Topics

In my other topic, I noticed some people were starting to discuss what series they think would be popular this year in the AA so I thought it would be nice to open a topic for it. I think lots of people would like some insight on what they should prepare for.

So what do you think we'll see dominating all the pretty prints in the AA this year? I know last year Mahou Shoujo Madoka seemed to take center stage. Panty and Stocking were also popular and let's not forget Vocaloids. I think I even saw more Pokemon prints. I think those series will still have some good popularity this year. If we go in terms of cosplayers, I swear I saw the biggest herd of Adventure Time cosplayers ever! Made me have to stop to remember whether I was at an anime con still?

What else do you think the fans would like to see this year? I was thinking My Little Pony. I know it's not anime, but this fandom is growing and slowly overtaking all the anime cons. Either than the series I have listed, I'm not sure what else is popular? I think Yu-Gi-Oh seems to be making a resurgence. What do you think?

Also, have you started making stock for your table yet? I've just been planning on what to make, but I really should be getting started now.  :P

I just got an email from the artist alley staff saying that I can sell my original items, but unfortunately, no fanart items.  :'( I'm a craft/plush seller so of course I understand why my work comes into question, but I feel like I'm being banned from completely selling fanart. Under the artist alley agreement, there is a small section that allows for fanart:

"b.Fan art clearly showing the artist's work being produced and not intended to replicate the original style or the official likeness of a work held by the license holder"

To me, this answer seems pretty vague. For example, I sell plushies of characters. I like to make the plushies look as much like the characters as possible so could my eye for detail mean that my plushies look so much like the real characters that they are not to be sold? However, the plushies are made from my own pattern and my own choice of fabrics. In my eyes, making plushies of characters "is" my own original style of fanart. I am not copying existing licensed plushies in any way, shape, or form. I am also making plushies of some characters that don't even have any plush versions even being sold.

I know that there are a few artists like me who have gotten accepted without evening knowing about this policy and I worry how the staff will view their work once it arrives. I already sent a reply to the staff about these questions so now I am patiently waiting for an answer. Have any of you artists out there also received this email? I've been selling my plushies at Fanime for a few years now and I really hope I can still bring some fanart related ones again this year.