Tokyo Anime Conventions

The AAAPodcast covered the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2013 as press and had an exciting time seeing all the industry announcements and presence at the Tokyo Big Site on Odaiba island.  It was a very exciting day and we’re pleased to bring you coverage on what we saw and highlight some differences compared to western conventions.

Main Topic:

How Japanese Anime Conventions are Different From American Conventions

• More Industry Focused and Less Fan Events

  • Actual Official Industry Announcements

• Less Conventions in General in Japan

• Far fewer cosplayers and they are generally corralled to one location on the convention behind a wall.

• Stage events and panels are scripted are rarely take questions from the audience.

• No “dealers’ room.” Merch selection is kinda crappy if you can find any at all.

News and Sights from TIAF

• First year for cosplay at TIAF

• Creator’s World was much less prominent this year

• Sunrise/Bandai Visual’s booth (Gundam UC, Yamato 2199, Code Geass, Valvrave)

• Ultra Super Pictures’ booth (Lucky Star spin-off, Aiura, Little Witch Academy, new Cyborg 009 movie)

• New Tiger & Bunny movie (and LOTS of cosplay)

• Tezuka Productions’ booth seemed a little sparse

• New Vocaloid, Ia

• New Patlabor in 2014

• Toei’s booth (DBZ movie and DBZ/Toriko/One Piece collab)

• Makoto Shinkai’s new film, Koto no Ha no Niwa

Our Favorite Things from TIAF

• Chiaki

  • Mokoto Shinkai’s/Comixwave’s booth

  • That moment when you speak to another foreigner in Japanese before English and they speak back

  • The scale of it all

    • the booths, from booth babes, to mini vocaloid concerts

    • Gainax’s process

    • Large floating anime balloons

  • Free anime stuff!

• Mitsugi

  • Some interesting new anime announced!

    • New Hanasaku Iroha season is coming in 2013!

    • New Code Geass anime is coming in 2013!

    • Shinkai’s new film “Kotonoha no Niwa” will be coming this summer to theaters!

  • Collaboration between Dragon ball, Toriko, and One Piece will be airing quite soon.  An anime containing all three heros, Goku, Toriko, and Luffy!

  • Booth Babes!

• Kram

  • Sunrise/Bandai Visual’s booth had the most concentrated awesomeness.

  • Barnaby and Wild Tiger kids cosplay.

  • “The Process of Animation” booth by Gainax