Forum - View topicNEWS: AnimeJapan 2021 Convention Will Be Online Only
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wingweaver84
Posts: 78 |
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It makes me wonder if eventually all conventions will switch to a completely virtual format,it would mean a larger audience.
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Firefly251
Posts: 387 |
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except many cosplayer pros, merch vendors, etc will lose $ and thats mainly why a lot of people go. |
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Tempest
 I Run this place.ANN Publisher  Posts: 10471 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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Larger potential audience, but most events are seeing online numbers not even close to their physical event numbers. Early in the pandemic, online events were kinda cool novelties, so people tried them out, but now most don't do that great. Second problem with online events is that bigger publishers are learning they don't need to partner with an events company to do their own online event. Rather than being a small part of a bigger event, they're finding that it's better to have their own event entirely. It might only be a few hours long, or it might be a full weekend, but it's all about them. Once the bigger publishers pull out of the online events, the events lose what is arguably their biggest draw. The other huge problem with online events is that you lose the whole physical experience. The exhibit hall is the best example of this, no one has really replicated the exhibit hall online yet. For Anime Japan in particular, the exhibit hall is the number one attraction. So I expect that a lot of fans in Japan who would go to Anime Japan, won't tune in online. That said, the event has a lot of international interest, there are Anime fans around the world who wish they could go to Anime Japan, so maybe they'll all tune in. Completely unrelated, was anyone else amused by TM Revolution's outfit ? |
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Kaylee Smerbeck
Posts: 151 |
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Not surprised. WHO said 2022 but that was before the newer variants became commonplace. Those are vaccine resistant. I'm not going to any cons ever without a mask even when this is over.
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hikura
Posts: 565 |
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Why wouldn't they want to do something more kid friendly again?
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5991 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Anime Japan is a visual feast. It has to be experienced in person, otherwise it is just another web page. Unless there is a contest, there is no real reason to watch a virtual convention. Everything you need you can get from ANN or many other anime websites.
Anime Japan is meant to be walked around and experienced. Even more so than Otakon. I have been to two Anime Japan's. You literally walk around in amazement at all the many anime booths. Even in Otakon's better Industry booth days, they have never even came in close to what Anime Japan does. And this is two super long convention halls of anime industry booths, anime industry dioramas, and other super fantastic anime industry stuff. A virtual Anime Japan cannot compare to the real thing. It is just like walking into two totally separate Madoka Magica themed pachinko/slot machine buildings in Akihibara. Where all the pachinko and slot machines are Madoka Magica themed, and all the decorations on the walls, on the floors, and on the ceilings are Madoka Magica themed. And the outside of the building has Madoka Magica themed posters, banners, and flags. Actually being there, cannot compare to anything on my camera roll or a website. |
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DerekL1963
 Subscriber Posts: 1130 Location: Puget Sound |
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Yup. Another club I'm in has seen exactly that - attendance at virtual events has plummeted dramatically over the last year. We did a virtual version of our big mid-winter event last weekend, and it drew about peak thirty people. Even counting the in-and-outs (people who came virtually for one specific sub event), total attendance barely broke 50. It's physical equivalent normally draws close to 200... Our weekly local social has declined from peak 50-60 people attending virtually to averaging less than 10. Physical equivalent, mid-winter when we can't spread out outside, averages 30 or so. In summer, in good weather, it averages 60-70 and topping 100 isn't that unusual. At least in my mind, the evidence is abundantly clear - virtual events are no replacement for in person socializing. And what is a con but a social event?
And virtual events just amplify that tendency. Locally, in the other club, we're seeing local classes being replaced by national classes... It's great to be able to access that, but it's eroding local culture. What used to be "oh, talk to Y at next weeks Social" has been replaced with "oh, check out X's YouTube channel". That's going to have long lasting effects. |
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TurnerJ
Posts: 483 Location: Highland Park, NJ |
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Nah, unlikely to happen. The only reason why this is happening at all is because of the pandemic. It's still too dangerous to hold cons right now. Only when it is safe will cons be in person again. As for the variants, it's actually not true that they are vaccine resistant. The vaccine companies will just make vaccines to crush those variants even after these early ones. Apparently, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson both work against the current variants at the moment, so don't lose hope everyone. |
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planethopper
 Posts: 4 Location: California |
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I'm already guessing that there will be no in-person Anime Expo or Comic Con this year, no matter what they're saying on their websites.
I haven't been to Comic Con in years, but AX was a regular con for me, and I'll miss it. I can only hope for 2022. |
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Maidenoftheredhand
 Posts: 2634 |
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A convention is basically like a vacation so yeah for me the Online ones definitely don’t act as a replacement to the real thing, not even close.
I did enjoy Discotek’s online licensing panels. Those to me feel closest to replicating the same experience but that’s only one panel |
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