Yes, congoers' experience with Japanese culture is definitely unbalanced (eg they know Shounen Jump much better than anything else), but they do actually know it and aren't interested in having it localized to be "less Japanese". If anything I think they like to keep a little too much now; even professional translations I see often get the meaning of 和製英語 wrong by leaving them in literally. (like getting ジュース from a vending machine is not "juice")
In the 2000s everyone really was loud and badly behaved but it stopped in the 2010s and I'm always surprised by how polite people are now. Along with early social media, I think the events got better at keeping people entertained, and cities developed more to do in the area around them.
As a lover of video games since I was very young and a lover of anime since I was in my mid-teens this still feels kind of surreal to see something that was so niche be so mainstream and widespread.
It's also great seeing not only young people at these conventions, but you see many people in their thirties and forties, if not older, attending and oftentimes dressed up as their favorite characters.
For many of us older folk this is a way to stay connected to our youth, to remember a time that we had the less stress and less responsibilities.
What a wonderful article to read! I’m so glad you had a good time.
From a member of the disability community: we generally prefer the terms disabled or person with a disability over “differently abled” in the US. Thank you for your consideration!
It was interesting to hear the perspective that social media has helped make the experience less aggressive.
Yes, congoers' experience with Japanese culture is definitely unbalanced (eg they know Shounen Jump much better than anything else), but they do actually know it and aren't interested in having it localized to be "less Japanese". If anything I think they like to keep a little too much now; even professional translations I see often get the meaning of 和製英語 wrong by leaving them in literally. (like getting ジュース from a vending machine is not "juice")
In the 2000s everyone really was loud and badly behaved but it stopped in the 2010s and I'm always surprised by how polite people are now. Along with early social media, I think the events got better at keeping people entertained, and cities developed more to do in the area around them.
As a lover of video games since I was very young and a lover of anime since I was in my mid-teens this still feels kind of surreal to see something that was so niche be so mainstream and widespread.
It's also great seeing not only young people at these conventions, but you see many people in their thirties and forties, if not older, attending and oftentimes dressed up as their favorite characters.
For many of us older folk this is a way to stay connected to our youth, to remember a time that we had the less stress and less responsibilities.
FYI: The bus stop cosplay is actually a Persona 3 character, Shinjiro Aragaki. That's one of the weapons you can acquire for him in the game!
I absolutely loved Yokai Attack, and regularly go back to it. Very happy to find your Substack, thank you for sharing your experience!
I'm so glad to hear you liked the book that much, because we put a lot of effort into it. Thanks for your kind words!
Kopps being a form of Kappa (and having just read Akutagawa’s “Kappa”) only furthers my push to read your Yokai book - when I can finally find it!
Pumped that you had such a good time in NYC and left feeling buoyant - community can do that in way little else can
What a wonderful article to read! I’m so glad you had a good time.
From a member of the disability community: we generally prefer the terms disabled or person with a disability over “differently abled” in the US. Thank you for your consideration!
Thank you for reading. And thank you for the advice. I'll keep that in mind for the future.