Can’t… not… post…!

1. I was interviewed on Fan to Pro, a great site for geeks who want to make something more of their hobbies! Watch for my column starting there next week.

2. The Xenogears orchestral CD will be out in February. What great videogame music!

3. You’ll be glad you took out 13 minutes of your day to watch this amazing short film: Lazy Teenage Superheroes.

4. Thing a Day 2011. What a good way to get back into drawing, making, or finally tackling that 28 page doujinshi!

5. I really enjoy fellow weeaboo Catherine’s blog, See Creatures. Except in her case, “weeaboo” means something more like “girl who dresses really well.”

6. Why the Internet chose cats. I’m a poodle person myself.

‘people who are dog people are probably doing things like throwing a Frisbee outside, painting a fence in suburbia, driving to a relevant chain restaurant or giving birth to children in a hospital setting , not going online creating Tumblrs.’

7. And last: stories like this one about 5-year-old Noah are why the Internet will never lose its magic.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my anime giveaway!

It’s been a while since I’ve given away any anime around here, and right now I have two different things to give away — Summer Wars and Super Gals!

Summer Wars is an advance copy for critics, so it will arrive in a blank, clear CD case, and only comes in dubbed. Super Gals!, on the other hand, is the complete box set from Rightstuf just like you’d get at the store.

Still interested? Here’s how to enter. Just tweet out one of the two following codes:

• I’ve entered @otakujournalist’s giveaway to win Summer Wars here http://bit.ly/9vfUJU
• I’ve entered @otakujournalist’s giveaway to win Super Gals! here http://bit.ly/9vfUJU

Yes, you may enter to win both by tweeting out both codes. I’ll announce a winner next week. As always, I will assign a number to each entry in order of submission.

Good luck!

Katsucon 17 has got me stumped. From the wild rumors and amazing-but-confirmed facts that come out the closer it approaches, I’m really not sure whether it’s going to be a train wreck or the best convention ever. Let’s go over a few of the stories:

The good things

No rave this year. Status: rumor

At the most recent Anime USA meeting, someone brought up this interesting tidbit. I’m listing it under “good” things because it will help me run some con statistics. I’d like to know if a rave is so much of a draw that it will attract people who aren’t otherwise interested in conventions. The numbers will show the truth. Also, I don’t like raves, so it’s no big deal to me, just surprising.

Amazing badge art. Status: fact

Just about all the badge art for the whole con has linked, and it’s beautiful, stylish and modern. One thing that sometimes bothers me about conventions is that they don’t pay attention to the importance of good design (Anime Boston is a noted exception). But their artist has posted all three rounds of the badges on his website, and it’s the kind of stuff I would buy posters of.

Kevin Bolk is a guest. Status: fact

Nope, as long as we’re friends I will never stop pimping out Kevin. This is just how I am about my friends. What’s especially exceptional about this is that, back in the early aughts, he actually predicted that he’d be invited as a guest to Katsucon one day. And now, Katsucon has made that dream come true. That can’t be anything but a good thing!

The bad things

Everyone pays. Status: fact

Usually when you’re broke and want to attend a convention, the reasonable thing to do is sign up as a volunteer and get in for free. Not so with Katsucon 17. It appears that the convention has gotten into a little money trouble (I would guess it’s since last year’s blizzard hindered attendance a sizeable amount) and now everyone is paying for it, from attendees, to staff, to press people like me. Now that I have a job, I shouldn’t complain about this, but if I did have to pay for every con I attended, it would really add up.

Fanart not allowed. Status: rumor

As with the rave rumor, I heard this one from people whose opinions I really trust. Some people are already declaring this false, so keep that in mind. Basically, the rumor states that Katsucon will not allow Artists’ Alley artists to draw or sell fan art due to copyright reasons. The reason I still think this might be true is because at Katsucon 16, there were limits on what percentage of an artist’s work could be fan art. This seems like the next logical step. But it also seems a little ridiculous.

I’ve got more good things than bad things there, but maybe I haven’t heard everything? It’s possible. For now I think it’s clear that this list of pros and cons is pointing to yes, I will be attending. Will you be there?

The second episode of the podcast I co-host with Otaku Dan is out today. You can download it here.

In episode 2, we talk about anime documentaries, a subject that you know I enjoyed. Also, we fixed our mic problems! Let us know what you think.

I was a lazy blogger last Friday and didn’t post my regularly scheduled links. So that means you get a double helping today. Here’s everything I loved about the Internet these past two weeks.

1. The Chrono Trigger fan-made sequel has arrived. Will you play it?

2. I wrote about Katawa Shoujo again over at Japanator. It’d mean a lot to me if you took a look at it.

3. I wish I knew the top 55 geek movies to look forward to in 2011… oh wait. Here they are.

4. Meeting your favorite web-comic artist at a convention and not sure how to act? Zach Weiner is here to help. His list of “don’t”s are especially unfortunate!

5. All about eki-ben, the bento boxes available at Japanese train stations. I was researching this after seeing the delicious-looking train bentos in Summer Wars.

6. Startlingly beautiful post-apocalyptic dioramas. I especially like the one of the abandoned library.

7. A geek’s 1976 journal posted as a blog. Fantastic idea, and very brave for Steven to put himself out there like that!

Only watched the first few episodes, but I would wear this in a heartbeat.

8. The dumber something is, the funnier I find it. Lately I’ve really cracked up at Troll Foods and The Monkeys you Ordered.

9. Do gamers have the most vivid dreams? Signs point to yes.

10. Kotaku calls this video “The Secret Lives of Cosplayers,” but I would call it, “The Wacky Personalities of Cosplayers.” This guy must be a great interviewer!

11. How your website looks… under the influence. According to this, Otaku Journalist looks best when you are sufficiently drunk.

I know I’ve linked before, but this tumblr is so good!

12. I think I would have really enjoyed Boring Con 2010 in London. After all, one person’s boring is another person’s awesome.

13. I was very moved by this short story from The New Yorker called The Dungeon Master. I found it on The Essayist, which is a great Tumblr to go to for long reads.

14. Might I convert you to my new religion? I have joined the Gropagas and become a disciple of Lord Inglip. If you’ve ever believed that Captchas were sending you holy messages and/or have a good sense of humor, you may want to consider this way of life.

15. Are you guys on Anime Planet? I just joined and it is pretty neat. Check out my profile.

On my latest interviewing project, I’ve been approaching people at conventions and asking whether they identify as otaku. It’s been fascinating. However, when they turn it around ask me what I identify as, I tell them I’m a weeaboo.

I’m only half joking, as you know from a recent post I wrote. After all, unlike the word otaku, I can’t argue that there is any positive connotation at all with this word.

I have an admiration for Japanese culture that isn’t always expected or appreciated in a white person. In fact, my interest in Japan came long before my interest in anime, back in the first grade when my Girl Scout troop tried sushi. I have to work hard not to be offensive, for example, when I wanted to wear my yukata to my birthday party at a Japanese restaurant, I called ahead to see if it was okay with the staff.

“Why not? We’ll be wearing them too,” the hostess told me. But not everyone thinks that way so I have to be careful.

In the privacy of my home, I can indulge to the fullest. And that is why John and I bought a Japanese serving set from World Market the other day. We made Miso Chicken Donburi from my cookbook and served it with a side of miso soup and pickled things. (I didn’t have daikon so I used olives and pickles.)

My photos didn’t turn out so well, but the meal was delicious. It was wonderful to give in for an evening and unapologetically do what makes me happy.

Do any of the academics reading this know if there is a word for guilt about cultural appropriation? Please let me know.

Did anyone else watch the Golden Globes? I always find it hilarious that half of the commentary is simply about the clothing people wear to the award show. What if that was the only way we judged TV?

On that note, I’ve been an awful anime fan and have been too busy with my new grown-up job to watch a single episode of anything from the winter season. So let’s see if fashion really matters — I’m going to take a stab at judging six winter series simply by the clothing styles I can see from the screen shots.

(All photos are from Japanator.)

Fractale

I bet this girl is extremely annoying, just by her clothes. Why else would she have the red pigtails with flowers in them? Also, that is way too much jewelry to wear with an already busy Eastern outfit. It’s odd that none of the other characters wear anything close to this, so I’m guessing there’s time-travel involved. Either that or some very customizable avatars.

Freezing

Oh my gosh, it’s Sexy Hellsing. What is with this “historical moe” look? This blonde looks like Dorothy Catalonia from Gundam Wing got cast in Ladies vs. Butlers. It looks like this anime takes place in the 19th century and involves a lot of fighting, and even more gratuitous cheesecake.

Gosick

I bet this anime is creepy. The girl is dressed as a Gothic Lolita. Lolita fashion is associated with dolls, and in Japan, dolls are creepy. Even though nobody dressed like these two ever in any time period, I think this is supposed to look historic.

Also, I think she’s a tsundere? There’s something Taiga-ish about her with the short stature and the long hair. And dat face.

Level E

With both sexes wearing boring button-down shirts, my first impulse was to say, “slice of life anime.” However, slice of life characters are just plainly dressed, not eyesores. These characters are simply TOO fugly and it makes me suspicious.

Since their haircuts remind me of 90s anime, this, combined with the clothes, makes me think this is a sci-fi anime. And if that is the case, she’s an alien (who inevitably came to Earth naked) and he lent her his unfashionable clothes. At least that means there’s potential for some sartorial statements on her part later.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Schoolgirl outfit? Check. Cute mascot bunny thing? Check. I don’t need a transformation scene to know this is a show about magical girls. I cheated a little with this one — Otaku Dan told me a bit about it, plus the title makes it obvious — but I think I could have picked it up just from the clothes.

Several times I have considered creating an Anime Fashion Critic tumblr to point out the wacky clothes that anime characters wear, but exercises like this make me reconsider. Doesn’t it seem like clothing repeats itself in anime? If I was anywhere close to right on these, you know I have a point.

This post is inspired by a question I got on formspring: “If you could, would you run your own convention? What would it be like?”

Lauren Con 2011 will be free to attend. The only thing attendees will have to pay for are their hotel rooms and food. How will this happen? Sponsors and advertisers will take care of this. (For example, Funimation might choose to pay for  the convention’s badges, and the badges will say “Funimation” in big letters.) Since the convention is free but space is finite, attendance will be capped.

Lauren Con 2011 will be totally digital. Attendees will access their schedules on laptops or smart phones. Badges will have scannable barcodes to ensure that they are not counterfeited. Schedules will be instantly updated to reflect any changes. And of course, there will be an official Twitter hashtag and Foursquare check-in.

Lauren Con will hold “unconference” style panels. That means attendees can write their panel ideas on sticky notes and put them on the wall. Other attendees can vote on which panels they want to attend the most, and once the winning panels are decided, they will be placed into an impromptu schedule for the weekend. It’s better to have attendees decide their preferred panels than a small group at Programming Ops.

Lauren Con will be open to attendee creativity. Real time creation of derivative works will be encouraged. There will be plenty of space, even select rooms, for interviews, filming, and podcast recording. There will be wi-fi hotspots and wall-outlets for attendees to plug in their computers during creation and publishing. There will be lounge areas for attendees to sit down for a moment and perhaps meet new friends.

Lauren Con will be located in a hotel chosen for its convenience to multiple cheap dining options. It will also be accessible from public transit.

Instead of inviting multiple semi-known guests, Lauren Con will invest its money in one major celebrity guest. This will attract new people to the convention who may not have considered attending before. However, this guest’s concert will cost money — a charity donation. This is because conventions should help out more fans than just those attending.

Would you attend Lauren Con? Do you think it is even feasible? What would [your-name] con look like?

I’ve attended and reviewed a lot of cons already (I refer to it as my “Hey Lauren, how was [con]?” series) but this time, I wanted to do something different. GENTLEMEN, BEHOLD: a vlog.

Since I don’t think watching a person sitting and talking for five minutes is all that interesting, I made sure to add in lots of pictures and even a video clip from the convention. Also, it’s one big name drop, so you might be in it too!

One more caveat: that deer-in-the-headlights look of animal terror (mixed with the occasional expression of deep regret) is not my regular facial expression. But I’m used to being BEHIND the camera… usually that is. So, without any more caveats, check it out:

P.S. I realize now that I lied about not going to non-anime cons. SPX is totally a comic convention.

P.P.S. This ends in the middle of a statement because of a tiny mistake that would take hours to fix. I was saying “See you tomorrow, because I plan to update every day this week.”

It’s finally ready! The not-so-secret project that Dan and I announced last week is up and ready for download on iTunes. Get it here!

In our first episode, recorded on January 8, we talked about the winter anime season and about what happens when fanservice gets excessive. This podcast is only 20 minutes long since we’re still working to perfect our rhythm and pacing. Good podcast chemistry comes with lots of practice!

We already have a couple ideas for future recordings — topics in fandom, anime reviews, maybe even an otaku advice column — but we’d love to get some feedback. Feel free to leave yours in the comments.