Nigorimasen Podcast #10: Otakon Schedule Runthrough

The Otakon schedule got posted last Thursday & I discussed it that night with Kate (Narutaki) & Alain (Hisui) of the Reverse Thieves. There was some crackling and then other noise from my microphone due to interference, likely from my cellphone (and aliens?!)

I tried to do my best to salvage those parts in post-production but you’ll have to deal with my cyborg echo voice for much of it. Thank goodness my East Coast friends recorded their own end, preventing it from sounding worse, but don’t listen to this with the volume way up.

The Reverse Thieves also posted their tentative schedule so check that out either in addition to, or in substitution of, this podcast episode.

Opening: “Shoot You Down” by APB [Free Music Archive]

[00:50] Introduction

[02:05] Starting the schedule talk

[04:35] CLAMP was at Anime Expo 2006 (Anime Cons)

[06:25] Otakon autograph policy for this year

[08:20] Voice actor tip: the correct way to pronounce Vic’s last name (min-yah-nah).

(interim music is Spoilers reveal from Double Dare – source)

[10:45] The panels the Reverse Thieves want to attend

[14:40] We all want to see Welcome to the Space Show.

[14:58] I cut out my loud static for the listeners’ sake.

(interim sound is a letter falling into place from Scrabble – source “in puzzle”)

[16:09] Resuming the podcast after the audio attack

[18:15] Ed Sizemore’s & Alex Leavitt’s panel times DID change! Ed’s “Anime Journalism” panel is now at 12pm-1pm Friday while Alex’s “Anime Intros and Endings” panel is at 3:30-4:30pm Friday.

[19:30] Kate lists off their Friday “likely”s for fan panels

[23:58] Dave Cabrera of ANN’s Astro Toy and Colony Drop gets mentioned for the mahjong panel he’s doing with Carl (SDS) of Ogiue Maniax, “Riichi: Japanese Mahjong, Anime, and You”, at 9:30-10:30am Friday morning.

[24:14] Kate says “Yeah, right” to me being interested in the game in Saki and suggests Akagi as a better series for mahjong display. (Though “lesbians with shiny thighs” could be a good catchphrase…)

[25:04] Vertical and Ed Chavez’s separation of business & casual. Also mentioned Lychee Light Club announced during Comic-Con.

[29:05] Aniplex panel mention leads to general industry panel anecdote (FUNimation & free goods)

[35:30] I now have to go to “Bad, Anime, Bad!!” for a particular reason.

[36:50] I geeked out a bit about game shows re: Anime Press Your Luck

[40:10] My cyborg voice returns…

[42:30] HOT TIP: Visit the information booth for updates on schedule changes!

[45:33] Saturday begins with Alex’s noitaminA panel.

[49:13] Yuji Mitsuya and Anpanman

[54:41] Alain mentions Blue Flames while we’re talking about the “Feminism, Fandom, and Fanservice” panel.

[57:00] HOT TIP: You can possibly skip the first 45 minutes of RAINBOW with Hiroshi Koujina Q&A if you’ve already seen episodes 1 & 2 online. Koujina also directed Kiba and Grenadier so ask about those if you’re too disturbed by the prison story.

[59:55] Kate makes me feel bad about liking Highschool of the Dead.

[1:04:17] Apparently, 30% of Vocaloid song sales on iTunes are from users outside Japan. Followup: distribution company KarenT says 51.2% of iTunes sales from Japan and 40.9% from America. [@krnerdnews: 1, 2]

[1:04:49] Another game show: Anime Name Your Tune

[1:07:35] Actually, this went up the day before the convention started, not a week before. “Dubs That Time Forgot” has almost the last timeslot of the convention! Funimation once had shows on Gaia.

[1:12:19] Oh yes, concerts! Home Made Kazoku, Yoshida Brothers, and Masquerade halftime appearance by Yoshiki and Sugiko. Also: pondering the gender of kanon.

[1:16:57] Tips for first time Otakon attendees like myself (and breaking news that kanon is a dude)

[1:24:47] Ending: “Suihei Leibe ~Mahou no Jumon~” by Kakki & Ash Potato (Element Hunters ending)