Messages

2013 marks the 25th anniversary of my favorite anime, and I was wondering if anyone was planning costumes. I've seen a few Norikos in years past. I'm planning to at least fix up and wear my Coach Ota costume. Though my ideal plan is the Gunbuster herself, but it's looking more and more unlikely. :-\

Anyone else going to Aim for the Top?

You know I'm in with my usual Von Kuspen, barring any new costumes or scheduling conficts.  ::) 8)

Still wondering whatever became of the Nightmare/Megumi merchandise. Did it ever actually go on sale?

So here's the story with that...
Other than being announced at MusicFest like it was a passing thought, there was probably only one staff member at the entire convention who knew WHEN and WHERE this was happening. I had to google and tumblr my butt off looking for anyone who knew, and it turns out I ran into the ONLY PERSON who asked that one staff member (after questioning many other people and waiting a long time) online. I asked her where, and it was actually at the autographs room on Sunday after the last autograph session. So in approximation, this was around 6pm (and I heard it was supposed to go until 9pm). But because, you know, nobody knew about this, that girl and I were the only people there--Probably for the entire 3 hours the staff guy was there at the table he set up with all the goods.

Saadfaceee. I'm sure there would've been more people had people known when and where to look. :/

I had to leave, but it seems like the girl I met with ended up having a short talk with the staff member, and she will be taking orders, I believe, in cooperation with the staff guy, for those goods that were available Sunday night. Whether or not it is just Nightmare goods or not, I am not sure. Though, if there is interest, I can find out and post here.

Thanks! To think I was actually there around an hour before. I even asked about it and was told I complained too much. I'd definitely love some info on order information if that includes the Megumi stuff.

The only gathering I made this year. Exhausted but so worth it since I missed it last year.

I forgot to add another positive; I love seeing full art on the front of the con shirts this year like 2003 and 04. I've never been fond of the chest logo types that have been common of late.

Still wondering whatever became of the Nightmare/Megumi merchandise. Did it ever actually go on sale?

While it's true that there are other panels not directly related to anime, most at least relate to Japan (Japanese video games for example) or convention culture (the dating panels tend to be specifically for fans). I'd just like that they all tend to tie in to the theme (though I'm sure there are those that don't, it's not like I can make all of them nor do I have a schedule). Sorry if I singled yours out as an example. 

[Pros:]

Plenty of Pros and cons this year. A lot has been mentioned

Pros:

Pocket Schedule - It's always great when there's an actual schedule before the con. Having a downloadable version for smartphones was a nice touch.

Masquerade - The event went smoothly, the host was great, and entertain was provided during judging, which didn't take too long. A highlight event.

Guests - The guest list was small, but good quality. Great seeing Yamaga and Yokota again. Really hope to see them next year as well. Asamiya was a huge draw for me this con as well. I really like the artists that get brought in.

Use of the Fairmont - While a bit of a distance, it's nice to continue to see all the con space get utilized. It worked well for Swap Meet and Autographs.

Yamaga Party - Always a great event. Especially for those that can't make the panels of the guests.

Tribute to Noboru Ishiguro - I was very happy to see a number of his works not only playing, but highlighted in the schedule.

Midnight Madness - Very happy to see the tradition continue.

Swap Meet open to everyone of Thursday. - This went a long way to easing the woes over not getting ones badge on Day 0. Kudos.

Neutral/Oddity

My Little Pony Panels - I want to start off by saying that I'm actually a fan of the show, and enjoyed Friday's panel, so this is not a complaint directed at the panelists. I must question it's place at the con. While I could understand if the show had a very anime like flavor, it does not. The art style is very much classic cartoons, no companies or artists of Japan are involved to my knowledge, and the show hardly, if ever, references anime or Japanese pop culture. Simply put, it has nothing to do with the convention's theme outside of being animated. I know it's popular with anime fans, and cosplayed heavily this year, but I question whether that alone warrants it being highlighted at the con.

Cons

A lot has been said of the lines for prereg, so I won't echo them here. Though I particularly didn't like asking one rover where the end of the line was, going to it, and finding it had already been cut off. Better information to the guests always helps.

Musicfest - I'll start by saying that the guests that performed were great. Mai Aizawa has a great voice and Chiba has a lot of energy and showmanship. However, it was obvious that the event was not what was planned nor even on scale from years before. The event opened with a video of a bunch of performers apologizing for not being there. Who starts a show with a list of who you won't be seeing? I'm told some of the comments weren't even subbed. It was also billed as an intermission video, so again, why open with it? Mai only sang two songs. Two. I was a little late and missed most of it, and with only two performers, that just doesn't seem right. The main act, Chiba, only performed for about half an hour. Seeing him headlined, I would've expected something a lot longer. Worse, the majority of the length of the event was a video presentation of a Vocaloid concert. I wasn't expecting a hologram event, but to switch from the high energy of Chiba to a video screening just killed the energy. Even Vocaloid cosplayers left in droves.

It just seems obvious that plans for Musicfest either feel through (understandable) or the event simply was not prioritized. While I appreciated that something was done to pad the length, an opening act of two songs followed by a main act of about 9 songs and then an hour of video does not make a music event no matter the quality of performers. It wasn't even listed as an event on the website. Ever. Musicfest has been a main event for me since it was called Gakufest, and I really hope to see it shine again next year. I'm not even saying we need A-listers, but past events have been great even with small, obscure bands.

Autograph sessions - The autograph situation really highlights how unorganized or poorly thought out some things were. I echo all of CutieBunny's concerns.

For starters, why only on Saturday and Sunday? I know not all guests stay the whole con, and guest schedules need to be worked out, but having signings on Friday and Monday would really help getting more people autographs.

The scheduling also didn't work. Why schedule autographs of sketching artists right after their panels? Since sketches take time no matter how quick, it guarantees that anyone who attended the panel will not be getting a sketch or even a signature. This is fine for Mai Aizawa and other non-artists, but even an hour apart like on Sunday for Asamiya made attending the panels impossible as anyone who got a sketch had to be in line at least three hours in advance for a maybe. I'm a big fan of Asamiya, and only was able to make his appearance at the Yamaga Party.

The length of the sessions for sketch artists was also too brief to believably allow more than a handful to get anything. If you wanted a sketch, you had to be there for hours. While it was mentioned that Yokota's first signing had a two hour window due to nothing scheduled after it, he stopped after one hour due to other commitments, so it wasn't even used and people would put on priority for the next signing (to quell Cutiebunny's peeve on that, most on that list had indeed waited hours, not minutes). It would make sense to me to devote as much free time to get through the line as possible. While they draw a line, it's not one nearly as long as a voice actor's, so even an extra hour would accommodate much more of the line. Scheduling a session right after their panel and then an interview or something else immediately after for guests that love to draw just doesn't seem well thought out a plan for getting as many happy con-goers, many who've given up the rest of the day to wait in line, including the artists' own panels, their sought out autograph. The room was also huge. Surely another table could be set up to accommodate sketches while other guests sign. Last year, that very thing happened on the fly and it worked very well in a much smaller room.

There also seemed to be plenty of miscommunication during the sessions. Asamiya's line on Saturday was told around 45 minutes in that he'd sketch for another 15 minutes after. Some apparently heard that the next ten would indeed get in (I personally don't recall this, and was among them). 5 minutes before four, we're told the autographs are done. I know he has to get out at a certain time, but why get peoples hopes off just to say something else minutes later? I did appreciate the Sunday Asamiya line being cut off at a reasonable time and people told to not expect sketches at a certain point. The Chiba signing had a 15 minute delay due to missing staffers I was told. Staffers never seemed to know exactly how many could get in, how long things would last and so on. Everything was on the fly. Seeing as Yokota in particular is a repeat guest, sure they know what to expect by now.

The worst of this miscommunication was the website and Musicfest highly promoting the sale of goods of bands that couldn't make it this year with the bonus of signed items. An awesome gesture. They never appeared. Musicfest distinctly said they'd be offered at the autograph sessions. I asked the reseller at Chiba's session after Musicfest. He said they were at the con but they didn't get them to that session in time, so they would be available at later autograph sessions. Not only were they not, the autograph staffers had no info on them at all. One told me that that was all Musicfest's department. I happened to get up to stretch my legs at one point Sunday and glanced through the door to see how it was going as I walked back. A female staffer exiting the room at the time (wearing no badge) inquired if I had a question. While I was not up specifically to ask it, I figured since she asked  I would also inquire her about the Musicfest items. She told me that the sessions they were at had already passed. I told her that I was at those sessions and was told that they weren't there and would be at Sunday's instead.  She said I had had to ask about them at those previous sessions. I said that I had at the same session and was again told they would be there on Sunday. She then said she didn't know where they were nor was there anything she could do about it (no one made any attempt to find out about these items so publicized). She then told me that there's a lot of misinformation going around and that she thought I complained too much and intentionally make myself stand out. I was rather taken aback at this nonchalant insult and even told her that I was sorry and wasn't complaining, I was simply trying to ask a question about something multiple sources had given me details about. She said she simply didn't know. It wasn't a rumor, it was on the website and publicized at the event. Surely asking what happened or if perhaps they meant the dealers room isn't "complaining". I'm utterly aghast that a staffer would be so unprofessional as to outright criticize a member for asking a question she solicited simply because he wasn't accepting the information she had that he (and she since she was present at most if not all the signings) knew wasn't fully correct. I wasn't complaining at the time, but I certainly am now.

The final issue at the signing was the handling of autographs only for Asamiya. They did this at both sessions where they announced about ten minutes in the formation of a separate line for people who only wanted autographs. I understand and approve wanting to get as many through the line as possible, and even get their defense when people took issue with it that it "only takes five seconds". However, it should be understandable that just about everyone that went into that line had been there minutes and were now guaranteed something. It may only take seconds, but when you have staffers scrambling to get people through the line, egging the artist to draw faster, or worried about closing on time, 20 people getting autographs effectively denies at least one person who'd been waiting hours a sketch when they cut twenty minute in advance the day before. No one is entitled, but the concept of first come, first served should be honored. I also heard that staffers got colored sketches right at the start of the Sunday session since he was early. With people waiting, is that truly fair? One guy even joined the autograph only line after it had been both closed and moved into the other room. He poked his head in thirty minutes in and asked if we minded. We told him, like we'd been asked by the staffers to, that it was cut and that we minded. He got one anyway (he assured me that it really only took five seconds).  At the very least, a separate line should've been made much prior to the start. Instead of pulling people from the line, and sending them in first, tell them to wait at the back and send them in last since it only takes seconds and they know no more sketches can be made. Better yet, do what wound up happening on Sunday, late in the session, tell the people waiting what to expect and at a certain point cut off sketches and make everyone after autograph only. That way, those that were late get autographs and those waiting hours don't feel like they were cut off because of the prioritizing of those that just showed up and didn't care as much. I'm happy to hear that everyone waiting on Sunday at least got an autograph, many with a quicker sketch.