondly, attendees within each tier were assigned specific seating areas, compelling people to camp out for desirable spots. The worst third of seats in the first tier were actually worse than the best third of seats in the second tier. Thirdly, line management was subpar. Many of these problems likely stemmed from the tickets selling out so rapidly, necessitating a last-minute room reconfiguration.
The VIP tier cost approximately $160, which was about $100 more than the next tier, yet VIP attendees could end up with worse seats. This arrangement felt fundamentally flawed. While VIPs received an autograph, it offered little consolation. In practice, attendees ended up camping for roughly the same amount of time due to the “no lining up until time X” policy, which was often disregarded as people began queuing before the designated time. The critical factor was simply being at the exact starting point of the line, which most people were.
This situation was quite problematic. A Twitter thread highlighted the experience of a wheelchair user who had difficulty seeing the show because everyone stood, and the venue floor was flat. Without VIP status, it’s unlikely they could have accessed higher vantage points. Perhaps assigning them a dedicated side area would have been a solution, but this issue could have been entirely avoided if attendees were allowed to sit in any available seat, with a specific section reserved for late VIP arrivals.
Ultimately, these problems, while frustrating, are not necessarily systemic (though the Lantis Festival’s issues might be, given their origin in Japan). They are, however, easily rectifiable.
Another straightforward fix implemented midway through the convention planning was the autograph ticket system. Anime NYC opted for a lottery for the free tickets available at the con, which was a positive step. However, Vofan and Rie Kugimiya’s tickets sold out in mere seconds. While this is an expected outcome, it was still a point of contention, and many expressed their frustration on Sunday while waiting in line for friends who had secured tickets.
The lead-up to the new system was handled well, with the convention actively communicating with followers online. This demonstrated attentiveness and a logical approach to the changes being made. However, there remains a segment of attendees who prefer traditional “manual lineup” methods, in addition to the usual complainers. It’s particularly irksome to deal with individuals who believe that the longest wait signifies the greatest dedication, a mindset that mirrors the problematic gatekeeping behavior seen elsewhere.
Beyond these specific issues, I found the convention to be generally well-run. Being a “home con” for me does present certain challenges, such as a sense of responsibility, difficulty justifying hotel stays leading to frequent commutes, and the need to work on Fridays. These are personal drawbacks, not reflections of the convention itself. I do wish I could have accessed the venue more easily like some of my friends, or that work wouldn’t present last-minute crises on Friday afternoons. However, these are minor inconveniences compared to having a quality anime convention in New York.
Now, let’s move on to my thoughts on the guests.
TRUE/ZAQ: I’m grouping them together as they participated in most events as a duo. Their panel was somewhat slow-paced, though ZAQ did manage to inject some energy here and there. It was always a pleasure to see their reactions to Million Live merchandise during autograph sessions. I purchased high-five tickets, which sold out by Saturday morning. It was amusing that the staff at the signing event this year recognized the Million Live items, unlike the previous year.
I expressed my love for ZAQ’s song SSS, and ZAQ even rapped a line, which was an incredible moment. TRUE, on the other hand, congratulated me on writing FLYERS, and I’m now considering delving into the Kasuga Mirai singles next.
Atsumi Tanezaki: I attended only one panel featuring her. From social media updates, it appeared she spent much of her time touring NYC and briefly walked through the venue. During the Kono Oto Tomare panel, she handled the Q&A segment adeptly, coming across as very personable and someone you’d naturally root for. We even received a special video message from Shota Aoi, which was a fun surprise. Perhaps next year? The panel was consistently moderated, which was a slight drawback, but this seems to be the standard format for Funimation events now.
Miku Itou: Miku Itou had two panels and a pre-masquerade mini-live. The mini-live was enjoyable, where she performed three songs in costume as Kokoro. It was quite predictable, and the crowd wasn’t overly dense. I put in minimal effort and still managed to secure a spot near the front. Before the mini-live, there was a presentation of Bushiroad idol content, which was quite revealing.
I missed most of the first panel, which was primarily a Bang Dream discussion, due to poor personal coordination. However, it started late and ended early, so I had no control over those aspects. She wore a charming autumn-themed outfit that seemed to reflect last year’s fashion trends in NYC. On the second day, I was able to fully engage with her at the Fragtime panel. It was quite entertaining, and I found myself genuinely interested in the anime this time. I even secured a good seat, which I suppose was a trade-off for giving up the Code Geass panel.
Aoi Yuki & Rumi Okubo: It’s noteworthy that they were flown in specifically for FGO. The FGO panel provided the typical top-tier voice actor entertainment, a rare treat even in Japan. I believe the two Aniplex representatives on stage, Albert and the interpreter, deserve significant credit. Rumi and Aoi were discussing their favorite characters and aspects of them. There was also a rather awkward promotional segment. It was entertaining in a peculiar way, and Rumi even humorously acted as Gilgamesh’s chair.
Rumi’s appearance was as expected, while Aoi was more fashionably dressed, giving her a fresh look.
Rie Kugimiya: All her events were scheduled for Sunday, and aside from the signing session, I was able to attend them. I also assisted a friend by attending her press panel. Lisle served as Rie Kugimiya’s MC and interpreter for all her appearances. The panel format was similar to what I’d heard about her appearance at Smash in July, featuring general Q&A and a live dubbing segment. For NYC, she performed a line from Toradora and a few original character lines, while copyright-sensitive questions were largely avoided. I also encountered issues with the press panel format, which I’ll address in a separate post.
The queen of tsundere appeared more relaxed without heavy stage makeup, resembling a typical Japanese tourist in Midtown. Her casual demeanor was quite noticeable, a stark contrast to her usual IDOLM@STER event persona. The difference between her stage presence and her press panel appearance was also striking, though I understand she was simply performing her professional duties. In such situations, Lisle’s ability to moderate and highlight key moments was appreciated, though it often felt like an effort to salvage a less-than-ideal situation.
JAM Project: These seasoned performers delivered as expected. They clearly enjoyed themselves and livened up the Q&A sessions, but overall, their performance was par for the course. I attended their high-five event, which was as enjoyable as always, and it was great to reconnect with long-time JAM Project fans.
Aside from my autograph sessions with Eunyoung Choi and the Dr. Stone duo, which offered little new to report, that was the extent of my guest interactions. I heard some interesting anecdotes about Yoshiyuki Tomino. One person shared a flight with him to NYC, and another overheard Peter T. asking Tomino about his destination, to which Tomino gave an unusual response. There were also panels, including G-Reco, which is typical of Tomino’s work.
I heard very little about Code Geass, likely due to Funimation’s panel format. I suspect the convention programming team could improve their approach, given the various blunders I observed this year. At least the Code Geass autograph tickets seemed obtainable, even if they required a pre-order through FYI and pickup at a physical store.
I organized a dinner event by booking a space, which proved to be a considerable effort for a modest outcome. I sincerely hope the hospitality arrangements will be more streamlined next year.
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And yes, it’s time to discuss the party aspect of the convention.
