Clarification on panel topics and panel selection policy

[Dragonmaster Lou]

There have been several questions concerning how Anime Boston selects its panels over the past few years, but more questions seem to have cropped up recently. While I'm currently working with other senior Anime Boston staff to post an official response to the Anime Boston FAQ, I felt like it would be a good idea to post an informal description of what the FAQ will say and open things up to discussion on the forum.

First of all, I want to remind everyone of the general selection process. This process, ignoring the topic of the panel, goes more or less like this: Anime Boston's programming department leaders (the actual director and vice-director of programming, myself, the head of AMVs, the head of the masquerade, the head of video programming, etc.) and, availability permitting, other senior AB staff meet after the panel submission deadline to rate all the submitted panels. Panels are rated on a 0-5 scale, where 5 means "Absolutely! Give them first dibs on the fan panel schedule!" and 0 means "No way!" depending on quality of the application, topic of the panel, reputations of the panelists, and so on. After the ratings have been done, I start filling out the panel schedule starting with the 5s and working my way down (if enough schedule slots remain) to the 1s. Within each rating group, I have essentially unlimited leeway to determine which panels are accepted and which are not -- essentially I use my own judgment to break ties. There are also sometimes occasions where due to scheduling conflicts (i.e. a high rated panel can only take place during a time slot that's already taken by another panel that cannot be moved) higher rated panels may be passed over for lower rated panels, but I try to avoid these as much as possible.

Now that the general process has been explained, I'd like to discuss topics allowed for panels. Anime Boston, as stated in its mission statement, is a convention about Japanese culture. This means that its programming is supposed to be focused on things involving Japanese culture, whether that's anime, manga, video games, movies, music, history, language, and so on. Contrary to what some people seem to think, it is not a "general geekiness convention." Granted, a lot of the Japanese culture at Anime Boston is pretty geeky. However, this doesn't mean that anything geeky is appropriate for official Anime Boston programming. This does not mean that other geeky topics are not "good enough" for Anime Boston -- they are merely off-topic much like a panel on Lord of the Rings would be off-topic at a Star Trek convention, for example. Being off-topic is not a value judgment -- many Star Trek fans do also like Lord of the Rings, just like many of us Anime Boston staffers, myself included, like other geeky things outside of Japanese culture.

Of course, this only applies to official programming. You are more than welcome to participate in whatever off-topic geeky pursuits you want just so long as it doesn't interfere with the con itself. So, if you want to cosplay as The Doctor, go for it! Heck, if I see you and I think your costume is well-done, I'll probably ask to take your picture. Want to have a gathering for Homestuck fans somewhere at the con? Sure! Have fun as long as you don't block off the hallways or do anything else disruptive. Want to do an unofficial My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic cosplay photoshoot? Speaking as a bronie myself, that would be awesome! However, this doesn't mean that your Doctor Who, Homestuck, or MLP:FIM panels will be accepted as they are off-topic.

Now, if Anime Boston were ever to officially morph from an anime convention to a general geekiness convention a la Connecticon, I'd be perfectly fine with allowing non-Japanese panels on the schedule. However, as long as our mission statement is specific to Japanese culture, I will make sure that all panels programming adheres to said mission statement.

I hope this clarifies our policies. If you have any other questions, feel free to post in this thread and I'll do my best to answer them.

Thanks!

[FarFromRedemption]

I don't have question I just wanted to say that this really clearifies the policy for panels. Very helpful! Two thumbs way up for you Lou!

[Aurabolt]

A suggestion I'm sure is probably overkill: Make a You Tube Video on the subject. I know to come here for updates of course but some folks have valid reasons for not being able to browse the forums.

We're currently still in the "offseason" with AB a good 4 months away. Letting folks who'll apply closer to the deadline would help weed out submissions likely to be rejected off the bat.

[TheNerdyFeminist]

okay, so I sent in a request for a panel on gender and nerd culture. what changes, if any, can I make to that in order to increase my odds of actually getting selected? changing the name entirely? clarifying that I plan on using anime and Japanese video games, as well as the culture of anime clubs and conventions, for the examples in the presentation?

I'll need to send in a follow-up e-mail when I register for the con, so could I just put my corrections in the e-mail as well?

[Dragonmaster Lou]

A suggestion I'm sure is probably overkill: Make a You Tube Video on the subject. I know to come here for updates of course but some folks have valid reasons for not being able to browse the forums.

We're currently still in the "offseason" with AB a good 4 months away. Letting folks who'll apply closer to the deadline would help weed out submissions likely to be rejected off the bat.

A youtube video would certainly be overkill. We are going to put an official FAQ on the website. That should be sufficient.

okay, so I sent in a request for a panel on gender and nerd culture. what changes, if any, can I make to that in order to increase my odds of actually getting selected? changing the name entirely? clarifying that I plan on using anime and Japanese video games, as well as the culture of anime clubs and conventions, for the examples in the presentation?

I'll need to send in a follow-up e-mail when I register for the con, so could I just put my corrections in the e-mail as well?

I don't think you need to worry about your application. I looked at it and it's fine IMHO -- it's good enough so that it won't merit an immediate disqualification based on the topic/subject matter. This isn't a guarantee that it'll make the cut, but it will be in the discussion at least.

[TheNerdyFeminist]

okay, excellent! I may still send in what I have for an outline when I let you know I'm registered for the con, just for good measure. sorry, I guess I was being paranoid when I thought my entry at least in part sparked this post.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

okay, excellent! I may still send in what I have for an outline when I let you know I'm registered for the con, just for good measure. sorry, I guess I was being paranoid when I thought my entry at least in part sparked this post.

Yeah, your entry wasn't what sparked this post. It more or less started a while back when someone wanted to do a Doctor Who panel (hence why I specifically called it out) and someone else didn't like my response (both the answer and the tone of it -- which I apologize for. I was being matter-of-fact and did not intend to sound rude or condescending). I figured this made it worth my while to post something clarifying the issues involved.

[royalbakaness]

It more or less started a while back when someone wanted to do a Doctor Who panel (hence why I specifically called it out) and someone else didn't like my response (both the answer and the tone of it -- which I apologize for. I was being matter-of-fact and did not intend to sound rude or condescending). I figured this made it worth my while to post something clarifying the issues involved.

I love Doctor Who, and I remember that post. You were by no means rude. As you had stated, this is a convention celebrating things from Japan, so until they turn Doctor Who into an anime (if they did it for Supernatural, why not our favorite Time Lord?) it shouldn't be the subject of any panels. But I think this thread is both polite and gets the point across.

[TheNerdyFeminist]

one more question Lou, I sent an e-mail letting you, or someone at panel coordination anyway, know that I'd registered? was that received? where should I have/should other people send an e-mail to update my/their registration status?

[gclaw4444]

damn, us boston bronies were just planning on submitting a panel, with a documentary and everything. As much as we would have loved doing it, you do have a point about it being an anime convention (though i dont watch any anime and i still go). As a brony yourself, Lou, you should join our meetup group http://www.meetup.com/Bronies-Boston/ we meet every month and we'll probably have some form of meetup at AB if we can't have a panel.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

damn, us boston bronies were just planning on submitting a panel, with a documentary and everything. As much as we would have loved doing it, you do have a point about it being an anime convention (though i dont watch any anime and i still go). As a brony yourself, Lou, you should join our meetup group http://www.meetup.com/Bronies-Boston/ we meet every month and we'll probably have some form of meetup at AB if we can't have a panel.

Thanks for understanding and thanks for the invite! Not sure if/when I can make the regular meetings, but if I have a chance I may stop by your AB meetup if I'm not on duty at the time.

[Gale]

damn, us boston bronies were just planning on submitting a panel, with a documentary and everything. As much as we would have loved doing it, you do have a point about it being an anime convention (though i dont watch any anime and i still go). As a brony yourself, Lou, you should join our meetup group http://www.meetup.com/Bronies-Boston/ we meet every month and we'll probably have some form of meetup at AB if we can't have a panel.

Keep in mind, for any non-anime content, if you're really itching to run a panel consider also attending ConnectiCon in Hartford, CT in July. It's a multi-genre convention, and like AB tries to stay true to it's anime-specific mission, we tend to try to limit our anime programming in favor of a more varied lineup.

As a disclaimer, this is not to say anything against AB. I love AB and go every year. I of course also love (and staff) ConnectiCon, and am a huge proponent of fans attending BOTH

[Amaren]

So to make this clear... I can't come up with a topic of choose and get to run it? I'm unsure about that.

FYI I'm the president of my colleges anime club and can speak very loud and clearly... If anything I would love to either do a Fairy Tail panel or Blue Exorcist (since that's going to be my weekend cosplay). But I just want to make sure about everything before I go ahead and apply... And another question, If I want some of my friends to help (knowing they would have to apply separately) Could I mention them in the application?

[Gale]

So to make this clear... I can't come up with a topic of choose and get to run it? I'm unsure about that.

FYI I'm the president of my colleges anime club and can speak very loud and clearly... If anything I would love to either do a Fairy Tail panel or Blue Exorcist (since that's going to be my weekend cosplay). But I just want to make sure about everything before I go ahead and apply... And another question, If I want some of my friends to help (knowing they would have to apply separately) Could I mention them in the application?

If you go to the panels submissions page it says applications are now closed...

[Amaren]

So to make this clear... I can't come up with a topic of choose and get to run it? I'm unsure about that.

FYI I'm the president of my colleges anime club and can speak very loud and clearly... If anything I would love to either do a Fairy Tail panel or Blue Exorcist (since that's going to be my weekend cosplay). But I just want to make sure about everything before I go ahead and apply... And another question, If I want some of my friends to help (knowing they would have to apply separately) Could I mention them in the application?

If you go to the panels submissions page it says applications are now closed...

Ya for next year I guess.. lol i didn't see that until before u said that, but still question will still be out there :3

[Shinden]

So Anime Boston is a convention whose programming is strictly about Japanese animation, manga, games, and culture, and will only have official programming centred around these things, hence "Anime Boston". This is what anime cons do. And always will do. There are other cons for other fanzine and topics. 

Sorry to point out, but something stuck out to me like a sore thumb this year: wouldn't topics such as k-pop and Korean animation be considered as not being Japanese? While some Kpop is popular in youth culture and housewives in Japan, it is not a domestic Japanese product, and is not part of Japanese culture. If non-domestic topics popular in Japan were allowed in AB programming, we'd have a Lady Gaga panel and a Katy Perry panel as well. However, these are not Japanese, they are American. Just like Korean animation and Korean pop music are both Korean, not Japanese. Yet there were panels on both that passed the application process. What was the thought process behind this?

[Dragonmaster Lou]

So Anime Boston is a convention whose programming is strictly about Japanese animation, manga, games, and culture, and will only have official programming centred around these things, hence "Anime Boston". This is what anime cons do. And always will do. There are other cons for other fanzine and topics. 

Sorry to point out, but something stuck out to me like a sore thumb this year: wouldn't topics such as k-pop and Korean animation be considered as not being Japanese? While some Kpop is popular in youth culture and housewives in Japan, it is not a domestic Japanese product, and is not part of Japanese culture. If non-domestic topics popular in Japan were allowed in AB programming, we'd have a Lady Gaga panel and a Katy Perry panel as well. However, these are not Japanese, they are American. Just like Korean animation and Korean pop music are both Korean, not Japanese. Yet there were panels on both that passed the application process. What was the thought process behind this?

I mentioned earlier (at least I think I did) that neighboring countries to Japan, such as Korea and China, would also be acceptable (to an extent) as they influence each other's culture. Japan's writing system is heavily influenced by China's, for example. All three countries have mutual influence on their respective martial arts, with many of them rooted in Chinese techniques to begin with. Plus, there is the long history, both good and bad, between all those countries. These mutual influences go far further back than Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

[Parkman]

So Anime Boston is a convention whose programming is strictly about Japanese animation, manga, games, and culture, and will only have official programming centred around these things, hence "Anime Boston". This is what anime cons do. And always will do. There are other cons for other fanzine and topics. 

Sorry to point out, but something stuck out to me like a sore thumb this year: wouldn't topics such as k-pop and Korean animation be considered as not being Japanese? While some Kpop is popular in youth culture and housewives in Japan, it is not a domestic Japanese product, and is not part of Japanese culture. If non-domestic topics popular in Japan were allowed in AB programming, we'd have a Lady Gaga panel and a Katy Perry panel as well. However, these are not Japanese, they are American. Just like Korean animation and Korean pop music are both Korean, not Japanese. Yet there were panels on both that passed the application process. What was the thought process behind this?

Most of the people here obviously don't know what we as Koreans suffered through under the Japanese. We have every right to do as we please to influence this convention. For what we have been through we earned that right.

In fact, I think we should change the name of Anime Boston to Asian Entertainment Boston, to be politically correct. Boston has a large amount of Korean immigrants, more than Japanese- and the fact that so many people who go to this con are so misdirected as to love Japanese things is something we find offensive. For instance one year a cosplayer was incorrectly displaying a Korean flag, the Taeguk Gi without a pointed spear finial showing the ignorance the fans have to Korean culture and custom.

I would like to do a panel next year about the history of Korean-Japanese relations, the name of East Sea, and other related topics, because the so-called otaku here are missing a lot of information and shouldn't be just shown the biased Japanese side of things because Japan would not be a great civilization without Korean originated culture.

[Amaren]

So Anime Boston is a convention whose programming is strictly about Japanese animation, manga, games, and culture, and will only have official programming centred around these things, hence "Anime Boston". This is what anime cons do. And always will do. There are other cons for other fanzine and topics. 

Sorry to point out, but something stuck out to me like a sore thumb this year: wouldn't topics such as k-pop and Korean animation be considered as not being Japanese? While some Kpop is popular in youth culture and housewives in Japan, it is not a domestic Japanese product, and is not part of Japanese culture. If non-domestic topics popular in Japan were allowed in AB programming, we'd have a Lady Gaga panel and a Katy Perry panel as well. However, these are not Japanese, they are American. Just like Korean animation and Korean pop music are both Korean, not Japanese. Yet there were panels on both that passed the application process. What was the thought process behind this?

Most of the people here obviously don't know what we as Koreans suffered through under the Japanese. We have every right to do as we please to influence this convention. For what we have been through we earned that right.

In fact, I think we should change the name of Anime Boston to Asian Entertainment Boston, to be politically correct. Boston has a large amount of Korean immigrants, more than Japanese- and the fact that so many people who go to this con are so misdirected as to love Japanese things is something we find offensive. For instance one year a cosplayer was incorrectly displaying a Korean flag, the Taeguk Gi without a pointed spear finial showing the ignorance the fans have to Korean culture and custom.

I would like to do a panel next year about the history of Korean-Japanese relations, the name of East Sea, and other related topics, because the so-called otaku here are missing a lot of information and shouldn't be just shown the biased Japanese side of things because Japan would not be a great civilization without Korean originated culture.

I loved the k-pop panel, it fit into AB because most of us anime lovers love asian music including k-pop. That line was huge and i believed that they deserved a bigger panel room. it was a great idea and would go again!

[Gale]

For instance one year a cosplayer was incorrectly displaying a Korean flag, the Taeguk Gi without a pointed spear finial showing the ignorance the fans have to Korean culture and custom.

This is one of the WORST things to come out of Hetalia's popularity. It's not unique to any one country or their flag, though individual countries have varying traditions on how to treat flags. Due to the nature of the series, these characters being cosplayed are so much more than simply characters from a cartoon, but it seems very few cosplayers realize this. I wonder if anyone could come up with a panel aimed at Hetalia fans about how to be respectful of other countries in their representation. I like Hetalia, but I'm not familiar enough with it myself to feel qualified to make such a panel.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Most of the people here obviously don't know what we as Koreans suffered through under the Japanese. We have every right to do as we please to influence this convention. For what we have been through we earned that right.

I only have the most basic knowledge of the history between Korean and Japan, but what I do know is that it was mostly horrible for the Koreans. Even nowadays, where there are at least some business relationships (Sony and Samsung have partnered in making flat panel displays) and mutual defense relationships (South Korea and Japan both are worried about North Korea), I still sense there is quite a bit of tension between them due to their history.

That said, I don't think it gives Koreans any right to influence the convention any more than Jews have the right to influence Oktoberfest celebrations or any other formerly oppressed group has the right to influence events concerning the former oppressors. I concede the cultural and historical connections between Japan and Korea and as such I am willing to consider Korean-themed panels at the con.

In fact, I think we should change the name of Anime Boston to Asian Entertainment Boston, to be politically correct. Boston has a large amount of Korean immigrants, more than Japanese- and the fact that so many people who go to this con are so misdirected as to love Japanese things is something we find offensive. For instance one year a cosplayer was incorrectly displaying a Korean flag, the Taeguk Gi without a pointed spear finial showing the ignorance the fans have to Korean culture and custom.

I can understand your being offended by people displaying the Korean flag incorrectly, but I disagree with you on it somehow being "wrong" to love Japanese things. I happen to like German cars and German beer, for example. Does that make me a bad person due to all the horrible things Germany did during WW2? For that matter, I like Japanese cars more than Korean cars as well (my wife and I both drive Japanese cars). Does that also make me a bad person?

I would like to do a panel next year about the history of Korean-Japanese relations, the name of East Sea, and other related topics, because the so-called otaku here are missing a lot of information and shouldn't be just shown the biased Japanese side of things because Japan would not be a great civilization without Korean originated culture.

This actually is a kind of panel I would like to see in general at the con. All I ask is that you keep it based on historical fact. I feel that you have a lot of anger towards the Japanese in general (and understandably so due to Korea's history), but I would not want a panel that is just a rant on Japan being evil. Similarly, and from the other side of the coin, I would also not want a panel bragging about Japan's superiority to its neighbors or anything like that.

[Nicole]

I would like to do a panel next year about the history of Korean-Japanese relations, the name of East Sea, and other related topics, because the so-called otaku here are missing a lot of information and shouldn't be just shown the biased Japanese side of things because Japan would not be a great civilization without Korean originated culture.

This actually is a kind of panel I would like to see in general at the con. All I ask is that you keep it based on historical fact. I feel that you have a lot of anger towards the Japanese in general (and understandably so due to Korea's history), but I would not want a panel that is just a rant on Japan being evil. Similarly, and from the other side of the coin, I would also not want a panel bragging about Japan's superiority to its neighbors or anything like that.

And, remember: Anime Boston will only consider running such a panel if someone volunteers to do it and submits it during panel applications! A lot of the programming is run by the attendees, so if they want to see something at the convention, suggest it or submit it for consideration. If you didn't see something on the schedule that you would like to see included, most likely it wasn't submitted during panel applications.

[Shinden]

Withholding comment to topic, but will make note of Parkman:

1: Account is one day old
2: Lone post is one sparking controversy with extreme bias against the main interest of the community. 

All we really need is Location: under a bridge. 

I may be new to PR, but I'm not new to the internet. My troll indicators are maxed out. This is more obvious than Kimchi on /int/. 

Eh, not withholding this one: I have researched the flag flap incident, and can not find one single reference to finial regulations when flying a Korean flag, a least not on English, Japanese or Spanish. I can find someone else who knows how to read more languages and see if he can find the rule. How can one be ignorant to an obscure, untranslated rule one can not find even if one looks for it specifically?

Also I have my doubts that this poster, even if not confirmed troll, could do an unbiased panel on this topic. Not because he is Korean (because I know a Korean with pretty much equal objective distain and appreciation for both countries) but because the content of his post is pretty much hard-right to Propagandaville, Dokdo Island. (east sea? Really? I think the evidence against this one was defined like, six times now in the UN.)

Plus, just in case Parkman's goal is to indeed convert otaku to the hallyu, I am pretty sure 99% of the con wouldn't give two pickled spicy cabbages about his arguments in relation to their interests and fandoms, and would continue watching anime and saving for a kimono, and pretty much nobody would swap to buying 2NE1 albums and saving for a hanbok, just because of sixty years ago (nobody here lets grandpa bitching about Pearl Harbour get in the way of them watching Gurren Lagan anyways). I am certain I am amongst a two digit number of people in the con who even knows about the Takeshima dispute. 

Aah, but for my weakness, I did what I said I wouldn't do! ＜(´･ω･`) Let's all go out for ramen or yakiniku, and forget about our differences! AB is about sharing our interests, man! Let's leave the politics elsewhere! I can see that crap 362 other days in the year!

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Aah, but for my weakness, I did what I said I wouldn't do! ＜(´･ω･`) Let's all go out for ramen or yakiniku, and forget about our differences! AB is about sharing our interests, man! Let's leave the politics elsewhere! I can see that crap 362 other days in the year!

Amen! How's about we all go out for sushi and Korean BBQ?

[Aurabolt]

...Well this should be a "fair" middle ground: I'm African American and I'm considering doing a panel based loosely on KOEI's Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors games.

The DW Games highlights the Warring States period in China's history between the Wei, Wu and Shu kingdoms. There were heroes on both sides who are talked about even today. Tokugawa Ieyasu may be credited as being The Great Unifier of Japan but there were many great heroes who lived during his time. Some of them include Sanada Nobushige (Yukimora. Although he's popularly called Yukimora he was never given this name at the time he lived.), Toyotomi Hideyoshi and of course, Oda Nobunaga (who is the ancestor of Japanese figure skater Nobunari Oda).

Should make for an interesting panel ^_^

[vashwolfwood1]

It's funny that you mentioned Doctor who, I came here seeing if I could form a panel on it..... well that shut me up! lol

[RolanMcDolan]

Hey! I do have one question that wasn't really answered by your posts. Does relevance to the theme of the year's convention affect the odds of a panel being approved? Because I'd been planning a panel on the more unusual yokai (which I plan on submitting soon) for a good eight months or so, so discovering that yokai were the theme of this year's AB was certainly a pleasant surprise.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Hey! I do have one question that wasn't really answered by your posts. Does relevance to the theme of the year's convention affect the odds of a panel being approved? Because I'd been planning a panel on the more unusual yokai (which I plan on submitting soon) for a good eight months or so, so discovering that yokai were the theme of this year's AB was certainly a pleasant surprise.

Relevance to the theme does give you some bonus points during the selection process.

[instantreplay]

I have a question about content allowed in panels. More specifically, the content allowed in 18+ panels. Are there any restrictions on how explicit the content can be?

[coolforever]

Can someone tell me who I can get in contact with about the panel applications? I normally talk to Lou but I haven't seen him on here in months.....just wasn't sure if he's still the go-to guy for this stuff since I have a couple of questions I need to ask about the panels themselves.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

It's still me... I just got nailed with a multi-whammy between work and being a new dad (with a baby that's been having trouble sleeping due to teething and stuff).

I've been working on things in the background -- I just haven't been as public about it this year due to my time being more constrained. Sorry about that.

If anyone ever needs to reach me if I'm not lurking on here, I can always be reached via email at panels@animeboston.com.

I'm also on Twitter at @DragonmasterLou. While it's not official, I do occasionally post panel update stuff there.

[Firebust]

Hi there! I was wondering if there's an approximate time frame that they open up registrations for panels?

Thank you!