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NEWS: Otakon Spin-Off Convention in Vegas Planned for January


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prime_pm



Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 2333
Location: Your Mother's Bedroom
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:05 pm Reply with quote
Well, I've always said:

Viva Las Otakon!


Las or Los? The word Otakon seems to sound more masculine than feminine. But, hey, if Kelly can be a guy's name...but I digress.

If they want a smaller, more intimate spin-off convention, wouldn't running it in Vegas ultimately defeat the purpose?
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MJP



Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 126
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:26 pm Reply with quote
Sure would be nice for Otakon to focus on more instances of amazing guests like Gen Urobuchi, Makoto Shinkai, Ai Nonaka, and Masao Murayama to get their money's worth. You wanna make a "more intimate" Otakon? Get rid of the dub VAs that come year after year and bring only screaming annoying fangirls in their wake. That'll lop down attendee levels and make intimacy happen again.
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LavenderMintRose



Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 168
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:46 pm Reply with quote
Or, you know... have a second con also in Baltimore or nearby. As one of those "screaming fangirls" for dub actors who also enjoys the seeing the director and animator guests from Japan, I have to say, blaming the dub actors is just wrong. Cons like Katsucon and AnimeNext have a small and intimate atmosphere, with the other fans, with those guests, with everything. You know what was also small and intimate? Popular voice actors' panels at huge conventions, that were in a small room and happening during other things (like Crispin Freeman's panel at New York ComicCon 2010).

I have a problem with Otakon Vegas because I don't like that the people who bring us the only really big East Coast anime event, are now diverting their attention and resources to making an event in an area that already has many.
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Yoda117



Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Posts: 406
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:33 pm Reply with quote
Smaller.
More Intimate.
Las Vegas.

Maybe it's me, but one of these words does not quite seem to belong with the others...

(joking aside, best of luck to the Otakon folks with this endeavor)
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Animeking1108



Joined: 26 Apr 2011
Posts: 1244
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:41 pm Reply with quote
MJP wrote:
Sure would be nice for Otakon to focus on more instances of amazing guests like Gen Urobuchi, Makoto Shinkai, Ai Nonaka, and Masao Murayama to get their money's worth. You wanna make a "more intimate" Otakon? Get rid of the dub VAs that come year after year and bring only screaming annoying fangirls in their wake. That'll lop down attendee levels and make intimacy happen again.


Glad to see you talk down to dub-watchers like that.
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Chrno2



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 6171
Location: USA
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:56 pm Reply with quote
This is actually interesting that they are mentioning this now. Be interested in seeing how this goes.
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Echo_City



Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Posts: 1236
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 4:35 pm Reply with quote
LavenderMintRose wrote:
Or, you know... have a second con also in Baltimore or nearby. As one of those "screaming fangirls" for dub actors who also enjoys the seeing the director and animator guests from Japan, I have to say, blaming the dub actors is just wrong. Cons like Katsucon and AnimeNext have a small and intimate atmosphere, with the other fans, with those guests, with everything. You know what was also small and intimate? Popular voice actors' panels at huge conventions, that were in a small room and happening during other things (like Crispin Freeman's panel at New York ComicCon 2010).

Who is blaming the dub actors?

IMO, having been to "legitimate" small cons w/VA guests, Katsucon & AnimeNEXT do not provide an intimate atmosphere, due to the size and lack of organization of the event. Though compared to Otakon, they're as intimate as a private 1-on-1.

I also think that Otakon should have another event in the Baltimore area. The convention center, despite its size, in which Otakon is held is barely able to contain the con (Though most of that is due to the lack of organization). Were it to grow, it would surely explode the poor convention center. Splitting things up into 2 events could help that (2 events at least in proximity to Baltimore, mind). Also, it would be nice for Otakorp to actually put on a convention; Otakon has become more of an anime-industry trade show, which saddens me.

Though I hear that Baltimore is even worse than it looks, and has a very high "cost of doing business", I can't believe that such would be reasons for Otakon to abandon it. After all, Youmacon has been in the hellhole that is Detroit for years and years now. Even though someone got shot in the adjoining Hilton that Otakon uses for additional convention space right after the con ended in 2010, Baltimore ain't got nothing on Detroit.

LavenderMintRose wrote:

I have a problem with Otakon Vegas because I don't like that the people who bring us the only really big East Coast anime event, are now diverting their attention and resources to making an event in an area that already has many.

+1. If I'm going to Vegas for a con, I'm going to one that has better guests, and provides better access to guests than Otakon historically has.
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jvowles
Otakon Representative


Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 219
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:39 pm Reply with quote
MJP wrote:
Sure would be nice for Otakon to focus on more instances of amazing guests like Gen Urobuchi, Makoto Shinkai, Ai Nonaka, and Masao Murayama to get their money's worth. You wanna make a "more intimate" Otakon? Get rid of the dub VAs that come year after year and bring only screaming annoying fangirls in their wake. That'll lop down attendee levels and make intimacy happen again.


We've brought such guests every year. Generally speaking they cost more than double the cost of bringing a voice actor and if we're very lucky, they'll draw 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of people that a US-based voice actor brings. And it's often the same folks in all the panels.

We do it anyway, despite the expense, because we can and we should. But an organization that would ignore the express wishes of 80% of the membership in favor of the tiny fraction who complains is going to doom itself pretty quickly.

Those "screaming fangirls" are footing the bill for those awesome directors who show up to see rooms half-full.

Same with musical guests. There are STILL people complaining about our musical guests -- not who we choose, but *that we have them at all*. Screw that; we're an Asian pop culture event and we've been pushing the boundaries there for more than a decade.

Our aim is to offer plenty for everyone, but there will always be people who want to complain. You can spend the entire weekend at Otakon and never hear or see a voice actor or a band, with very little effort.


As for Vegas, don't worry -- our mandate, internally, is that we WILL NOT sacrifice quality at Otakon for anything. Otakon Vegas, the Music Festival, the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Matsuri -- these all further our mission and give us more capabilities, not fewer. Smile
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8458
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:51 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if any largely irrelevant fantasy book authors will attend.
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firedragon54738



Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 3113
Location: wisconsin
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:16 pm Reply with quote
Now that is some thing go hit up some anime stuff then gamble it away
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Surrender Artist



Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 3264
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:23 pm Reply with quote
This could be the perfect hook to get Tow Ubakata to attend. Maybe you could have somebody reënact the casino sequence from Mardock Scramble and ask him just how much fun it is to watch.
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Nocturne123



Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Posts: 268
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:31 pm Reply with quote
Only thing Im worried about is if this cuts into the Otakon budget for the Baltimore convention in following years.
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Maidenoftheredhand



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 2632
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:27 pm Reply with quote
Well as long as this doesn't cut into Otakon (my one annual convention, well at least I try) I say best of luck. I definitely won't be going but I will see you this summer in Baltimore.
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omoikane



Joined: 03 Oct 2005
Posts: 494
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:11 pm Reply with quote
Nocturne123 wrote:
Only thing Im worried about is if this cuts into the Otakon budget for the Baltimore convention in following years.

The only thing I'm worried about is if this will cut into MY budget for cons in 2014 Evil or Very Mad
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jvowles
Otakon Representative


Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 219
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:25 pm Reply with quote
Nocturne123 wrote:
Only thing Im worried about is if this cuts into the Otakon budget for the Baltimore convention in following years.


It won't.
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