The "NEXT Evolution" of The Land of Obscusion Comes This June 4-6!

Manga May is over, but Con Season is only just starting! Anime Boston was an awesome experience, but it's time for me to "come home" and be a part of my local con: AnimeNEXT!

Last year, AnimeNEXT was home to my very first attempt at doing a panel, and it was a success in the way of execution, but I did only have a modest turnout when all was said & done. This year, though, I'll be back with a vengeance with the three panels I did at Anime Boston, but with some alterations here & there for the most part. Here's where you can find me:

Anime Pilots & Precursors
[Friday, 3:00-4:00 PM, Panel 4 Westfield]

This panel had a fair turnout at AB, but I'm not one to simply rest on my laurels & use the same exact clips when there's plenty of other pilots & "precursors" to show off! Expect a completely different line-up, or at least a different cast in the case of one pilot. What could I choose from? Well, if you're in the Somerset, NJ area come on in & find out!

A Visual History of Weekly Shonen Jump: Obscurities & Oddities
[Saturday, 5:00-6:00 PM, Panel 1 Ballroom East]

At AB, I did a "proof-of-concept" version of this panel & outside of one or two mistakes on my end (I lost my notes, but getting ~94% memorized is still great) the panel worked as well as I had hoped. Well, at AnimeNEXT we have a theme: Obscurities & Oddities. That's right, there won't be any Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Fist of the North Star, or Yu Yu Hakusho in this panel. Instead, we'll be looking at the "other" titles that backed up those mega-hits in the magazine. Plus, I'm adding in the downright "weird" titles that have appeared in the pages of Jump, so I'll still be squeezing in a more-recognized title here & there, mainly because weird is awesome! I have 30 titles to talk about, so if you want to expand your knowledge of Shonen Jump & learn about the stuff that ran alongside the legends, then check it out! I'll be in a ballroom, so there's plenty of space.

The Burning Blood Animes of Masami Kurumada
[Saturday, 6:00-7:00 PM, Panel 3 Bridgewater]

The panel I made my panelist debut with is back, better than ever! Due to the nearly non-existent turnout I had at AB for this panel, I'll be doing the same thing for the most part at AnimeNEXT... But that's okay, because I have an excellent time slot to work with. The con is also making sure I get my cardio in for the day by putting it right after my Jump panel, and on a different floor, to boot! I've subbed the clips that didn't have subs to start with, & I've been told that it's an understandable translation, so if you want to heckle my subbing abilities then go ahead & do so, too.

I've always had fun at AnimeNEXT and I hope any of you, my dear readers, who will be in the neighborhood will check me out if possible this upcoming weekend. Time to get ready!