I've decided, after going over a lot of truly amazing convention stories, that December will be Con Story Month here at Animology. Since the beginning of my research, I've managed to gather over 30 con stories from a variety of attendees and guests, and I want to share them. Some are hilarious, some are shocking, and all are true (for the most part) experiences from years of con attendance. So let me begin this trek through storyland with a list.
These tips were given to me by an anonymous congoer who referred to himself only as "Superkenny." I met him in the artist alley at AMA in June 2009. Since then, I've shared this list maybe a dozen times, and each time it's been met with head nodding and a good bit of chuckling. Why? Because it's true. As much as some people would like to ignore some of the factoids on this list, they are each based in experience.
Make as many friends as you can so you can go to panels with them, because its creepy if you go alone.
I've never experienced anything negative from attending a panel alone, but when I think back on it, I've made friends at plenty of the panels I've attended, often during the actual panel. Friends do enhance the panel experience, since you can feed off their emotions, and share your own musings with them during speeches.
It's nice to hook up, but don't go to cons just for that.
This mixes in with another lovely blurb about cons: Its all about sex and anime. While I have never had a con hookup personally, I know plenty of people who have, and plenty that attend simply to score.
Never drag your real life into the con. Leave your issues at home.
Nobody likes drama. People who attend cons to cause grief are one of the most complained about aspects in my research. Cons are about escaping from real life, so don't drag real life drama into them.
If you start feeling depressed, get Pocky.
While I rarely indulge in Pocky anymore, I do know that it is one of the most enjoyable parts of a con. For those who do not know, Pocky is a sort of cracker stick covered in chocolate or other flavors, and congoers devour them crazily. I have several of my own stories relating to Pocky consumption, but just on what I've seen, yes depressed congoers often become visibly happier after ingesting some good old Pocky.
Not everyone's cosplay is perfect. Don't let anyone's opinion drag you down.
Unless you are competing in a competition, cosplay is about having fun. This sentiment is widely echoed. So do not allow the opinions of elitists to drag you down. Simply by attempting to cosplay, you are doing more than any critic. Enjoy yourself, and learn from the experience.
Not everybody likes hugs. Make sure your victim actually wants to be hugged before you throw yourself at them.
All I wish to add to this is: glomping someone down a flight of stairs is incredibly painful. I know this from experience.
Female cosplayers travel in packs. Do not think you can hit on one and get away with it.
Another thing I've never tried, but I have seen the aftermath. It was NOT pretty.
Beware the Yaoi paddle.
I could do an entire entry on yaoi paddles, and I plan to. Let's just say, picture a frat paddle with the word YAOI on it in big letters. Now picture getting smacked by it the moment you least expect it. I'm actually glad some cons have started banning them.
Divide your money evenly, so you don't spend it all on the first day.
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it's true. I have seen (and fallen prey to) plenty of instances of excitement leading to the expungement of large amounts of cash on unnecessary things, often within a few steps of entering the Dealer's Room. My advice here is to scout the room once, make a list of what you want, and stick to it. Nothing hurts more than blowing your spending cash, food money and sometimes gas money, all at one table, all within the first few hours of the con.
If you pursue a girl, make sure it is an actual girl.
Crossplay frequently happens at cons. Sometimes it can be a challenge to tell genders apart. You have been warned.
You are at an anime convention. You are never alone.
First interpretation: you will never have to worry about being lonely. Being surrounded by people who share your interests and loves can lead to some truly epic friendships.
Second interpretation: If anything leaks at the con, you're s--- out of luck.
Post-con depression passes after two days. If this is your first con, give it a week.
This is another topic that I will go into depth on in a few weeks. But yes, post-con depression is always a factor of con attendance, especially if your next con is a long ways off. The best advice truly is to push past it, because unless you make your living by cons, they are essentially vacations. You still have your photos, your memories, your swag and your friends. You can always look forward to the next one as well.
The hottest cosplayers have the meanest attitudes.
From experience, I know this to be true, for the most part. I have met plenty of very attractive cosplayers who were wonderful people as well. But, as with anything, there will almost always be those that ruin it for everyone else. Don't let them get you down or spoil your weekend.
So there you have it, advice from a serial congoer on how to survive at anime cons. I have another list as well, but I'll save that for another day.
PS: MONSTER is an amazing series. Thrilling, well animated, and full of suspense. I've watched the first 7 episodes and am hungry for more. It is definitely a series worth looking into.
30 November 2009
27 November 2009
The Right Convention, Part II
Let me begin by hoping that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am well aware that in this day and age, the holiday often gets lost in the pre-Christmas shuffle of Black Friday sales, advertising and a general sense of "let's just hurry along to the shopping season", but it is definitely important to remember that this, like any holiday, should revolve more around family and remembering what we are thankful for, rather than preparing for spending money. That said, I did partake of one of the Black Friday specials and got a new portable hard drive, as my current one is running low on space (48 gigs left I think) and I use it to backup all my data files and memory from my Mac. Plus it is also home to the majority of my anime collection, which is all fansubbed. I'd hate to need to delete a series or two to make room for new ones.
OK, so last time I checked in, before AUSA hit me like a ton of bricks, I was giving advice on choosing the right convention. I mentioned about space, location and cost, three main factors in selecting where you are planning to spend your weekend. Indeed, nobody likes cramped spaces, high prices and lack of outside things to do. These often form the core of the convention experience, especially for those people who choose to use the con as a way to escape from the world and see new places. This time I would like to comment on two of the most listed critical aspects of cons: programming and organization.
Unlike location and cost, programming and organization are the hallmarks of any convention. Often, a convention's success revolves around what going on, and who's setting it up. Bad programming will always lead to dissatisfied congoers. Bad organization can lead to worse. Allow me to extrapolate.
OK, so last time I checked in, before AUSA hit me like a ton of bricks, I was giving advice on choosing the right convention. I mentioned about space, location and cost, three main factors in selecting where you are planning to spend your weekend. Indeed, nobody likes cramped spaces, high prices and lack of outside things to do. These often form the core of the convention experience, especially for those people who choose to use the con as a way to escape from the world and see new places. This time I would like to comment on two of the most listed critical aspects of cons: programming and organization.
Unlike location and cost, programming and organization are the hallmarks of any convention. Often, a convention's success revolves around what going on, and who's setting it up. Bad programming will always lead to dissatisfied congoers. Bad organization can lead to worse. Allow me to extrapolate.
22 November 2009
AUSA Preliminary Roundup
Just a quick update, but my work at AUSA is done, not only for the convention, but for my con year, and my research. I need to do a formal count, but just off the top of my head, I now have around 573 replies to my questionnaire, 154 of which came directly from AUSA, my table, my panels and the folks I had canvassing for me. I know my new job is to sift through these replies, which I also know will take forever, but at least for the next few days I can sit back and relax and appreciate a job well done.
In addition to the replies to my questionnaires, I also have received a few "exclusive interviews" with voice actors Leah Clark, Michael Tremain Sinterniklaas, J. Michael Tatum, and professional cosplayer Yaya Han. (The "" means that I did the interviews myself, recorded them and everything, but they are part of a video documentary I am working on with JPL Films, so they are not completely exclusive to studyofanime.com.) I plan to get these transcribed ASAP and have them posted on here within a few weeks. Keep checking back for more info on this side of things. But until then, I will be continuing my discussion on choosing the right con on Tuesday.
In addition to the replies to my questionnaires, I also have received a few "exclusive interviews" with voice actors Leah Clark, Michael Tremain Sinterniklaas, J. Michael Tatum, and professional cosplayer Yaya Han. (The "" means that I did the interviews myself, recorded them and everything, but they are part of a video documentary I am working on with JPL Films, so they are not completely exclusive to studyofanime.com.) I plan to get these transcribed ASAP and have them posted on here within a few weeks. Keep checking back for more info on this side of things. But until then, I will be continuing my discussion on choosing the right con on Tuesday.
20 November 2009
On location: Anime USA
Yes, I am indeed on location at Anime USA in Arlington, Va. This is my 9th con of the year, second at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, and first where I have received a table. Up to this point I have received over 400 replies to my questionnaire, and am looking for another hundred. I know I set lofty goals when I started this research, but I intend to see this through to the end. More on this to come when I return home next week.
So if anyone is in the Arlington area this weekend, and attending AUSA, drop by my table and give me a shout. I'm collecting stories, giving away prizes and celebrating the end of a VERY successful research run.
PS: They have me listed in the con program as "Charles Dunbar, PhD." I will confess that it gives me a huge boost to my confidence.
So if anyone is in the Arlington area this weekend, and attending AUSA, drop by my table and give me a shout. I'm collecting stories, giving away prizes and celebrating the end of a VERY successful research run.
PS: They have me listed in the con program as "Charles Dunbar, PhD." I will confess that it gives me a huge boost to my confidence.
16 November 2009
The Right Convention, Part I
In keeping with my slowly forming (unless you know me outside of here) tradition of deviating from what I originally planned to write about, I've decided today to extrapolate a bit on choosing the right convention. This spawns from my previous two entries about large versus small cons, and Im sure I am going to repeat some of the things I've said before, but I feel that it needs more information than the snippets I've used thus far. So let me begin.
I may or may not have sad this, but since 1999, I have been to over 30 conventions, the majority of them straight anime cons. My first dedicated anime con was Anime Expo NY 2002, the year that the now defunct Big Apple Anime Fest ceded organization to the largest con/festival in the US for a year. The end result was a good, solidly organized and very productive convention right in the heart of Times Square, with a large dealer's room, some good premieres, a three hour AMV contest and guests galore. Seeing as how I had never been to a dedicated anime con before,. I found it to be exhilarating and wonderful, a welcome change of pace from my one day excursions to ICON at Stony Brook, which I had been attending faithfully since 1999. Unfortunately, AXNY was just one year and went back to BAAF the following one, for what would become the last anime con NYC would have until 2007 when NYAF began. The point of this little jaunt down memory lane is simple: choosing the right con can affect how much fun you have at a con, and more importantly, how likely you are to return.
I may or may not have sad this, but since 1999, I have been to over 30 conventions, the majority of them straight anime cons. My first dedicated anime con was Anime Expo NY 2002, the year that the now defunct Big Apple Anime Fest ceded organization to the largest con/festival in the US for a year. The end result was a good, solidly organized and very productive convention right in the heart of Times Square, with a large dealer's room, some good premieres, a three hour AMV contest and guests galore. Seeing as how I had never been to a dedicated anime con before,. I found it to be exhilarating and wonderful, a welcome change of pace from my one day excursions to ICON at Stony Brook, which I had been attending faithfully since 1999. Unfortunately, AXNY was just one year and went back to BAAF the following one, for what would become the last anime con NYC would have until 2007 when NYAF began. The point of this little jaunt down memory lane is simple: choosing the right con can affect how much fun you have at a con, and more importantly, how likely you are to return.
12 November 2009
A word about friendships
Ok, so I am well aware I said this post would be a blow-by-blow review of Nekocon, but it's not. It's not because I don't have anything to say about Nekocon, because my previous post spoke as to why I enjoy that convention, indeed it is my avorite of the entire year. It's just that while I was mulling over what I could possibly say about Nekocon that I haven't said already, a few new ideas and thoughts popped into my head.
I mentioned a few times about how much friendship and intimacy plays into choice of conventions. Those words pop up quite frequently in my questionnaires, and are usually the main reasons cited as to why small and medium size cons are preferred to large ones. Since I am definitely one of those congoers who supports the idea of smaller is better, I decided that I would like to chip in my two cents about why I feel that friendships make the cons more satisfying. I'm not saying that larger conventions are any worse than smaller ones, mind you, because there are always definite pluses to attending one of the larger conventions, I am simply stating why I prefer smaller ones. Hopefully, those who have answered similarly will agree with my ideas.
Being a fan of anime is all about community. This much is obvious. There will always be solitary fans, usually people who live in out of the way places who find themselves alone in their fandom. I have met plenty of them over the course of my congoing. But they all give me the same answers when asked about how they experience their fandom: they do it alone, in private, and have nobody to talk to. Some of the ones who live in more isolated or conservative areas have told me about how they are the subject of bias from their neighbors because of misconceptions associated with their fandom and what they choose to spend their time doing. Granted, every one of these people I have met at conventions in the past three or so years. And I feel sympathy for them. One of the hallmarks of joining a fandom is to share it, either by comparing "war stories" about experiences associated with the fandom, or to just sit and philosophize about what they have just seen. The lack of ability to do this more often than not leads to the fan feeling very much alone, perhaps even scared, because they have nobody to talk to or lean on. Those fans that come under fire from those around them have it doubly worse, because they face negative opposition without comrades to take shelter with.
This is why the ideas of friendships and conventions are so strong and important. There are plenty of times I have been to a con where I never attend panels, never buy anything or watch anything, I go simply because my friends are going. And at every con I attend, I make new friends. (Take a look at my Facebook post on and there will always be at least one new friend on there.) Larger cons, for all their flash and pomp, seem to strip this aspect out of the fan experience. Let me explain further by comparing two of the cons I went to this year.
I attended Otakon this past July. For those who aren't aware, Otakon is the largest convention on the east coast, boasting a growing attendance rate over 25000. And for a good deal of the respondents to my questionnaire, this was their first con. It is both a good and bad choice for a first con. On the plus side, Otakon has what could be deemed as "everything:" enormous dealer's room, dozens of panels, dozens of viewings, premieres, gaming, multiple concerts and a huge crop of fans to talk to. However, this comes at the cost of intimacy. It is crowded. It is extremely hard to just sit in the halls and talk. There is always a lot of noise. Navigating the halls proves to be a chore. While this can excite some neophyte otaku, to a growing number of veterans, it becomes something of a hassle. You often cannot hear yourself think. You get shoved around a lot. Panels fill up extremely quickly. The line for the vendor room snakes all over the second floor. Stopping to chat with people is practically nonexistent by day, and proves to be a chore at night. While it can be a wonderful experience for some, it is not for all.
Now look at Nekocon. Light programming schedules. Interesting panels that you have a chance to get into. Large convention space for a medium sized crowd. Plenty of room to stop and talk. Ok, so they don't have the big name guests or flashy premieres. I have made friends at every Nekocon I have been to. These friends I see a few times a year at other cons. We can sit in the convention center for hours talking about nothing. We come away feeling satisfied. In addition to this, I have a set group of friends I travel to the convention with. We spend 7 hours sometimes sitting in a car cracking jokes and comparing experiences. And we have a wild time there. We look forward to the next year's experiences. Nekocon is such a fascinating and wonderful time, that I personally come away with a sense of such euphoria that I tend to view my year as "Pre-Neko" and "Post Neko", everything that has happened to me up til that point is swept away and feels so distant compared to what I just underwent. And I know I am not the only one: many of my friends feel this way too. Neko, at least for us, is the true definition of a vacation: it renergizes us and melts away the woes of the world.
I guess in a way this entry is a bit of a blow-by-blow. I know I said I would speak more to the effect of friendships, and I will. But I think I need to order my thoughts first. As with all academic, or simply ruminatory, discussion, things can go off topic once the words start flying. At least I have something more to talk about.
I mentioned a few times about how much friendship and intimacy plays into choice of conventions. Those words pop up quite frequently in my questionnaires, and are usually the main reasons cited as to why small and medium size cons are preferred to large ones. Since I am definitely one of those congoers who supports the idea of smaller is better, I decided that I would like to chip in my two cents about why I feel that friendships make the cons more satisfying. I'm not saying that larger conventions are any worse than smaller ones, mind you, because there are always definite pluses to attending one of the larger conventions, I am simply stating why I prefer smaller ones. Hopefully, those who have answered similarly will agree with my ideas.
Being a fan of anime is all about community. This much is obvious. There will always be solitary fans, usually people who live in out of the way places who find themselves alone in their fandom. I have met plenty of them over the course of my congoing. But they all give me the same answers when asked about how they experience their fandom: they do it alone, in private, and have nobody to talk to. Some of the ones who live in more isolated or conservative areas have told me about how they are the subject of bias from their neighbors because of misconceptions associated with their fandom and what they choose to spend their time doing. Granted, every one of these people I have met at conventions in the past three or so years. And I feel sympathy for them. One of the hallmarks of joining a fandom is to share it, either by comparing "war stories" about experiences associated with the fandom, or to just sit and philosophize about what they have just seen. The lack of ability to do this more often than not leads to the fan feeling very much alone, perhaps even scared, because they have nobody to talk to or lean on. Those fans that come under fire from those around them have it doubly worse, because they face negative opposition without comrades to take shelter with.
This is why the ideas of friendships and conventions are so strong and important. There are plenty of times I have been to a con where I never attend panels, never buy anything or watch anything, I go simply because my friends are going. And at every con I attend, I make new friends. (Take a look at my Facebook post on and there will always be at least one new friend on there.) Larger cons, for all their flash and pomp, seem to strip this aspect out of the fan experience. Let me explain further by comparing two of the cons I went to this year.
I attended Otakon this past July. For those who aren't aware, Otakon is the largest convention on the east coast, boasting a growing attendance rate over 25000. And for a good deal of the respondents to my questionnaire, this was their first con. It is both a good and bad choice for a first con. On the plus side, Otakon has what could be deemed as "everything:" enormous dealer's room, dozens of panels, dozens of viewings, premieres, gaming, multiple concerts and a huge crop of fans to talk to. However, this comes at the cost of intimacy. It is crowded. It is extremely hard to just sit in the halls and talk. There is always a lot of noise. Navigating the halls proves to be a chore. While this can excite some neophyte otaku, to a growing number of veterans, it becomes something of a hassle. You often cannot hear yourself think. You get shoved around a lot. Panels fill up extremely quickly. The line for the vendor room snakes all over the second floor. Stopping to chat with people is practically nonexistent by day, and proves to be a chore at night. While it can be a wonderful experience for some, it is not for all.
Now look at Nekocon. Light programming schedules. Interesting panels that you have a chance to get into. Large convention space for a medium sized crowd. Plenty of room to stop and talk. Ok, so they don't have the big name guests or flashy premieres. I have made friends at every Nekocon I have been to. These friends I see a few times a year at other cons. We can sit in the convention center for hours talking about nothing. We come away feeling satisfied. In addition to this, I have a set group of friends I travel to the convention with. We spend 7 hours sometimes sitting in a car cracking jokes and comparing experiences. And we have a wild time there. We look forward to the next year's experiences. Nekocon is such a fascinating and wonderful time, that I personally come away with a sense of such euphoria that I tend to view my year as "Pre-Neko" and "Post Neko", everything that has happened to me up til that point is swept away and feels so distant compared to what I just underwent. And I know I am not the only one: many of my friends feel this way too. Neko, at least for us, is the true definition of a vacation: it renergizes us and melts away the woes of the world.
I guess in a way this entry is a bit of a blow-by-blow. I know I said I would speak more to the effect of friendships, and I will. But I think I need to order my thoughts first. As with all academic, or simply ruminatory, discussion, things can go off topic once the words start flying. At least I have something more to talk about.
10 November 2009
Nekocon Recovery
And I have returned. Another year, another magnificent Nekocon. Since first attending in 2007, I have grown to love this con for it's small size, amazing location, and intimate atmosphere, and this year did not disappoint. Making this year's Nekocon even sweeter is the fact that it comes towards the end of what will go down in history as "the con year", where I went to 9 conventions, met hundreds of people, took in almost a thousand questionnaires and learned even more about the convention culture that I so love to ascribe myself to. Whereas in previous years, I went for the escape and to spend time with my core group of con buddies, in the past 12 months (the project was actually born at Neko 2008) I have broadened my horizons greatly, made many new friends, strengthened bonds with old ones, and gained a newfound appreciation both for the attendees and the administration. This is not the last con of the year, nor the last con I will ever attend, but it will go down as quite possibly the best, and for that I am happy.
One thing that has come up time and again in my research is that people attend these cons more for friends and socialization than for anything else. I don't have the exact figures down in front of me at the moment (still tabulating the raw data into stats), but I can infer just on what ive seen so far that the majority of attendees view socializing as the main reason they go to conventions. Panels are nice, especially good ones that give the participants a chance to interact and contribute. Cosplay is extremely fun, and the vendors rooms are always packed, but when it comes down to the main reasons why these are attended, it always comes down to friends and having a good time. Conventions started as a way for fans of anime to interact with each other and make new friends they would never have met outside the con. Many of these con friendships continue from year to year, often facilitated by the internet, an are just as strong as any other, because they are based in mutual love, and above all, mutual culture. I feel that the reason con friendships are so powerful is because unlike fandom of a sports team, or schoolyard chums, anime fans ascribe themselves to a full fledged culture that gives them a sense of depth they would not have found otherwise. Some might go so far as to say it is like a cult or religion, and yes, the bonds forged through the conventions can be just as strong and lend just as much depth to the participants as that (there are anime religions, apparently. I encountered one this weekend).
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
My mythology panel went wonderfully, I want to thank everyone who was a part of it. Standing room for a lot of people, and the contributions were amazing. I now find myself with maybe a dozen new anime to look up, and incorporate into the next panel I give. And if any of my participants are reading this, yes I will be posting my notes over the course of the next few weeks, thrice a week as I do now. I wouldn't want to overload any readers with too much information.
Expect a formal, blow by blow con report Thursday.
One thing that has come up time and again in my research is that people attend these cons more for friends and socialization than for anything else. I don't have the exact figures down in front of me at the moment (still tabulating the raw data into stats), but I can infer just on what ive seen so far that the majority of attendees view socializing as the main reason they go to conventions. Panels are nice, especially good ones that give the participants a chance to interact and contribute. Cosplay is extremely fun, and the vendors rooms are always packed, but when it comes down to the main reasons why these are attended, it always comes down to friends and having a good time. Conventions started as a way for fans of anime to interact with each other and make new friends they would never have met outside the con. Many of these con friendships continue from year to year, often facilitated by the internet, an are just as strong as any other, because they are based in mutual love, and above all, mutual culture. I feel that the reason con friendships are so powerful is because unlike fandom of a sports team, or schoolyard chums, anime fans ascribe themselves to a full fledged culture that gives them a sense of depth they would not have found otherwise. Some might go so far as to say it is like a cult or religion, and yes, the bonds forged through the conventions can be just as strong and lend just as much depth to the participants as that (there are anime religions, apparently. I encountered one this weekend).
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
My mythology panel went wonderfully, I want to thank everyone who was a part of it. Standing room for a lot of people, and the contributions were amazing. I now find myself with maybe a dozen new anime to look up, and incorporate into the next panel I give. And if any of my participants are reading this, yes I will be posting my notes over the course of the next few weeks, thrice a week as I do now. I wouldn't want to overload any readers with too much information.
Expect a formal, blow by blow con report Thursday.
03 November 2009
Nekocon or Bust
This entry is a short one, devoid of academic ramblings. Mostly because I'm under a time crunch and I am leaving tomorrow for Nekocon, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in south Virginia. This con is one of my favorites, because of its small size, intimate setting, interesting people and, I will admit this is shallow, the best connecting hotel I have ever been to. Every year, since 2007, I attend this con with my old convention friends, we make the 6 hour drive from south Jersey, stuffed into a minivan while driving down a 2 lane highway. And the payoff is worth it. I have many wonderful memories associated with this con, I've made many friends there and had truly amazing experiences.
As a longtime congoer, I've found that I enjoy smaller cons to larger ones. The community, sense of intimacy and general lack of extreme craziness all contribute to a more satisfying experience. As I was never one to attend panels or workshops, and have never been to a masquerade, small cons foster a deeper and better sense of camaraderie than their larger counterparts. Rather than being bombarded with corporate ads, huge lines and massive backlogs of people fighting for space (as is the case at Otakon), smaller cons are more relaxed, more focused on hanging out and making friends, and in many cases, more cost-effective. This is a sentiment echoed by quite a bit of the people I have spoken to over the past year: smaller cons tend to be more appealing, especially to longtime congoers, than their more massive cousins.
But as for me, I am looking forward to this trip greatly. The long drive, followed by what will be 3 full days of fun and friendship, is something I have been looking forward to all year. Though this is my 8th con since February, this is the one I've been waiting for. This is where my ideas for academic anime study were born, and this is where a good deal of my research comes full circle. So watch out, Virginia, here I come.
As a longtime congoer, I've found that I enjoy smaller cons to larger ones. The community, sense of intimacy and general lack of extreme craziness all contribute to a more satisfying experience. As I was never one to attend panels or workshops, and have never been to a masquerade, small cons foster a deeper and better sense of camaraderie than their larger counterparts. Rather than being bombarded with corporate ads, huge lines and massive backlogs of people fighting for space (as is the case at Otakon), smaller cons are more relaxed, more focused on hanging out and making friends, and in many cases, more cost-effective. This is a sentiment echoed by quite a bit of the people I have spoken to over the past year: smaller cons tend to be more appealing, especially to longtime congoers, than their more massive cousins.
But as for me, I am looking forward to this trip greatly. The long drive, followed by what will be 3 full days of fun and friendship, is something I have been looking forward to all year. Though this is my 8th con since February, this is the one I've been waiting for. This is where my ideas for academic anime study were born, and this is where a good deal of my research comes full circle. So watch out, Virginia, here I come.
01 November 2009
History Of Fandom, Part III
After my somewhat heated words the other day, I think today instead of screaming academia, it might make more sense to clarify a few things about myself and why I do what I do.
I study fandom, this much Ive made apparent in the past. I also come from fandom. Over the course of my life, I have been a rather strong member in a lot of major media fandoms: I was a Trekkie in Jr High, a Jedi in High School, an otaku since 2000 (when I discovered there was more to anime than Dragonball) and lately have been delving the depths of Doctor Who. During this time, I also was a rather hardcore card gamer, role player, video gamer and forum junkie. All this experience around fandoms of different types has given me cause to stop over the years and look back at how they all differ from each other, despite all being the same essential type of community, the media centered culture.
Because of this in depth experience with so many fandoms, I am what my professors and colleagues call a "native anthropologist." Native anthropology is explained as the study of one's own community and cultural affiliation. As an academic discipline, native anthropology has both some wonderful advantages as well as flaws depending on who is doing the research and their own emotional investment in what they are studying.
On the one hand, native anthropologists are already members of the population they seek to study. As such, they do not need to concern themselves over memberships, gaining trust, looking for informants, permission to observe and tend to treat their subjects with more respect and dignity, as they are aware of whatever stigmas or mores are part of their observed populations. On the other hand, native anthropologists can also be subject to serious bias, as they are dealing with a population that they have emotional ties to. Studying one's own family, friends and adherents can lead to undue sympathy, can blur the lines about what is acceptable, can color judgements that should be rendered black and white. It can also lead to less objectivity and a stronger desire to defend the beliefs and rites of the researched group. Indeed, many native anthropologists first begin studying a specific group because they either wish to dispel some rumor or stereotype of their native group, or because they feel existing research on the group is too "cold" or portrays the group in an unfavorable light. This type of bias can be dangerous to anyone who studies cultural or ethnic groups.
However, sometimes a sympathetic ear is necessary. I'm not going to go on at length about crusading researchers seeking to save those they study, because as much as that idea is appealing, it is also fanciful and idealistic, two things that are wholly unnecessary to any type of academic study. When I began to research anime and anime media culture, I began as a documentarian who wanted to look into why the community is so strong, what are its "eccentricities" (admittedly, it fell a lot around shoving 13 people into a hotel room, something I still find fascinating, and downright impossible), what are it's traditions, and above all, I wanted to prove that media centered, ascribed culture is just as valid as any "traditional" or "ethic" culture. Yes, I wanted to dispel stereotypes, mostly because the ones that exist around the fandom communities seem to portray the fans as fat, lazy, layabouts with no ambition except to rant on about "their favorite captain," something I have personally witnessed as untrue and a terrible label to attach to a group so complex and validating. But I also wanted to chronicle and document how these communities are more akin to families, how strong, lasting and very tangible bonds could be formed between members of the group, and how these ties shaped the lives of those who participate. I wanted to show how, unlike any other kind of ascribed culture, that these fandoms are self sustaining, powerful and creative. How they add to their own "mythology" instead of just repeating the past. And how the people who love them the most are the ones that try to make them a strong, identifiable part of their lives. All these things set fandoms apart from other ascribed culture, and they make them unique, powerful things that do not deserve to be relegated and maligned.
This is why I do what I do.
I study fandom, this much Ive made apparent in the past. I also come from fandom. Over the course of my life, I have been a rather strong member in a lot of major media fandoms: I was a Trekkie in Jr High, a Jedi in High School, an otaku since 2000 (when I discovered there was more to anime than Dragonball) and lately have been delving the depths of Doctor Who. During this time, I also was a rather hardcore card gamer, role player, video gamer and forum junkie. All this experience around fandoms of different types has given me cause to stop over the years and look back at how they all differ from each other, despite all being the same essential type of community, the media centered culture.
Because of this in depth experience with so many fandoms, I am what my professors and colleagues call a "native anthropologist." Native anthropology is explained as the study of one's own community and cultural affiliation. As an academic discipline, native anthropology has both some wonderful advantages as well as flaws depending on who is doing the research and their own emotional investment in what they are studying.
On the one hand, native anthropologists are already members of the population they seek to study. As such, they do not need to concern themselves over memberships, gaining trust, looking for informants, permission to observe and tend to treat their subjects with more respect and dignity, as they are aware of whatever stigmas or mores are part of their observed populations. On the other hand, native anthropologists can also be subject to serious bias, as they are dealing with a population that they have emotional ties to. Studying one's own family, friends and adherents can lead to undue sympathy, can blur the lines about what is acceptable, can color judgements that should be rendered black and white. It can also lead to less objectivity and a stronger desire to defend the beliefs and rites of the researched group. Indeed, many native anthropologists first begin studying a specific group because they either wish to dispel some rumor or stereotype of their native group, or because they feel existing research on the group is too "cold" or portrays the group in an unfavorable light. This type of bias can be dangerous to anyone who studies cultural or ethnic groups.
However, sometimes a sympathetic ear is necessary. I'm not going to go on at length about crusading researchers seeking to save those they study, because as much as that idea is appealing, it is also fanciful and idealistic, two things that are wholly unnecessary to any type of academic study. When I began to research anime and anime media culture, I began as a documentarian who wanted to look into why the community is so strong, what are its "eccentricities" (admittedly, it fell a lot around shoving 13 people into a hotel room, something I still find fascinating, and downright impossible), what are it's traditions, and above all, I wanted to prove that media centered, ascribed culture is just as valid as any "traditional" or "ethic" culture. Yes, I wanted to dispel stereotypes, mostly because the ones that exist around the fandom communities seem to portray the fans as fat, lazy, layabouts with no ambition except to rant on about "their favorite captain," something I have personally witnessed as untrue and a terrible label to attach to a group so complex and validating. But I also wanted to chronicle and document how these communities are more akin to families, how strong, lasting and very tangible bonds could be formed between members of the group, and how these ties shaped the lives of those who participate. I wanted to show how, unlike any other kind of ascribed culture, that these fandoms are self sustaining, powerful and creative. How they add to their own "mythology" instead of just repeating the past. And how the people who love them the most are the ones that try to make them a strong, identifiable part of their lives. All these things set fandoms apart from other ascribed culture, and they make them unique, powerful things that do not deserve to be relegated and maligned.
This is why I do what I do.
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