After months of waiting since this summer break, New York Anime Festival (NYAF, aka Comic Con) was finally held two weeks ago at the Javits Center. I had attended this event for two consecutive years with my friends since 2010 and was looking forward to be a part of it this year too. It was never the same every year, which was why it was thrilling. I expected most of my friends that had gone with me on previous years to feel the same way. They did, but they couldn’t attend. They had already left to college outside of New York City. Despite being disheartened, I urged another friend to attend it with me. To my surprised, he agreed to come. I didn’t think he would be willing to spend $70 dollars for the entrance ticket (3-days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to an event that he showed little interest in on previous years. But here he was, excited to discover what extraordinary things he would see and what new encounters he would have in NYAF. So was I.
To those who are not familiar with this event, NYAF/Comic Con is held every year usually in mid October. As the name indicates, it’s a festival that attracts many sponsors ranging from console gaming industries to Japanese animation to Marvel comic artists and fans all over the nation. Companies and artists gather here to promote their new products and/works while people and fans come here to learn the latest news on a certain game/animation, enjoy the diversity of unique people, and/or simply admire what ridiculous (and amazing!) costumes people have on.
My excitement was overflowing that Friday, October 12, 2012. I would have raced out of the classroom if not for a Business Recitation presentation and Business Law midterm right after that. By the time I met up with my friend around Penn Station and arrived at Javits Center, it was already 4:30PM. It didn’t matter if there were only three hours and a half left. I wanted to see and explore as much as I can: what sorts of cosplays would there be, what events were held, what panels were there, what kinds of people were and how were they enjoying this special day?
The three days were indeed special, almost magical. Perhaps my duties for my English project even enhanced my experiences this year in addition to the many things I saw and events attended. For my English Audio-Essay project, I had to interview people and ask them a question, “If you were to give away something, what would you give and who would you give it to? Why?” It allowed me to not just see the many strangers walking around but also get to know them a little, to understand more of what types of people also loved the environment that NYAF had created. They all seemed to come from very different backgrounds, yet they shared a common interest in comics, games, animes, and/or Hatsune Miku (because half the people I interviewed, about twelve here, were lining up for the Hatsune Miku panel). Just the people lining up for the Hatsune Miku panel, there was a young pianist, a mid-age woman who was a large couponing sponsor that donates many items to charity, a mid-age man who worked to reduce child-abuse by raising awareness in schools and hospitals, and a kid who loved a PS3 game called Uncharted so much that he owned a Sir Francis Drake’s ring. Who would have thought people of all ages and occupations would be interested in Hatsune Miku, a computer program and idol? I know I didn’t. My English project was a surprisingly pleasant way to get to know people who shared my interests. Just a side note, there were so many Hatsune Miku and Vocaloid cosplayers attending that panel! They just appeared out of nowhere because I walked around for hours and saw maybe one or two only.
Talking about cosplayers, they were probably the main event of NYAF for me even though it was not an official event at all. People dressed up as comic, movie star, or anime characters, showing without shame and fear to everyone what they loved. I saw many Storm Troopers from Star Wars, Spidermans, Batmans, a guy wearing a television as his head, a dragon lady, a creepy circus clown, a giant stuff animal costume, Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas (film), Megurine Luka (Vocaloid), Shiro from Deadman Wonderland (anime), Kirito from Sword Art Online (anime), Ciel from Black Butler (anime), Perona, Sanji and Usopp from One Piece (anime), C.C. and Zero from Code Geass (anime), and Zack Fair, Snow and other characters from Final Fantasy (game).
It was really a sight to see so many American comic heroes, and cartoon and film characters walking side by side with Japanese anime and Vocaloid characters. People of diverse ethnicities were all dressing up as a character from some sort of show, anime or game. In this one place, Javits Center, I felt more integrated into its diversity than anywhere else. This place made the abnormal normal, where “weird is awesome” as someone shouted in the Hatsune Miku panel. It really was true. I couldn’t help but smile as I reflect on this point. What better way to spend a weekend than with thousands of “weird” people? :)
I can’t wait to someday go attend an anime convention in Japan – THAT would be where even weirder things happen.
