UlasanAnime.com – The Otakon 2011 convention offered a packed schedule, with Days 2 and 3 proving to be particularly eventful. The author recounts experiences ranging from the convention’s unique merchandise to insightful panels featuring prominent anime directors.
The author found amusement in the Baltiport badges, humorously noting a desire to escape Baltimore. The travel experience itself was a significant undertaking, requiring careful navigation to avoid traffic, even with advanced navigation tools.
[07/31 19:19]wee back [07/31 19:19] to baltimore: 2.5hr, from balitmore: 4hr
Day 2 was described as the peak of activity. A missed opportunity to witness a translation session by DJ Saolilith, involving LOAE, was lamented. This missed chance stemmed from the author’s decision to attend the “Hoshi o Ou Kodomo” screening and the extended Q&A session with Director Shinkai, which ran longer than anticipated.
Comix Wave was a notable presence, distributing promotional items at Shinkai’s events. During his Q&A, attendees received film strips from “Kumo no Mukou,” some featuring character art, thanks to the assistance of a producer.
Aniplex’s Iwakami also hosted a panel where a Saber sketch was raffled off, leading to humorous reactions. Additionally, volumes of the “Madoka” Blu-ray series and Cospa shirts were given away, alongside charity posters. Iwakami’s departure on Sunday morning meant a limited window for attendees to interact with him.
A significant oversight was the author’s failure to attend a Jtor meet-up, having prioritized the K-ON dub voice actresses’ live event. This lapse in planning resulted in a commitment to purchase drinks for the group at their next encounter.
The K-ON dub concert, while premised on a karaoke roleplay concept, was deemed surprisingly decent, especially when compared to a professional live concert like Kylee’s.
The musical act Chemistry performed, but the author felt the crowd lacked energy. In retrospect, the author found the rave crowd to be more engaging. Despite Chemistry’s performance, it was considered underwhelming and not aligned with the author’s musical preferences.
The author’s enthusiasm for “Tanto Cuore” was limited to brief mentions while waiting for a director’s panel. A question posed by SDS about the panel was highlighted as particularly insightful. Another noteworthy question concerned director Murata’s favorite character from “To Heart,” though it was suggested it could have been more impactful if directed at Director Shinkai, given his apparent amusement.
Director Makoto Shinkai was characterized as a “nerd,” with the author humorously speculating on his success despite this trait. Shinkai’s appreciation for the restaurant Five Guys was also mentioned, further solidifying his image as an exemplary individual.
The author managed to record the Sunday morning Otakon ritual panel for directors. Instead of replaying the entire recording, a summary of the key discussion points is provided.
SDS: Earlier, Director Ishiguro mentioned his lack of understanding regarding digital animation, while Directors Murata and Shinkai work with it. Could the younger directors offer some insights to Director Ishiguro?
Toshi: … uhh
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SDS: Let me rephrase: Is there anything you can share about the differences and challenges of working with digital versus analog animation?
Toshi and LOAE provided explanations, with Murata and Shinkai appearing nervous, and Ishiguro smiling.
Ishiguro: Indeed, since my last project, I’ve realized the need to learn more about digital animation. Please do share your knowledge.
A brief silence followed before the conversation commenced. The discussion revealed Shinkai’s challenges in communicating spatial distances between pixels and millimeters to those accustomed to analog animation. Ishiguro shared an anecdote about the ship’s movement in “Yamato” being consistently 1mm per 3 frames, dictated by the machine’s lowest speed setting. Shinkai then explained the difficulty in converting millimeter measurements to pixels due to the scanning process.
This technical discussion was acknowledged as potentially dry. The author noted that it was Ishiguro’s second time participating in such an American panel. The age difference between the directors was highlighted: Makoto Shinkai (born 1973), Kazuya Murata (born 1964), and Noboru Ishiguro (born 1938), underscoring Ishiguro’s senior status.
Evan’s question served as a simpler example of the panel’s content. With Ishiguro present, the conversation naturally leaned towards older animation styles. Ishiguro referenced numerous animation works from the 1970s and international productions. Murata cited “Future Boy Conan,” while Shinkai mentioned his ongoing viewing of “Legend of Galactic Heroes.”
The author concluded that further discussion on Shinkai’s work would be deferred to a later time.
The Bandai After Dark event featured a karaoke competition to “Fuwa Fuwa Time,” with romanji lyrics displayed. The winner received a dealer room banner signed by voice actors. Other giveaways included Gurren Lagann straw bags containing various items like GITS figures, a Lucky Star seifuku t-shirt, and manga or CDs. Consolation prizes consisted of additional GITS figures.
The author expressed a desire for more time in the dealer’s room, having already made numerous purchases, including CDs, penlights, and t-shirts. MangaGamer’s selection at Otakon was noted as sparse compared to their offerings at AX.
The report concludes with the author needing rest and a request for information regarding MangaGamer’s panel giveaways.
