animemiz’s scribblings..

Actually this entire post came out from my other post on Manga reviewing tips. I was busy compiling the tweets together, when I spent an hour just peering through the tweets. By the time I was able to put out the other post. I realize that the criticism aspect I was cutting and pasting, was way more off tangent than what I was even reporting on the first place. So now  the time has past, and since I believe that twitter is pretty much a tangible medium, I figure I’ll record it here as well.

This is a discussion regarding about negative aspects of blogging panels/RT at anime conventions, which I hope will improve more and more with the various bloggers and interests. I feel kinda obligated to post on this, since this was the only blogging panel that I was found myself briefly at. In my recollection there are two other anime blogging panels I have missed. The Anime Next 2009 and the New York Anime Festival 2008.

For the 2009 NYAF blogging panel, I didn’t know most people on the panel. I realized afterward, that a majority of these bloggers on this panel were podcasters, which is a medium I wasn’t as familiar with. I had prior conversation with other bloggers, and the tone was a matter of fact attitude. Would this panel succeed or not?  Ever since I started to attend conventions since 2006, I have been trying to go to various writing panels, but because of timing and hours I have never attended any of them. There is also just way too many bloggers on the internet.

Blogging is a medium where it is knocking down the traditional journalism perspective and that is a grain of salt for a lot of people. But I have made friends outside of these panels. So there is a community and niche in who enjoys what. Deb, Emi, and mbeasi made interesting points here.

Deb: @MagicalEmi that’s kind of my worry too. bloggers enjoy each other’s company, but i don’t think we have “fans” per se to warrant a panel

MagicalEmi:  @debaoki I think a panel w/ you guys would be 1 person saying something, and everyone nodding and agreeing

Deb: @MagicalEmi we did a blogger panel at NYAF, and i thought it was kind of… well, self-serving.

They needed a panel.. so it turned into a Round Table. That should have gone around like a hot potato instead.  Ahh well it did, but let’s just say that some people talked more.

For those who would be interested in seeing or remembering a video of this panel, here’s Moritheil’s video covering.

MagicalEmi: @debaoki y’all seem to have similar opinions, no one here (that I can see) seems to disagree enough to spark a lively debate/discussion

MagicalEmi: @debaoki Yah that might make it more interesting, and less preaching to the choir XD

mbeasi: @debaoki @MagicalEmi Well, I thought the real problem with that panel is that there was almost no discussion of *blogging*.

MagicalEmi: @mbeasi I’d be more interested in the technical aspect ^^ What blogging platform they use, templates, maintaining update schedules, etc

mbeasi: @MagicalEmi I actually think the technical aspect is not too far removed from the rest. One informs the other, in a lot of respects.

For bloggers knowing technical skills is an advantage. Now if you can meld writers and techies. That would be a great thing to have, otherwise pay someone else for that skill set then.

Deb: @mbeasi @magicalemi the problem is when we, as bloggers, start thinking we are “celebrities” of some sort. we are not.

Deb: @MagicalEmi @mbeasi yep. too much of that last blogger panel was about ‘who are you & what’s your otaku cred?’

Deb: @mbeasi well, that’s kinda why i was thinking it’d be better to just have a blogger/press mixer instead of a panel.

Deb: @mbeasi @magicalemi but that comes from not realizing who your potential audience for such a panel might be.

Deb: @mbeasi @magicalemi if it was promoted as a blogger panel by bloggers for bloggers, then the focus/questions would be different.

Deb: @mbeasi @magicalemi instead, the panel was more positioned as “meet the people that you read! they are cool!” — which made it chatter-y.

Deb: @mbeasi @johannadc @magicalemi yes — and that’s why such a panel needs to be more focused in that way than just “meet popular bloggers”

Deb: @palmie @mbeasi yep. blogging works best when you are giving as well as getting comments – you become part of the discussion.

I am going to conclude with this vein with a possible panel that Edsizemore and Moritheil might do in the future. So let’s see how the next convention blogging panel will go or not.

Would there be one?

Also bias on this post is that it is talking in regards to the East Coast bloggers. There are times where I do wish that I was able to go over to the West coast to meet the west coast bloggers, but since it is not possible at this moment. Shall have to see in the future then.

Okay, this is one of last anticipated aspects of NYAF that I was waiting for. Flashback to Saturday of NYAF, in the midst of the masquerade, there was the Anime Blogger Round Table, that Moritheil of Anime Diet got video footage of. I was waiting for this since I wrote my con report, and I am sure lots of other people were waiting to see this panel. I don’t know how much words is the limit for comments, so I decided to write a blog posting here.

The panel had a multiple group of a lot of bloggers I have heard in passing, via Twitter or Press, so this shows more people than what I realize in front of my computer actually would be vying for a voice to be heard. A lot of them are successful as well.  Also it shows what type of specific niche there can be.. so you click or not.

Anime blogging meetups and gatherings are always so hard to do. Venue, time, schedule and place – so this panel was somewhat of a interesting promo-yourself and learn from others type of panel. Ego or not, different perspective and as they call it in my occupational field, the movers and shakers..are you actually known or respected by other people is another thought? Are you influential or not?

Still this is an observation to the NYAF panel. I will be recapping some questions.. and would definitely put in some random thoughts..

Why and how did you get into blogging? How many people get paid or even a press panel?

Typical introduce yourself, and with the amount of people on the panel, got to sum up your background/work in a few sentence or not. If you get paid, then that is a cushy job. Being press…  at least there is some financial relief for attending the con, when there is something to be writing or covering about in the end.

Are you a new school or old school fan?

Well that is a no brainer.  You have to be a an anime fan to be a panelist. But this shows that there are several schools of thought. Still the genre for old and new school is pretty broad. You should call this a part – if you got exposed to anime early or not, and are titles available to you or not? What is the basics of your passion? (People mentioned my tastes are old school.. but even then finding an anime blogger that is similar to the titles you see is even more needle in the haystack…)

Favorite merchandise/memorabilia

As I recall reading what a “meaning” of what Otaku is – a fan who has collections of anime good, this is a superficial question for  a comparison contest to see who has the best collection and what not..totally subjective.

Impressions of NYAF/NYCC merger for next year.. opinions.

Subjective.. people will see how it would be run for next year. But if my feelings are anything profound it would be in the line of what Vamp Vo mentioned with what he mentioned of how swamped press would be. Even thought there was basically no sleep for cons that I have attended. I was able to cover more industry news vs book buzz news… that my press covers on as well as a personal interest.  Also agree with Deb in what she mentioned of being recommended for more types of work that is out there.

Does it ever feel like you’re writing into a void/echo chamber?

Comment/dialogue being hoped for or what not.. and then this pretty much wrapped for the panel.

Panelist criteria as I heard of this panel was pretty loose, so who know what will be the next anime blogger panel I attend be like? I guess it would be as what Deb would say from what I recall of her twitter… the best thing is to have a panel/mixer.. where the panel wouldn’t be just 12 people waxing of their opinions/experiences.. rather open up the forum to mingle/network with other anime bloggers. Because in spite of this panel being interesting, like a lot of large panels, there were some panelist that over spoke others..

Okay as I am pretty much done with my draft for con report. Right now I am getting down to sorting through images, now if these were family images it would be pretty self-explanatory, but as these are all digital photos. There is apparently a protocol one must go through, such as fixing the lighting or adding in your own name to show ownership etc. etc. etc. I don’t even what to think what Eric must be going through. He would be calling my camera entry level, but it is still something that I must navigate with.

I threw up pictures from last Thursday’s Pre Party up on Flickr, and just to emphasize the point, might as well throw it on a slide show as well. From that post, I took down those images.

Getting through the pictures have not been easy, and I pretty much in awe of my photographer friends. I don’t think of myself as a pro, but I really love to look through photographs sometimes. For me to take pictures, that is something I need to master eventually.

Well it is the day after NYAF 2009, and yes it was a productive con. I liked the panels I was able to attend. Got spooked out by the crowds on Saturday. Was able to network some more. Got more experience as press. Missed seeing a lot of people. Bumped into a lot of unexpected people.

Working on JLHLS con report, researching, and typing I took, trying to determine what kind of label I want to use. I took off some pictures from a previous entry for that reason. Should I tie my real name to this blog and so forth? So much to mull over on aspects of what to do and what not to do.

I don’t believe I am sick, but man the sleeping this weekend was pretty strange. >_<

At this part of the city, within the Jacob Javis this weekend, New York Anime Festival 2009 is happening. Now backtrack to the evening before that, there was Del Rey co-sponsored event with NYAF for a Pre-convention party at Dave & Busters. It was Del Rey’s 5th year Anniversary, and yes, there was a cake sponsored by Ace of Cakes from Food Network. What was funny also was that right across the street, Cold Stone Creamery was having an event as well, where there was free ice-cream for a donation. However, because the lines were massive for that one, I did not try to go for that ice cream event, but saw a Female Wrestler Maria at that event. Have pictures, but because in the heat of NYAF at the moment, will have to fix them when I am done with the con. >_<

Back to the Pre-party, waaay too many people, just people snapping pictures of other people actually. Got pictures of the cake before the cutting, from two perspectives, and then the Katana as it left the building. Also got other interesting pictures like the drink menu, and some samples.. courtesy of Twitter’s @reika and friends.

If you didn’t know it already, the cake was cut with a katana. This was acknowledge via Twitter..

Rumor is we’re cutting the #NYAF Pre-Party Cake with a katana. See if it’s true on 9/24!

Then

We have the sword! We’ll be cutting the Ace of Cakes cake with a katana from Dragon Song! See their booth at #NYAF!

Bumped into Omo and Moritheil….and several more people.. and that was an interesting evening.

I had a tiny taste of the cake and thought it was too sweet…. Moritheil, I recall had some observations of how the waiters got mobbed and then some.. cake ran out as well. Would he recap this experience, who knows.. but that is experience of yours truly..

Couldn’t get a picture of when the cake was exactly cut, but perhaps there will be other sites that actually have pictures up? Also because of my photography skills, the pictures might be or be not good, but the lighting was also not an ideal situation.

Probably will end up throwing pictures up on Flickr when I have time to fix then.. so stay tune or not.. ^_^

What can I say of this month.. other than the fact that I was able to see Rie Tanaka.. seiyuu for Chii and other voices in anime? It was a memorable experience. I woke up at around 4:30-ish after only 2 hrs of sleep from the previous nights events of NYAF.. and made my way back again… to get her autograph.. wow…she’s really pretty and cute…

This year I was fortunate to see many Japanese celebrities in person.. Kappei Yamaguchi, JAM Project, Masao Maruyama, HALCALI, TMR. Gosh, I hope I don’t sound like a sap.

Finally got the report up this weekend.

New York Anime Festival Part 1
http://liheliso.com/buzz/archive/00001037.htm

New York Anime Festival Part 2
http://liheliso.com/buzz/archive/00001039.htm

Convention pictures.
http://www.animejutsu.com/

A little on the procrastination side of the official con report from Mina and I, but wanting to post up information about this this flyer, I got from the dealer room at NYAF on Saturday, and it is an ad for Rie Tanaka’s Original Silver Ring and Pendant for sale. Spoke with Moy about writing a post about it briefly on Sunday, and here it is, late but still good for another 5 days or so.

Get your red hot “commemorative goods.” It’s Rie Tanaka Original Silver Ring and Pendant.

(TRR-01)No1: Rie Tanaka Silver Ring (only 5.5- It is Rie’s size) Price – $175
(TRP-01)No2: Rie Tanaka Silver Pendant (including silver chain 45cm) Price $195

Ordering period Sept 28-Oct 5, 2008

Materials and Package: Silver 925, CZ (red) and Original package with her message card.

Because if you order it from NYAF, “You can get it faster than fans in Japan!!” Email nyaf2008-order@animic.jp with the the order of what you want, the size and quantities. Within 1-2 business days, you will get an email from Pay Pal and after you pay them, expect the products in 2 weeks through EMS.