Anime Banzai 2011

The Anime Banzai Panels Committee would like to thank all those who submitted panel ideas to us. We are no longer looking for panelists for this year's event.

Click here to download the panel submission form.

Please email completed form(s) to panels@animebanzai.org

As Anime Banzai has limited time slots available, panels are scheduled on a first come first serve basis after the submitted panel idea(s) have been reviewed by the Anime Banzai Panels Committee. As part of the review process, the Anime Banzai Panels Committee will attempt to address concerns about aspects of the submission that, at our sole discretion, does not meet our approval. If a satisfactory resolution to our concerns cannot be found, the Anime Banzai Panels Committee reserves the right to not include submitted panels in our programming.

Here are some panels you can expect to see at AB 2011. Keep checking this list for updates!

An Evening with COO-IE (Age 18+)
Guest: COO-IE
COO-Interactive Entertainment, formerly known as COO and preformerly known as the Custodians of Otakudom, have been running events for fan-conventions over 10 years. This has given us time to make a number of observations about the shifting flows of the geek subculture. However, this panel will instead focus on the embarrassing and funny stories that have arisen from our experiences at 60+ conventions. By long standing tradition, this is an 18+ late night panel.

Q and A with Warky
Guest: Warky
Ask Warky anything you want to know about him!

Wark After Dark (Age 16+)
Guest: Warky
Meet Warky unplucked as he lays down convention stories you probably won't believe!

Warky's Yaoi Christmas Party (Age 18+)
Guest: Warky
Warky is celebrating Christmas early, and wants you to enjoy his Yaoi Parody Songs he made to your favorite Christmas tunes!

Meet The Prophecy of the Flame Cast
Guests: Warky and friends
Meet the voice actors behind the #1 kindle bestselling book! Find out how you can help out Charity as well!

Voice Acting the Audiobook Way
Guest: Warky
The Prophecy of the Flame cast sounds off about voice acting and the fun involved!

The Mathematics of Voice Acting
Guests: Warky and Lisle Wilkerson
Join our guests Steve 'Warky' Nunez & Lisle Wilkerson in this interactive Q&A session, as they discuss and contrast various types of voice acting - video games, audio books, and anime. Think you have what it takes to make it? Bring it!

Memoirs of a 6ft Blond Geisha
Guest: Lisle Wilkerson
(Named after her blog) Lisle talks about her experiences growing up in Japan as a "gaijin" and also the various cultural differences between US and Japan from her point of view. Leslie will also share some of her funny stories from working in Japan and then coming back to the US for a "reverse culture shock."

Elfquest and Masque of the Red Death - The Surprising Dark Side of Wendy Pini (Age 18+)
Guest: Wendy Pini
Best known for her art in the long-running fantasy series Elfquest, Wendy Pini now reveals the macabre influence of Edgar Allan Poe in her latest graphic novel achievement: Masque of the Red Death,"400 pages of dark, gothic romance with a vengeance. Come prepared to enjoy some intensely gory, yaoi-influenced visuals plus Q&A.

Wendy Pini Demonstrates "The Line of Beauty"
Guest: Wendy Pini
What is "The Line of Beauty?" That question and many more will be answered in Warp Graphics' new book (due out in 2012)The Line of Beauty - The Art and Soul of Wendy Pini written by beloved comic artist and voice actor Sonny Strait and edited by Richard Pini. Come actively participate as Wendy draws for you onstage, explaining her technique. Bring sketchbooks and note pads. Plenty of Q&A.

The Chuck VA Panel
Guest: Chuck Huber
Learn more about all the characters and shows Chuck Huber has supplied voices for like Hiei in Yu Yu Hakusho, Android 17 in DBZ, Shou Tucker, Hiro Nohara, Kululu, Dr. Stein, Hetalia...and more. Autographed Soul Eater and Shin Chan DVD's given out as prizes for the best questions!

Chuck's Acting Panel
Guest: Chuck Huber
The first 12 people in line get to participate and the rest can learn from the audience. Ask all the questions you have about acting and learn some fun improv games to get you started down the road to acting!

Chuck's Writing Panel
Guest: Chuck Huber
All things writing, especially the shows Chuck has written: Baccano, Oh Edo Rocket, Sgt. Frog, Hetalia and more. But not just Anime writing... any questions about the craft or business are fair game.

Jan Scott-Frazier Live (Age 18+)
Guest: Jan Scott-Frazier
Jan delivers a high energy experiential autobiographical (sometimes interactive) monologue about her experiences living and working abroad and around the USA as well as stories from her eclectic career. Never rehearsed or scripted, the experience is unique each time and has been a favorite at anime cons for over five years.

Translating Manga/Anime
Guest: Jan Scott-Frazier
Information on the process and art of translating manga and anime professionally. Some subjects covered are idioms, important changes that need to be made, how to deal with names and politeness levels, schedules, and rewrites.

Improving Artistic Skills - Unleash Your Creativity
Guest: Jan Scott-Frazier
Anybody can learn to draw and anybody who already draws can benefit from a new viewpoint on their art. Jan Frazier has been a professional artist for over 18 years and covers a wide variety of artistic techniques and aids.

25 Years of Zelda
The ultimate fan discussion of the most legendary RPG ever made: The Legend of Zelda

Axis Powers Hetalia Fan Panel
Come join us for discussions about Hetalia and its amazing fandom. We'll go over favorite pairings, the story along with anything else that we can think of and have fun while doing it.

Black Butler: High Tea
Put on your white gloves, put out the best linens, and get ready for a discussion of the highly popular series Kuroshitsuji! Perhaps there might even be a spot of soul-stealing.

Bleach: the Continuing Story
It doesn't matter if you're up to date on the latest chapters or if you've just finished the latest episode of the dub, come and geek about the Series!

Fullmetal Alchemist ATTACK!
Come and enjoy a random fan talk about Fullmetal Alchemist! Share your opinions and favorite moments of Fullmetal, Brotherhood and the manga.

Gotta catch'em all! Pokemon
Do you want to be a master? Have you caught all 649 Pokemon? Then this is the panel for you! Come learn and chat about Pokemon!

Haruhi's Heart
We decide the ultimate question, which Host Club member will end up with Haruhi. Come play games to find out!

Hetalia Anonymous
Come join America, England, Japan and Italy as they dive deeper into the Hetalia fandom. There will be discussions around various topics and lots of fun. Our topics will include cosplaying and role-playing! Mature themes.

L's Favorite Recipes
Learn some of L's favorite recipes for sweets from the anime Death Note as well as how to make them with him! All of the recipes are easy and don't require the use of a stove or microwave.

Naruto Fan Panel
The Fan Panel of Naruto, Naruto: Shippuuden and anything Naruto related such as Manga/Anime/Fanart/Fanfiction/etc. There will also be a few mini-games within the panel on top of the normal discussions!

Neon Genesis Evangelion Panel
Come to learn about the iconic series, End of Eva and Rebuild of Evangelion. There will be discussions and Q&A.

One Piece Fan Panel
Eiichiro Oda's manga/anime juggernaut has swept through the world for over a decade. Come learn why even two sub-par dubs haven't stopped it from gaining a cult status here in America.

Studio Ghibli Fan Panel
Come discuss the Studio that gave us Totoro, Kiki, Howl, Chihiro and many other of the most beloved characters and stories in Anime.

VOCALOID
Come learn about the world of creativity and collaboration known as VOCALOID.

Ajia no Dorama: Asian Live Action Dramas
An overview of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese live-action dramas with series recommendations, tips on how to discover new dramas and how to find where to watch them.

Anime that Scarred Me for Life
Otaku gather together to share the horrors, pains and life changing experiences that anime has given them. Sit back and laugh or cry in this well too known, exciting panel!

Convention Survival
Are you new to conventions, a convention veteran in need of a refresher, or the parent of an anime fan? Then this is the panel for you! Come and learn what conventions are all about!

A Decade in Review - Anime Trends and Hits 2000-2010
A look back at anime in the last decade. Discussion and thoughts on the most influential series, trends, and events over the last ten years, as well as what shows we'll probably remember in the years to come.

Disability and Anime
This panel explores disability in both anime characters and the fans that watch them.

DIY Green Screen
Demonstration: Creating a low cost do-it-yourself green screen for use in digitally captured Cosplay or LARPer activities and transforming them into fantasy environment images.

East vs West: Archetype Showdown
Ever wonder if L from Deathnote could out-deduce Sherlock Holmes? If Luffy of One Piece could out-pirate Captain Jack? Think Kaname of Vampire Knight can beat Edward? Come to this panel to help decide between these and other ultimate character disputes!

Easy Steampunk Rings
Come make wire wrapped steampunk rings. Limit 20 people.

Elements of Darkness: Horror and Dark Anime
Horror fans! Discuss your favorite horror and dark anime and geek out to new ones that are reviewed. The top 10 dark anime will be revealed!

How to (Avoid) Trolls
The internet is crowded with people known as "trolls." Come to learn what a troll is, how to diffuse them and how to be one!

How to Talk to the Geeky Opposite Sex
Our happily married Advertising Director explains how to talk to the geek of the opposite sex. This will be an interactive panel so fair warning.

Introduction to Anime Streaming
Are you curious about some of the various streaming anime services available? Come and watch as we give you a brief tour of the ins and outs of many popular online streaming services.

Late Night AMV Showing
Anime Banzai's current and former AMV Contest Coordinators show some of their favorite AMV's. We suffered through hundreds of videos to present you with some good videos. Note: Bring your own eye bleach.

Live-Action Anime
How to easily transition from Anime to Asian Dramas by looking at popular series and their live-action counter parts.

Live-Action Anime: Movies and Series
Come to learn about all the live action movies and TV series based on manga or anime that are coming out in Japan and the USA.

Make and Take Kitty Ears
Love those adorable kitty ears that anime girls and guys pop up whenever they're feeling mischievous? This panel helps you make cute fuzzy ears on a headband to be worn any time your personal sense of adventure allows. Come make a set! 50 person cap, one pair per person per workshop.
(No "holding" multiple places in line. Please have everyone who wants to make a pair come as this will be first come, first served. Thank you for showing this consideration to the other attendees.)

Making Movie Madness
Love making low budget films? So do we! Members of COO-IE have been making small mistakes and producing spectacular failures of video since 2003; we will quickly teach you our method for Zero Budget production, then turn the reigns over to attendees for a guided hands on workshop where YOU will produce a short film following the ZB method.

Mom, Dad, I'm Otaku
So you've decided to embrace The Anime Fan Lifestyle, how do you help your family to cope? From answers to common misconceptions, we'll cover all the basics along with good gateway Anime to watch with your family.

Once Seen, Cannot Unsee
Join us for a collection of odd, unusual, or otherwise notable anime scenes/short animations. Once you have seen some of these, you might not view anime the same way again...

OVA Appreciation Hour
A totally biased fan panel! Let's gather and discuss why our chosen format is superior to theatrical or broadcast release, and gush about favorite titles, from the days of VHS to the era of Blu Ray!

Self-Esteem for Otaku
This panel is all about how to deal with the challenges to self- esteem many Otaku face. With all the art out there that depicts women in impossible proportions and men with very impressive physiques, what's an average person to do? Plus dealing with being a "freak" and how to interact so you don't get slapped.

Shonen Showdown
Your favorite anime action heroes face off in a tournament of champions! Come let your voice be heard as we break down 12 epic matches to determine who is the strongest of them all.

Shoujo for Guys
Do guys ever watch anime that's intended "for girls?" Do you want to know what anime effectively blend romance and comedy? Romance and action? Romance and music? Come find out!

So Moe, Gonna Die
Do you think you know moe? Are you curious about moe? See some examples of moe hand-selected by our experienced, dedicated staff for
your viewing delight.

Steampunk 101
The basics of Steampunk, where it began, what it's about, how to get started and all that brass.

TOUKUSATSU Super Sentai, Kamen Rider and more
For all of you out there who love Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and every other TOUKUSATSU franchise. Learn about that inspired Power Rangers and others.

What is "Furry"
Wondering what the deal is with Furries? This discussion and Q&A panel will separate the myths from the truth about the ever growing Furry Fandom.

What Makes a Winning AMV
Watch winning AMVs and discuss what makes them a winner.

What the Fork?
Congrats! You got the date! Now don't mess it up with bad etiquette. A continuation of "How to Talk to the Geeky Opposite Sex."

Wolves of Anime
Come discuss the wolves we all love to love and hate! Will cover popular anime and video games.

Zombie Outbreaks: Regiment 59
You've read the book and planned for the worst, but what about the government? Time to see what Uncle Sam and his friends have been up to.

The Zombie Apocalypse and YOU!
Peering around the corner you find yourself face to face with the world's worst enemy from video games and anime alike! ZOMBIES! They're here and we're going to teach you how to handle them!

Armor Options for All Day Wear
Explore molded paper, Wonderflex and Foam armor for alternatives to metal and hard plastic when it comes to all day wear of armor. You'd be amazed what these things can do!

Basics of Patterning
Taking a 2D shape and making it 3D.

Building and Fitting a Corset
Corsetry has a bad name. The uneducated think of the wasp-waisted abominations that crushed women's internal organs. Others think of the sexy bondage option. But good corsetry is like a good bra: Supportive, flattering and essential to several types of costuming. This will help you identify a good from a bad corset and how to make one.

Clothes v. Costumes: Surviving Your Creativity
You finally have the perfect outfit and accessories and you get yourself zipped up in your shiny polyester uni-suit with the jet pack, the tall boots and the full utility belt. You look amazing! Perfect! You pull your hood up and put your helmet on. You step into the hallway, strut through the admiring crowds of con-folk ...aaaaand now you have to pee.

Cosplay on a Budget
Ever wanted to cosplay but could never afford it? Or simply trying to save on the projects you are already working on? Come learn some tips of the trade on how to do a cosplay without going into debt!

Cosplay Photography 101
How to pose and set your subject as both cosplayer and photographer.

Costume and Movement
You have your glorious costume and it's perfect! Now you get to the con and the halls are crowded. How to navigate the halls with a train or shoulder spikes or a jet pack without destroying your work or decapitating anyone. Dancing will be taught. Really COOL dancing.

Crossplay 101
Welcome to an introduction to crossplay. Here we will discuss the basics of crossplay and how it's done.

Garb Problem Solving
You have spend HOURS on this outfit and it's STILL not right! Bring it in, with your documentation of what it's supposed to look like and we'll see what needs to be done. Also good for getting ideas on how to create a look that has beaten your attempts to brain it out.

Ink v. Fabric: How to Get an Impossible Look
Ever look at an outfit that you went to great pains to recreate, but it fails to live up to the manga? Ever wonder why? Because fabric can't do that. Honestly. Solution? Don't use fabric. Alternatives to traditional methods and ways to achieve that look.

Long Fitted Coats in Period
Long sexy coats have ALWAYS been in style. From the Mongol tribes to the Matrix, from Egyptians and Aztecs to Bleach, every culture and every time period has had 'em. See what it takes to get one of your own, and what style will look best on you.

Makeup for Cosplay
Professional cosplay models will tell you to "Buy the most expensive makeup you can find." But what do you do when you have a Walmart budget but still want to look like your anime idol? How do they get those lips to be that color? Come to this panel and find out!

Making Props for Cosplay
Have a great costume but no idea how to make the epic sword that goes with it? What materials are out there for use? Come learn tricks to making great, cost effective props.

Making Your First Costume Entry
What to expect when you're competing. This is designed for all you folks who want to enter but don't know if your entry is good enough. Feel free to bring your entry with you and get a first hand critique from an active Cosplay judge.

Pepakura: Prop and Armor Creation
Learn how to use the Pepakura (paper craft) method to create highly detailed props or even armor for your cosplay. We'll cover from Keyblades to Gundams.

Wigs 101
The very basics of wearing a wig. How to put it on, take it off and comb it.

Wig Styling with Red
For more advanced wig styling, we'll have a styling demo and then Q&A on wigs.

Dealing with Criticism, Giving and Getting
The hardest thing about being a writer is wondering if you're any good. Yeah, YOU like your stuff, and your Mom is real supportive, but you want a real opinion. Or worse, your child/spouse/parent does. How to deal with the pressure and how to help someone with their work.

Fanfiction: Creating Likable Characters
Making likable characters can be difficult, but follow these simple guidelines and you will have it nailed!

Fanfiction to Fiction
If you've always wanted to be a writer and dream of getting your stories in print, but find yourself always working on fanfiction this is the panel for you! We will discuss the history of fanfiction, why people write fanfiction, how fanfics hurt and help you as a writer and how to make the transition to writing original fiction.

Is Your OC/Fan Character a Mary-Sue?
Ever wonder if your character is TOO awesome aka Mary-Sue? Here's the place to learn all about Mary-Sues, their habits, how to make one, and how to avoid making one!

Read-Write-Live!
Read-Write-Live! is a practical approach to becoming a better writer and storyteller, regardless of the creative medium used to express oneself. This is an open discussion panel for anyone interested in stories, writing, and creating narratives. We will also discuss the free online writers workshop which is based on the RWL principles.

Sacrificing Your Favorite Scene for the Sake of the Story
We all have scenes that we feel are the crux of our story, whether it's for gaming, a short story, or that epic saga that George Lucas will kill to produce. But sometimes, the story evolves and goes in a direction you really like, and suddenly, your whole original scene no longer fits the story. Saying goodbye to a great scene is tough and this panel will help you deal with the loss.

Self Publishing: Hows and Whys to Doing it Yourself
We all want to be the next Stephan King or John Grisham, who could publish their grocery list and have it be a NY Times best seller. We'll talk about what it takes to be picked up by the big houses and how a kid wrote a book about a dragon named Eregon and self-published. It can happen to you too.

Um, Where did the Chicken Come From? When Your Characters do Stuff Without You
There are a couple ways stories are written, discovery and dictation. Learn the difference and what to do about it when the characters go off script.

World Building for Writers and Cartoonists
Award winning author Karina Fabian will discuss world building: generating ideas, comprehensive research for inspiration and accuracy, along with showing this rather than telling.

The Business of Art
The legal side of Artist Alley including how to apply for licenses, taxes, do-s and don't-s, copyrights and protecting your art mixed with a batch of success/horror stories.

Careers and Education in the Entertainment Arts for Manga and Anime Artists
A panel of instructors will introduce the programs of Broadview University in Comics, Game Art, Graphic Design and Movie Production Design.

Deviant Art Meet and Greet
Come mingle with your fellow artists and share your DA name. Not on DA, but wondering what it's all about? Come and speak with artist that can give you first hand information, tips and advice. We'll also be taking a group photo, so don't wander away without joining in!

How to Draw Furry Art
Have you ever wanted to draw characters like Renamon or Krystal from Star Fox? This panel will show you key techniques for drawing Furry art in a live, digital demo!

How to Draw Anime
An overview of how to draw anime: girls, boys, clothes, you name it. Have questions about drawing, this is the place to come.

Iron Fanart
Compete against other artists and the clock! On the spot drawing contests will be held several times during the con, each with a different secret theme. Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each session.

Girls in the Gaming World
In this panel our (mostly) girl gamer panelists talk about the role of women in video games, famous female characters in gaming, stereotypes, and marketing towards male gamers.

How to Get Into the Video Game Industry
So you want to make video games? Come to this panel to find out more about the video game industry and learn from people who have done it themselves.

Indie Game Development
Not all games are made by large studios! Come listen to Califer Games talk about what it's like developing video games in your spare time and how to go about it.

JRPG Universe
What makes a JRPG Japanese? What makes a JRPG an RPG? What do Zelda, Ys, Final Fantasy, Phantasy Star, Castlevania, Atelier, Persona, Mother and Harvest Moon and others all have in common? Let's find out!

The Making of My Japanese Coach
My Japanese Coach is a Japanese language game for the Nintendo DS. Curtis Mirci, who wrote the lesson plan, will be speaking about how it was developed and what the final product is like.

Beginning Japanese
Curious about the Japanese language? Want to know what romaji, kana and kanji are? Come to this panel to learn a few phrases.

Create Your Own Street Fashion
Come take a look at the different types of street fashion from Japan. Get inspiration, tips on where to shop and how to incorporate items from your closet to create your own unique street fashion.

Folkloric Analysis of Anime
Folkloristics is the broad academic study of folktales. This panel will introduce methods of folkloric analysis and apply these methods to popular anime. In addition to exploring the application of folkloric tools, we will also examine the interplay between folklore and anime.

From Gagaku to J-Rock
A look at Japanese music from its earliest forms to its many modern-day genres.

Hallyu: K-pop In Japan
An exploration of Korean pop music's breakthrough into Japan and its growing popularity in the West. For fans new and old.

Intro to Asian Ball Jointed Dolls
Interested in the world of Asian Ball Jointed Dolls? Come explore and learn about the hobby! Seasoned collectors are also encouraged to come show off their dolls.

Japanese (Riichi) Mahjong
Have you always wanted to learn to play Japanese Mahjong? No, not that stupid solitaire game on the computer, I mean real Japanese Mahjong? Come to learn how to and then play some real Mahjong!

Kanzashi: the Art of Japanese Hair Ornaments
This panel will go over all things about kanzashi: history, types, petal folds, who wears these elaborate pieces and when. There will be demonstrations on making these beautiful parts of traditional Japanese couture and a few lucky attendees will get one for free!

Lolita Fashion 101: Introduction to Lolita Fashion
Come to Lolita 101 and find out about this Japanese street fashion! A longtime local Loli will go over the basics of the fashion, its history and a few frilly "dos" and "don'ts."

Lolita Fashion 202: Advanced Lolita
Already a Lolita? Want to learn more about specific sub-styles or get coordination tips? This panel is a continuation of Lolita 101 and will be a more in-depth look at the fashion.

Shintoism as seen through Anime
In this panel you will learn about several Shinto customs as seen in various Anime.

Stories from Japan
There are two types of people: those who have been to Japan, and those who have not. This panel is for both! Come hear about interesting experiences within anime's homeland, or share your own!

Sushi 101
Would you like to learn the basics of sushi? Come and enjoy how to make sushi. We will talk about how to make rice, talk about different kinds of sushi, the "dos" and "don'ts" of sushi and much more!

The Tokyo Otaku
Headed to Tokyo and want to know what to do when you're there? Just want to know what it's really like? Or have you been and want to share your story? Come talk Tokyo with other Tokyo Otaku.

What's New in Japan 2011
A review of the big anime of the last year and what to expect in the upcoming season. Brought by a poor soul who watched too much of it.