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Drink #015: The Geneva Convention, For the love of cons.

This is the second podcast in a row with a guest. Tom Langston aka Calaggie of the Nigorimasen! blog and podcast joins us to talk fondly of convention experiences. We also continue our mailbag segment, the Interrogation Room, so feel free to send in your questions and comments so we can discuss them on the next podcast!

In this episode, we look at the unique experience that is going to an anime convention. It can often be surreal if you have never been to one before and even old timers can learn something new. We look at the ups and downs of of being surrounded by your fellow anime fans for a weekend. We provide a brief overview of our feelings on conventions, some tips for anyone attending a con, and some changes we would like to see. Also check out our written con survival guide for all the nitty gritty details of surviving your first con.

And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:

The Geneva Convention

2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Goldschlager®
1/2 oz. Everclear®

Fill half a shaker with ice. Add the ingredients. Shake. Strain into a cocktail glass.

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Opening song: Detective Conan Main Theme

[00:00:27] Intro: Just in case you wanted to know who we are and what we are about. We also give all the standard contact info as we introduce ourselves.

Including:

• Our Blog: Reverse Thieves
  
• Our Host Site: Anime 3000
  
• The Podcast’s Website: The Speakeasy
  
• The Reverse Thieves e-mail: reversethieves@gmail.com
  
• Alain’s Twitter – HisuiRT
  
• Kate’s Twitter – NarutakiRT
  

Our guests is:

• Tom Langston aka Calaggie of the Nigorimasen! blog and podcast.

[00:02:08] The Interrogation Room

• The question this month is from Otaku USA'sCaleb Dunaway aka One Great Turtle: You are both obviously into anime, manga and video games but what other form of geekery interest you as well?

[0:12:32] The Cocktail: The Geneva Convention

• A comprehensive overview of the weekends where anime and manga fans of all ages and levels of dedication meet, learn from each other, make connections, buy cool merchandise, and most importantly point and say, "Well at least I'm not them." Of course there is also talk of the bitter east/west coast rivalry.

[00:15:32] The Happy Hour Promo Break

• Method To Madness
  
• Anime 3000 Bonus Round

[0:17:10] Our History with Conventions

• How many conventions we all go to. The three of us mention:
  • Sakura-Con
    
  • Kumoricon
    
  • Anime Vegas
    
  • FanimeCon
    
  • Castle Point Anime Convention
    
  • I-CON
    
  • Otakon
    
  • AnimeNEXT
    
  • New York Anime Festival
    
  • Genericon
    
  • Anime Boston
    
• Hisui makes vague comments about a mysterious scandalous Las Vegas convention.

[0:19:14] It is Time to Fight the Good Fight

• Are East coast cons different from West cons?
• Tom lays down the truth.
• The Yoshida Brothers.

[0:23:30] Con Kids and the Lawns They Won't Get Off Of

• Why do people go to conventions? Why do people avoid conventions?
• Tricking Caleb Dunaway.
• L.B. Bryant
  
• Are the old fans all that different from the young ones?

[0:27:30] Burnout Paradise

• A bit about con burnout.
• The difference between older and younger fans and their approach to the dealers room.

[0:29:36] The Cosplay Convention that Happens to Be at the Anime Convention

• Is the cosplay masquerade most attended part of any con?
• Is cosplay more hardcore on the West coast?
• The controversy with tickets and now cash prizes with Anime Expo and the cosplay masquerade. Oh, that wacky AM² as well.
• Do female Touhou cosplayers exist?
• Danny Choo
  

[0:43:43] Battle of the Bands

• Some people only attend to see the musical guests.

[0:46:53] Be Our Guest

• The paradox of guests as a draw at a convention.
• The difference for a con between Japanese and American guests.
• Better Japanese guests on the West coast.
• Premieres can still be draw but the guests involved less so.

[0:55:30] Con Survival Advice

• Remember to eat; soda and Pocky should not be your meals.
• Otakon and Anime Expo and the Ghetto
• Scheduling is important but lines are almost never as bad as you think.
• Go to the information desk to get the daily schedule updates.

[1:07:45] Paneling with Bob Vila

• Running a panel might be easier than you think.
• Kintoki-Con
  
• Paneling and compensation.
• Try not to rely solely on audience interaction for your panel.

[1:22:04] Get a Second Drink Musical Break

• Pub Food for Thought: What has been your best convention experience?
• Kimi no Mama de by Emi Motoda from Comic Party
  

[1:26:40] No ticket!

• Registration is always complaint #1. Anime cons never mail out badges. 
• The concerns of counterfeit badges.
• Our thoughts on tiered passes.
• Nickle and Dime Con Ticket Policy.

[1:49:13] Quality Control

• Not enough cons check how well panels do.
• Kids with signs are gone but nothing will stop verbal memes.
• The use and drawbacks of updated schedules through video screens and updates to mobile devices.
• The power of paper.

[2:03:15] Anime Feng Shui

• Traffic control problems at conventions with the placement of areas and the space taken up by lining up.
• Cosplayers are often the biggest cause of congestion.

[2:08:20] Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

• Cons that give you a small portable schedule.
• A map on the back of the badge.
• Swap meets rule!
• Random things we love about cons.

[2:16:12] Our Wish List

• Who we would love to see as guests.
  • Gackt
    
  • Helen McCarthy
    
  • Yoshitoshi ABe
    
  • Kotono Mitsuishi
    
  • B'z
    
  • Type-Moon
    
  • Kenjiro Hata
    
  • Kanan
    
  • Makoto Shinkai
    
  • Norio Wakamoto
    
  • Ai Yazawa
    
  • Beat Crusaders
    
  • UVERworld
    
  • Shinichiro Watanabe
    
  • More directors in general

[2:26:03] Final Thoughts

• An appeal to go see the Japanese guests panels.
  

[2:30:30] Ending

• A milestone: Our 500th Post
  
• New York International Children's Film Festival Review

Ending song:

Kasumi

by 369 miroku from

The Daughter of Twenty Faces