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| Image courtesy of AnimeNEXT.org |
Well folks, it's that time of year again, and your favorite critic is off and running to AnimeNEXT in Somerset from June 6-8 in Somerset, NJ. I'll be taking photos, doing some video, and of course reporting back to you right here at the end of it all! If you want to catch me in person, here are the following panels that I'll be participating in, led by Dr. Bill Ellis, Folklore Professor Emeritus at Penn State University and owner of Sensei's Anime Gallery.
You can also read my first impressions of the con all weekend long by following me on Twitter @TheInsatiCritic!
Friday
Collecting Japanese Animation Art
Time: 5:30-6:30 pm
Location: Panel Room 3 (second floor of the Doubletree Hotel)
Collecting American animation art (Disney, Don Bluth, etc.) has been actively collected for some years, but the same potential lies in cels and sketches used to make important anime series. When a show was wrapped, Japanese studios often released the original art onto the auction market, so cels, original production backgrounds, and original key animators' sketches are much easier to obtain. This panel will survey original animation art that can be found on the market, including those for classic cel-based series and the newer CGI-based anime, and show how collecting these artifacts enhances one’s appreciation of anime as an artform. Strategies for gaining and maintaining animation will be discussed.
Saturday
Anime Under the Radar:The
Roaring Aughties
Time: 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Location: Panel 1, Bridgewater
The
years 2000-2009 were a booming period for anime, and most fans have a shortlist
of favorites made during this era: Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host
Club, Monster, etc. But many other productions were made that for one reason or
another did not make the “Top 50” list of many critics’ retrospectives. This
panel will discuss some of the other series or films made during this heady
time that received little love yet are well worth another look.
Time: 8:30 to 9:30 pm
Location: Panel Room 3 (second floor of the Doubletree Hotel)
Princess Tutu (Studio
Hal, 2002-04) has gained and held a strong fanbase since its release. This series, which describes the rebellion of
fairytale characters against the demented undead storyteller who tries to
control their destinies, is typical of many series and books that adapt old
folktales for a contemporary audience.
This panel will apply concepts from new folkloristics, queer studies,
feminism, and Jungian psychoanalysis to deconstruct the multiple narrative
layers of Princess Tutu and suggest reasons why its message resonates with so
many Eastern and Western viewers.
