Part I: Al talks about AnimeNEXT and Hamacon
Food for Thought: Where in Japan do you (still) want to go?
Part II: Kate talks about her trip to Japan
And now your helpful bartenders at The Speakeasy present your drink:
Absolut Traveller
Muddle sugar cube (white) and lemon juice in a rocks glass. Fill with ice cubes. Add Absolut Citron. Stir.
While I liked several things about Somerset it was hardly a major destination city. You rarely hear people overseas making elaborate plans to visit the first Marconi Wireless Station. The real draw for guests was the fact that NYC is not that far away. Atlantic City on the other hand acts as far more of a singular draw to guests. It might not be Vegas but the allure of gambling can draw some names that might over wise pass the convention by. I can’t say how many of the guests were here because of that but AnimeNEXT 2016 has a fairly impressive lineup that is distinctly worth talking about.
AnimeNEXT has moved several times since it started. I remember the incredible convenience of the Meadowlands Exposition Center and the apprehension of the move to the Garden State Exhibit Center. In the end the move was let the convention grow into one of the major players in the community of East coast anime conventions. In fact that growth eventually meant that even the Garden State Exhibit Center was far too small for what AnimeNEXT would become. The last few years have felt like ten pounds of convention in an eight pound bag. While it was clear that a move was needed again the same anxieties popped up again. Would the new venue be too far away? Would the area be conducive to the convention? Would the fans make the move with the event? Will we somehow be able to see Kenjiro Hata as a guest at an American convention?
I know these were just questions I was wondering. I also ran into people at both Castle Point Anime Convention, Anime Fan Fest, and the Internet who were all asking the same questions. I heard equal amounts of trepidation, enthusiasm, and apathy. But all of the talk was just idle speculation mixed with more than a little emphasis on self-interested perspectives. The real test would come with the first weekend in Atlantic City. Now that I am back from AnimeNext 2016 I can help decide if the move was good idea or a bit of a misstep.
OK, most people were not asking about Kenjiro Hata but you get my point.
Reverse Thieves 