Time for some Author Style (but with comments enabled, so more like Bootleg Author Style!!!). Also, the image is random, ’cause I like to put images (I don’t think Author uses a lot of images). And there’s no quote from other blogs, so basically, this post is not Author-like at all, sigh. JP and Author have commented on the whole Greg Ayers fansub thing. I actually stayed for an hour of his panel and saw part of the one at Anime Boston as well, so I thought I might make a brief random comment on it. Now, it’s true that there was a substantial prime time slot where Gundam Seed and Fullmetal Alchemist aired just a few years ago which no longer exists. But I agree that his whole argument is very strained, because I think he’s saying that we should support the American industry because, since the Japanese industry is having trouble, they will depend more and more on American money to survive. But if they are having trouble in Japan because otaku there are not buying the products being advertized, then Japan has a more serious problem at the root of its distribution system and if they have to adjust because of it, then they just hase to, without having to depend on American money.

I think that there may be other issues lying behind Ayers’s argument. As was made very clear in that other panel he was on, he has an elevated opinion of himself as an “actor” and, of course, he probably regards the American voice actors as just as good as the Japanese. So when he argues that the American Industry is “where it’s at” for the future of anime and so fans must therefore support it, he’s putting himself and his friends in the industry in a position at least equal to that of the Japanese creators. This would explain his comments about buying anime to support “the creative process.” Those in the industry and those fans who attach themselves to the industry (like at AoDVD and ANN) probably relish their position as effective “gatekeepers” between the fans and the anime and have never liked others who bypass that.

OK, here’s my obligatory loot pics. First, I got a Higurashi Kai book and two issues of Megami, one at the con, the other at the Sanseido next to Mitsuwa. In general, besides the titillating Konata and Kagami images that have been well-noted elsewhere, there were not that many posters in them I liked, except for the Soul Eater one above. But I did get some exciting figures and plushies, so please read on…

Next up are the two Ragnarok Online plushies, a drops and an arc angeling :

Then, there is a most attractive figure of Kyou-sama. But where’s her lunch bento?

Next is a Haruhi at her desk, kind of like all those Eva ones you see around, except it’s Haruhi:

And lastly, the keychain/cell-phone items! There’s Lucky Star’s Konata and Kagami, Pangya’s Kooh with Papel and Daikin’s Pichonkun (a gift from Hinano, yay).

Sigh. As you may have read elsewhere, today was, like yesterday, not much to rave about. I bought just a few more things, took a few more cosplay photos, and sat around a bit more with JP and Hinano (who were tired and bored as well). I was actually at the infamous fansub panel for an hour (half its full length, which is longer than JP&H made it). The NYAF panel was good, because I will be part of a blogging panel at that con and the guy kept mentioning Doctor Who (LOL). He also mentioned Battlecrap Galactica, but no one’s perfect. And btw, in answer to his question, I would think John Barrowman might be, um.., dreamier than David Tenant, if only because he can sing Broadway tunes as well (although I think Tenant might do that too). Anyway, I tried to get JP&H to vocally tout the blogging panel, but they did not. I didn’t either, so I am a wuss as well. But on a blog I am as bold as a Tripeman, so COME TO THE AMAZING NYAF BLOGGING PANEL WITH DS and his two assistants!!!!

I was also happy to see my friend Ray today, who goes to many cons, although he has a wife arriving from China in a few days and may have to change his lifestyle. Oh well, I did at least get a shot of him holding a cosplayer’s dollfie. And that was pretty much it. I left early to go get Japanese snacks at Mitsuwa. But do look at my pictures of cosplayers below….

I got up very early to head to New Jersey for Anime Next, so if I’m not coherent, its because I’m very tired. I arrived at the Meadowlands Exposition Center to discover a moderately long line for Pre-Reg and a shorter line for Non-Pre-Reg (I got in the second line). The wait was not bad at all and I was amused by a guy behind me who was really talkative (in a loud voice) who kept asking everyone he met, whether they were in costume or not, who they were supposed to be. I don’t think he’d seen much anime, because he couldn’t correctly identify any costumes (LOL) and kept pointing and asking, “Are you a Pokemon trainer?” (RFLMAO). So how did the day go? Please read on for some more info and pics…

After getting my badge I was ready to move into my hotel room and eat something. The con was pretty dead at that point, except for cosplayers, and the Dealers Room didn’t open until 1:00 PM. Next (surprise surprise) I met up with Hinano & JP (they are very interesting people who have blogs and, perhaps even more important these days, play Pangya and RO). They told me there was already a huge line for the Dealers Room that started in the basement (where the Artists Alley was also placed this year, deep in a cavernous dungeon). I followed them to lunch (like a Poring cute pet following its master in Ragnarok Online, although my cute pet is actually a Drops named Dango, but more on that later) and then back to the con, where we could now easily enter and explore the dealers room.

The dealers had the usual stuff. I was particularly interested in figures of Kyou and Nagisa from Clannad, but held off for the moment. I did notice an increase in the number and variety of Haruhi related figures.

But something else got me very excited. Hinano’s quick eye spotted two amazing finds for Korean online game addicts. First, a collection of plushies of monsters from RO (I got the Drops, which doubles as a screen wipe thinggy) to match my pet in the game (named Dango, as mentioned above). Next she spotted some Pangya keychanes! I got the one of Kooh with Papel. What amazing findz!!

We wondered around to a few lame panels, marveled at some screaming Narutards with yaoi paddles, ate dinner and went to a Reborn cosplay meeting (where I took pictures of the group with her expensive super cell phone camera thing that I held like a precious treasure; if she posts these pictures, you may marvel at the amazing skill of an expert cosplay photographer!) After that, JP and Hinano left for their bus and I ran back to the Dealers room to get the Kyou figure I wanted (and a Haruhi one thrown in for good measure). And that was basically it. Not the most amazing con experience, but whatever. So look at some more pics!!!

In what may be a sad commentary on anime cons and fandom in general, I leave you with this image of crushed pocky on the con’s concrete floor…