Animecon in Japan Is that even a thing? Wataru “walterinsect” Yamazaki Twitter: @walterinsect #conjapanissa

Bit about myself Like: anime, Yuri, fanfic, Finnish history Favorite series: Shinkai’s work, Ikuhara’s work, yuri, IDOLM@STER

Is “animecon” a thing in Japan? - Many of my otaku friends in Finland Me

Of course, in Finland...

Desucon as Reference point Breakdown what Desucon is Find equivalents Offer overview in relation to what you know

1. Place for meeting celebrities/industry people Desucon 2018 Voice actors Directors, staff Manga artists, novel writers Meet, listen to, ask, get signatures from famous people

2. Place to buy/sell things Merchandise, books, disc media Fanart, “Taidekuja”- Artist Alley Buy official/fanmade “things Sell your own art/creation/book

3. Place for discussion “Luento” Lectures “Paneeli” Panel Discussions Discussions of Anime related topics

So, what’s it like in Japan? All three functions are present in some forms Keyword “Fragmented”

1. Place for meeting celebrities/industry people A lot of them Usually industry-sponsored Industry convention with fan event elements

1. Place for meeting celebrities/industry people Differences Heavy emphasis on voice actors Usually series-specific VERY competitive ticket acquisition Gintama fan event

1. Place for meeting celebrities/industry people Concerts Animelo Summer Live etc. Series-specific concerts Lovelive, The Idolm@ster etc.. Where you might meet this guy

2. Place to buy/sell things AnimeJapan Comiket Myyntisali/Taidekuja using 95,000m2 for 3 days 530,000 participants Comitia, WonFes “only” events Messukeskus 58,000m2 Comiket Doujin area

Industry-led, and fan-led Anime studio, production companies, publishers Often municipalities Fan-led Most doujin events Printing companies

5ch, or 2ch with different name 3. Place for discussion Weakest feature Very weak “IRL” events Online 5ch (ex-2ch) Hatena-blog 5ch, or 2ch with different name

But... Real events Anime Clubs Madoka gakkai (Madoka Conference) Aikatsu gakkai (Aikatsu Conference) Anime Clubs Universities, high schools “Genshiken” “SOS Brigade” https://twitter.com/madoka_gakkai Genshiken 2 daime

Also... Paper media Phil-cul, Eureka Hyoron (Critique)Doujinshi in Comiket Bungaku Furima (Literature Fleamarket) https://twitter.com/madoka_gakkai

Lack of discussion General lack of accessible forum Closed community Very small

Exceptions 1: Niconico Chokaigi “Recreating (almost) everything on Niconico in reality” Anime, games, VOCALOID, sport, etcetc. “all in one place” idea in Japan Not limited to anime

Exception 2: SF Taikai Convention for everything Sci-Fi Western traditions Major anime influence DAICONFILMS and Anno Hideaki Is not a place for anime? Western con in japan Limited to SF

So is there animecon in Japan? Very different landscape No single place for everything SF Taikai, but legacy did not carry onto Anime Why? Bigger fanbase allowing single-feature events to exist Very fast commercialization similar happening in France and USA?

Thank you for listening!