UlasanAnime.com – The Otakuthon convention in Montreal offered a compelling lineup of musical guests this year, prompting the author to attend despite the overlap with the more traditionally suited Anirevo event. Montreal’s unique European ambiance and its proximity made it an attractive destination.
Carpooling with three others and sharing a hotel with two companions helped manage costs, further aided by a favorable USD to CAD exchange rate. However, the journey was complicated by a late departure and severe storms in upstate New York, which made driving challenging at times.
The tight schedule involved arriving in Montreal late and having to wake up early to move the car for remote work. Despite this, the author managed to sneak out for an autograph session with Marina Inoue. Inoue, a Japanese voice actress, was present to connect with fans and answer questions. She adopted a strong persona that felt somewhat intimidating but was ultimately enjoyable to experience in person.
The convention featured two autograph sessions and a panel with Marina Inoue, which were as engaging as expected. The author missed a portion of the panel due to a conflicting autograph session with Rica Matsumoto. Despite this, the panel proved to be quite informative.
The autograph session with Matsumoto on Saturday was the only opportunity to meet her. The author noted that the convention’s scheduling for her events was not well-managed. The information provided regarding the lineup and guest handling seemed to be out of sync, and the line control struggled to implement the plans from the organizing industry group.
JRock North was responsible for bringing TMR, Matsumoto, and Faky, another idol group from Avex Trax, to the event. In contrast to Wa-suta, Faky possesses significant international appeal due to its three multilingual performers. One member’s fluency in French earned her considerable favor in Montreal. Further details about Faky can be found via a provided link. The group recently experienced a member change, with two out of five members now preparing to release a new song.
YouTube teasers for Faky’s new single, which they performed at the convention, are available for Akina (from California), Hina (a new member from Kyoto), and Taki (a new member from Tokyo, fluent in French, English, and Japanese). It is anticipated that teasers for the remaining members will be released soon.
Otakuthon’s scheduling also led to all Japanese guests being scheduled concurrently. This prevented the author from attending much beyond securing two autographs and catching part of Marina Inoue’s panel. Consequently, panels for Faky, Matsumoto, and TMR were missed. Additionally, Miyavi’s events, organized by Fake Star, were not attended at all.
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TMR’s performance was highly praised. His abridged set was a collaboration with another Nishikawa brand, TNNK, resulting in TMR x TNNK. TNNK primarily features TMR’s recent work, including music from Thunderbolt Fantasy, which the author greatly enjoys. Thanks to a premium badge, the author secured a favorable viewing spot for the live performance.
This year, Otakuthon offered a premium badge for $200 CAD. Individual concert tickets were priced at $20 or $30 each. Having attended two concerts, the author spent an additional $95. Attending the TMR concert also provided perks such as a poster and a handshake. For the author, the primary focus was enjoyment of the show, making the additional cost less significant. The premium badge facilitated a near-front seat without extensive waiting, suggesting the value proposition was balanced. It would have been possible to attend another concert on Saturday if the convention had been less crowded.
Among other activities, the author obtained an autograph from Yasuhiro Irie, which is intended for framing. Irie’s work is described as excellent. The evenings were spent socializing with locals, including mixing drinks and participating in karaoke, while also attempting to purchase tickets for Million 6th SSA.
Overall, Otakuthon was perceived as a fun and relaxed event, with the author approaching it on a smaller scale, partly due to work commitments on Friday. Montreal was found to be an enjoyable and engaging city.
PS. The author drove to Montreal and experienced the local EV infrastructure. Montreal utilizes the Electrify and FLO systems, which are largely interoperable. While downtown parking was challenging, the total parking cost for the weekend remained under $50 CAD. Level 2 chargers were available on some streets, and the Indigo parking deck near the convention also offered them.
A Lime scooter ride was also taken, a service that had recently launched in Montreal. The scooter experience was satisfactory. However, an intended trip outside of downtown was partially completed on foot due to parking limitations in the destination area.
PPS. Dinner on Friday was at La Banquise, and on Saturday at Reuben’s Deli. On the northbound journey, a stop was made at a local diner in Queensbury, NY. On the southbound return, a stop in Albany for Five Guys was made. The aforementioned scooter ride was undertaken to purchase bagels from St. Viateur to bring home. A large parade celebrating LGBT rights on Sunday in downtown Montreal caused traffic disruptions, necessitating the use of an Uber, scooter, and walking to reach the bagel shop. The parade itself was viewed as a positive development.
Finally, the author had the opportunity to try orange julep, a Montreal specialty. This beverage is described as similar to SunnyD but with a more pronounced juice-like quality. The recipe is essentially orange juice combined with flavoring extract and egg whites.
