Den of Geek Anime NYC 2023 Special Edition

I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H

SPECIAL EDITION

INSIDE

Welcome to Anime NYC! In these pages you'll find exhibitors, maps, guests and features, and all you need to get the most from the con. PG. 22 Gaming PG. 24

Guests PG. 30

 Destination

Convention Map PG. 31

Artist Alley PG. 38

Crunchyroll PG. 28

Exhibition Map

Policies PG. 42

Cosplay PG. 26

IMAGE CREDIT: LEFTFIELD MEDIA/MARVEL COMICS/STUDIO GHIBLI/NETFLIX

Merch PG. 29

PG. 32

 Exhibitor List PG. 34

SCOTT PILGRIM

MARVEL G.O.D.S

HAYAO MIYAZAKI

Cult character Scott Pilgrim returns in the anime Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. We chat with showrunners Bryan Lee O'Malley and BenDavid Grabinski about the show. PG. 4

Legendary comics writer Jonathan Hickman talks to us about Marvel G.O.D.S, his new series which revamps the cosmology of the Marvel Universe! PG. 8

Our guide to the great filmmaker provides beginners, novices and experts a handy watch-order to gen up ahead of the release of The Boy and the Heron. PG. 14 AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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Scott Pilgrim Levels Up

Scott Pilgrim, voiced by Michael Cera, takes on one of the Evil Exes, Matthew Patel, voiced by Satya Bhabha. Below: Scott with Ramona Flowers, voiced by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

As Netflix launches anime spinoff Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, co-showrunners and producers Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski tell us what makes Scott endure. BY SAM STONE

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well-received video game, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, which had its own distinct take on O’Malley’s original story. For O’Malley, himself a longtime anime fan, he and Grabinski wanted to take full advantage of the anime format and explore a creative freshness to the familiar narrative.

“The comic, the movie, and the game were all their own idiosyncratic take on the story,” O’Malley says.

“That was our ethos at the start of this: this is an anime, so let’s embrace the

The enduring friendship between the cast has led us here, and it’s beautiful.”

— BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY

anime-ness of it and make this the anime Scott Pilgrim more than anything else. That freed us up to think about it in new ways.”

Led by director Abel Góngora and producer Eunyoung Choi, Tokyobased animation studio Science SARU studied the Scott Pilgrim comic books extensively, as well as O’Malley’s

separate artwork, including fan art he made. O’Malley and Grabinski visited Science SARU’s offices in Japan as production on the series progressed, with the showrunners impressed by how much the studio analyzed O’Malley’s signature art style.

“They came back and used iconic images from the book in new contexts.

IMAGE CREDIT: NETFLIX

IT’S BEEN 13 YEARS since the popular comic book series Scott Pilgrim, created by Bryan Lee O’Malley, was adapted into cult classic liveaction film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

O’Malley and co-showrunner BenDavid Grabinski are bringing a new vision of Scott Pilgrim to life on Netflix this November with the eagerly anticipated original anime series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, crafting an engagingly fresh take on O’Malley’s action-packed coming-of-age story.

The duo aren’t alone, with filmmaker Edgar Wright, who helmed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, joining the anime production as an executive producer, along with all the fan-favorite cast from the 2010 movie reprising their roles.

For the uninitiated, Scott Pilgrim follows the eponymous 20-something as he and his band try to make a name for themselves in their native Toronto.

After falling hard for local delivery carrier Ramona Flowers, Scott must prove his worth by fighting her Evil Exes in progressively more intense video game-inspired battles. However, Scott has to ask hard questions about his own sense of self-worth as he endures a whole line of kinetic and stylish showdowns.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off follows not only Wright’s 2010 film but also a

They did all their homework and their due diligence,” O’Malley recalls.

This level of visual fidelity carried over to Science SARU, not only recreating an animation style that matched O’Malley’s but reconciling the artistic sensibilities O’Malley displayed in the earlier volumes of Scott Pilgrim with his visual evolution

across the comic book series’ run into a cohesive and instantly recognizable presentation for the anime.

“It was very important to us to not interfere with their visual inspirations; we tried to stick to emotion and humor in the narrative and try to just give feedback,” Grabinski explains.

“Instead of being like, ‘It needs to look like this,’ we’d talk about their outfits or props that were related to what we were doing in the storytelling. We always were just hoping they’d come back and surprise us, and they did every time.”

One noted consistency between Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and earlier versions of the story is that the anime series still very much takes place in 2000s-era Toronto rather than in the present day. There was early consideration to set the story in 2010 as a nod to the movie, but this was dropped in favor of a more nebulous period in the 2000s to give a sense of

“a fantasy of Toronto at that time.”

O’Malley likes the ambiguity in time period instead of being “too on-thenose,” and that a show with a prominent “indie rock milieu” reflects his real life as it was when he was working on the comic book, not how it is now over a decade later.

“I like dealing with the memory of your 20s and that emotional time instead of being a direct thing,” Grabinski agrees. “The thing now is that we have the experience of looking back on it, and we’re trying to infuse not just nostalgia but to create something that feels more like a vague concept and what you felt like at that age instead of the specificity that this is today but heightened with magical realism.”

One of the biggest strengths behind Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is the presence of the movie cast, from Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim himself, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Ramona Flowers, AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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Brie Larson voices Envy Adams, with Brandon Routh who voices Todd Ingram. Below (L to R): Mark Webber as Stephen Stills, Alison Pill as Kim Pine and Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim.

an obscure gaming reference he personally grew up with.

With the series running for eight episodes, O’Malley is clear that no one capped off the number of eps the anime series could have, and he preferred writing bite-sized installments rather than 55-minute episodes. Grabinski feels the eightepisode count is the perfect number to tell the story in the anime series, agreeing, “We got to make exactly the show we wanted to make with people that I respect more than anything.”

Grabinski observes that O’Malley is the x-factor in any adaptation of Scott Pilgrim, calling any attempt to make an adaptation without O’Malley’s involvement “the dumbest thing

imaginable.” O’Malley is more reluctant to label himself the secret sauce in making an effective adaptation of his work but concedes that his personal and deep connection to the source material is a likely factor in its success and continued relevance.

“It does have to be a quirky, weird thing that’s coming out of someone’s head, and, in this case, it’s me and BenDavid,” O’Malley offers. “We’re very 50/50 on everything, but we’re also referring back to the books and so is SARU. I think the work that I did back then gives us a lot to work with now, which is amazing.”

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off premieres on Netflix on Nov. 17.

IMAGE CREDIT: NETFLIX

to the extensive supporting cast, including Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza and Jason Schwartzman. The creators felt that if any one actor had declined to return, they would’ve recast the whole show, with Grabinski not wanting a repeat of The Return of Jafar, the 1994 Aladdin sequel that infamously recast the Genie role after Robin Williams’ refusal to reprise the character.

“The spell would be broken if any component was missing,” O’Malley says. “I think the special feeling from the show comes from having a lot of the cast return, and that’s all thanks to Edgar and his magic the first time around. The enduring friendship between the cast has led us here, and it’s beautiful.”

Wright was instrumental in reassembling the cast for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, with Grabinski complimenting the filmmaker for believing in the production and reaching out to the cast via email to encourage them to reprise their roles.

O’Malley noted that Wright’s support and clout helped the production overcome many potential obstacles, making the production “such a smooth process.” And with the original cast back together, the showrunners wanted to be sure to give them new dialogue and fresh jokes.

“The stuff that was really hard was writing scenes that already existed in the movie and book and trying to not do the same joke but also do something that still works because the pressure is that you have to do something that’s as good or better,” Grabinski says. “We have a lot of new stuff because it’s just not exciting to me to do a cover band version of it; it’s actually stressful.”

Despite these changes, the video game and other pop culture references that have made Scott Pilgrim so endearing to fans worldwide are very much back in full force. This includes weird and personal references that O’Malley and Grabinski have their own connection with, O’Malley citing the NES game Clash at Demonhead from the comic and movie being

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT…

Elizabeth Maxwell The prolific voice actor stars in Attack on Titan.

BY DANIEL KURLAND | PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK MORGULIS

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Elizabeth Maxwell's anime voice acting career started to take off in 2014 after her breakout role as Ymir, a mysterious and lovelorn Titan Shifter in Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan. She's been voice acting for over a decade and has worked on over 100 anime and video game projects, including Dragon Ball Super, One Piece, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

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She’s a huge fan of the horror genre, especially the filmography of John Carpenter, with '80s Kurt Russell classic Big Trouble in Little China being her favorite from the director. Elizabeth's love of horror and heightened genre stories has carried over into her voice work on horror series Housing Complex C and Mieruko-chan. She also thinks Carpenter's movies would make excellent anime adaptations.

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Maxwell is a successful live-action performer in addition to her prolific career as a voice actor.

Her on-camera work encompasses TV shows and movies, including Criminal Minds, From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, A Perfect Getaway, What Would You Do?, and the upcoming Rear View Cataclysm, where she's also the feature film's casting director.

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She’s no stranger to iconic franchises, including Genshin Impact, Fruits Basket, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, but playing a character in a Hayao Miyazaki Studio Ghibli film is the big item on her voice actor bucket list that's always been a dream. The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki's final film, so she may have missed her chance.

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Maxwell's voice acting work has garnered her many fans, but she's also received critical accolades from the Behind the Voice Actor Awards. She was nominated for Breakthrough Voice Actress of the Year in both 2014 and 2017.

Her performances as Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie and Sanae Kouzuki from Sakura Quest also earned her nominations for Best Female Lead Vocal Performance.

C OMIC S

The New Marvel Mythology Jonathan Hickman’s G.O.D.S. rewrites Marvel’s mythology for a new generation of fans.

BY JIM DANDENEAU

You’re well-known for being a very meticulous writer, but some of your success stems from how much heart you pack into the stories. What can you share about the heart at the core of G.O.D.S.?

G.O.D.S. is constructed on the spine of a traditional romantic drama, so I guess it’s built in there. People will get lost in the scale of the story and how it really jumps around from issue to issue, but there are basically four main characters who have no business being in each other’s lives but are forced to. That kind of scenario always lends itself to emotional hooks for both the characters and the readers.

You’ve talked a lot about how work done in shared universes should be additive and not destructive. You’re building a new 8

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mythology for the Marvel Universe here, using some characters and concepts from existing Marvel cosmology. How do you square the cosmic subject matter and the ground-level viewpoint?

I think that if we do the job correctly, other creators will have a bit more access to using the Marvel cosmology in a way that is both more relatable and more mythological than what currently exists. I obviously love that stuff, but it’s hard for it to function in NYC unless you’re on Bleecker St., or you fall down a hole in Central Park, which rules it out for a good 80 percent of Marvel comics. And I always want things I love to be more popular and not less, so here we go.

You’ve mentioned that you want this to be a spectacle, and you’re

Clockwise, from main: A page from Marvel Comics’ mythologybuilding G.O.D.S, written by Jonathan Hickman with art

by Valerio Schiti, which features familiar faces such as Doctor Strange and Mister Fantastic alongside an exciting new cast of characters; the covers for issues 4, 3 and 2 of the new title.

IMAGE CREDIT: MARVEL COMICS

JONATHAN HICKMAN IS THE MOST ROCK-SOLID SUPERSTAR working in comics today. He is the mastermind behind arguably the best Marvel crossover of all time in Secret Wars. His splashy return to Marvel from a post-Secret Wars, creator-owned break was the biggest event in superhero books in the last halfdecade, relaunching a stagnant X-Men line with a monster hit in House of X and Powers of X. However, X-Men wasn’t his only pitch when he came back to Marvel.

Hickman also had a big cosmic idea that Marvel greenlit alongside HoX and PoX: G.O.D.S., a sweeping new series revamping the cosmology of the Marvel Universe and reimagining how cosmic entities like Eternity or the Living Tribunal interact with the heroes we see every day. We talked with Hickman about his big idea and just how small it can be.

someone who’s done more with the cosmology of the Marvel multiverse than probably anyone since Jim Starlin. How hard do you have to work to not get lost in the breadth of this subject matter?

Well, getting lost in the breadth of this stuff is kind of the point. I mean, it’s why I tell stories. I want them to be big and expansive and immersive and, like you said, a spectacle.

So, again, I want to get lost in it.

The trick is getting everyone else to come along for the ride. That takes a certain amount of luck, telling the right story at the right time, but it also requires a perfect entry—or reentry—point for the audience. It’s one of the reasons we did such a big first issue.

Which of the abstract entities were you most excited to play with, and which one was the most frustrating to translate into this story?

I really like the Inbetweener. That’s fun. Chaos and Order are fun.

Because of how we’re constructing some of this, I’ve found Eternity and Infinity more difficult to use because they’re so “on the nose.” But they look super cool, so that helps.

Valerio Schiti (artist of G.O.D.S.) is the latest in a long line of stunningly talented artists you’ve worked with. What does he do better than anyone you’ve worked with before, and how are you writing into that strength?

Valerio is super talented, just a hell of an artist… but I’ve known that for a while. I think the thing that he’s done better than most people I’ve worked with is how good he has been on the conceptual side of things. He always brings a different but complementary perspective to mine, which has proven to be pivotal to how well G.O.D.S. is coming together. My rule with him is the same as with any great artist: try as hard as you can to get out of the way when they’re really cooking.

G.O.D.S. 2 is out now; 3 is out Dec. 20 AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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Wish Fulfillment

The release of Wish coincides with the centenary of Disney. We speak to the creators about making a fairy tale worthy of 100 years of history.

WHEN IT CAME to creating the animated film that would be released on the 100th anniversary of Disney Studios, Disney Animation’s Chief Creative Officer and co-creator of Frozen, Jennifer Lee, was deeply aware of the massive task that she and everyone at the storied animation studio would be taking on. “I started talking with my fellow Frozen director, Chris Buck, about how Disney would 10

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be turning 100 this year,” Lee shares at a press event celebrating their newest animated feature. “We acknowledged what a privilege and responsibility it is at this significant time. And we thought what a wonderful way to celebrate a century of storytelling, to tell a joyful, original story with original characters and songs inspired by our legacy of films.” That film is Wish, Disney’s 62nd animated feature

film, that follows a young woman, Asha (Ariana DeBose), who lives in the magical kingdom of Rosas where wishes really do come true. Asha ends up on a fantastical adventure thanks to the power of her heart’s desire.

Helmed by Frozen co-director Chris Buck and animator turned debut director Fawn Veerasunthorn, Wish marks an original fairy tale from Disney and takes inspiration from

IMAGE CREDIT: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

BY ROSIE KNIGHT

Left: Ariana DeBose voices our hero Asha.

Above and right: Visual development art of King Magnifico and Asha’s band of friends. Each member of the gang is inspired by one of the seven dwarfs.

a classic Disney tradition. “So many of our films are about characters who are longing for something greater and who, when needing or wanting something more, turn to the night sky above to dream, and you know what they say about dreams...” Lee shares before the famed Cinderella song, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” begins to play in the El Capitan Theatre where Disney is presenting

footage from Wish. The concept of making a wish and what that means is at the heart of the newest Disney movie as Asha discovers a shocking truth behind her idyllic lifestyle and must fight to free the wishes of others from the greedy and villainous leader of her beloved home, the dastardly King Magnifico.

For Veerasunthorn, the film also represents a new step in her journey

from applying to work at Disney and being rejected not once but twice to directing her first feature.

“I would drive by the studio and think, ‘Maybe one day I’ll work there.’” For Veerasunthorn, it was third time lucky, and the first film she worked on was Frozen, where she met Lee and Buck.

“Over the years, I continued to work on many films I enjoy, and was so excited to be head of story on Raya and the Last Dragon. So after that, I came onto Wish, which I was really, really hoping I would get to work on; it was like my secret wish.” While Veerasunthorn had her theories about what the much-rumored project might be about, she was surprised to discover the truth behind Wish. “For the anniversary, there was a lot of rumbling in the building about what the studio would do. I thought maybe it would be a compilation of all the characters,” she shares. “But I was so excited when I learned it’s an original story with all original songs!”

Those seven songs were written by five-time Grammy nominee Julia Michaels, who has penned tracks for stars like Selena Gomez, Britney Spears, H.E.R., Demi Lovato, and Dua Lipa. “She was already signed on at the time when I joined the film,” Veerasunthorn says. “So, I was like, ‘Whoa, a pop star and pop tunes in the look of a classical Disney film!’

Because our goal from the start was to be able to honor the legacy of the studios, create something new and look forward to the future. So Julia with her contemporary sound really brought that for me.”

Crafting something new while making sure the film honored Disney’s 100-year legacy was at the very core of Wish. Buck straddles that line as someone trained under one of Walt’s original Nine Old Men—the Disney founders’ key animators from the 1950s—Eric Larson. That experience imbued a deep passion for handdrawn animation before working on movies including Tarzan and, of course, transitioning into computergenerated animation with the studio’s smash hit, Frozen. That gave him a unique insight. “When it came to doing this movie, the desire was how AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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can we honor that legacy? We didn’t want to just do a computer film that looked like the computer; it didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like we were really honoring that beautiful legacy that is so much a part of our DNA. Then it was a matter of how can we do both?

And it was the amazing artists and technicians who were able to give us this beautiful hand-drawn look to the characters, and then these beautiful backgrounds where we harken back to some of our watercolor movies.”

Looking back to the iconic and groundbreaking animated films of Disney’s history was vital in telling Asha’s story, and the creative team was kind enough to share some of the biggest influences they think audiences should watch before Wish.

“We started with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for the watercolor backgrounds,” Veerasunthorn shares.

“Next would be Sleeping Beauty for the Eyvind Earle of it all. We really took inspiration from those two films.” She continues, “Alice in Wonderland for the fantastical elements and vibrant colors.” Buck interjects, “And that was Mary Blair,” shouting out the legendary Disney artist. He is also quick to share his love and the massive 12

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It’s been a While since we’ve had a big, larger-thanlife, funny, charismatic, evil villain.”

— FAWN VEERASUNTHORN

influence of Pinocchio on Wish. “What I love about that, besides all the art and everything, is also the story itself and that Walt was never afraid—just like fairy tales—to get too dark. He knew he was going to tell a happy ending. He knew it would all work out.

But he wanted to take the audience on that epic journey.”

Asha’s hero’s journey only gets harder after she fights back against the maniacal King Magnifico (Chris Pine), who it is revealed has been stealing the wishes of others in exchange for giving the people who give up their wishes a safe haven in Rosas. The charming royal is poised to be the company’s newest iconic villain, complete with a fantastically over-thetop and instantly catchy villain song,

“The Thanks I Get,” that Den of Geek got to experience on the big screen.

A malicious and impactful antagonist was something the creative team was eager to bring to the film.

“I’m very excited about Magnifico,” Veerasunthorn tells Den of Geek. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a big, larger-than-life, funny, charismatic, super evil villain.”

Buck agrees. “He has a wonderful descent into madness. He’s different from some of our other villains in that those other villains have come onto the screen and they’re fully formed.

Our villain is not, so you watch his descent and it’s fascinating.”

His journey to villainy happens alongside Asha’s quest to help her fellow citizens, which offers up some interesting parallels between the two, as Veerasunthorn explains. “We particularly love that, for a moment, Asha and Magnifico actually align philosophically. They see eye to eye on the importance of a wish before it breaks apart in a really epic way. They still believe in the same thing, but the way they go about it is different, and that’s what brings on the conflict.”

Wish opens in theaters on Nov. 22

IMAGE CREDIT: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

Asha with her grandfather Sabino (Victor Garber), and her little talking goat buddy Valentino (Alan Tudyk).

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO

Hayao Miyazaki Hayao Miyazaki, a revered name in the animation industry, has been directing movies for over four decades. The release of his newest film, The Boy and the Heron, makes it the best time for newcomers to check out his prolific filmography.

BY DANIEL KURLAND Animator and director Hayao Miyazaki, photographed in Toyko in 2013 when he announced his retirement.

STUDIO GHIBLI, a scrappy Japanese animation studio that was founded in the ’80s, would go on to become an industry powerhouse that surpasses Disney’s sense of fantasy, Pixar’s emotional catharsis, and the unabashed against-the-grain individualism of DreamWorks Animation. Hayao Miyazaki’s name is often synonymous with Studio Ghibli, the animation studio that he founded with fellow director Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. Every Studio Ghibli film is special, but Miyazaki is an anime auteur whose cinematic offerings become pop culture events that redefine animation and storytelling.

Miyazaki is a renowned voice in traditional hand-drawn animation whose movies have record-breaking budgets and take over a decade to complete.

And every time, they’re worth it. Miyazaki’s feature films may seem like playful escapism to outsiders, but recurring elements and themes define the quintessential Miyazaki experience. In fact, his oeuvre may come across as intimidating and impenetrable to newcomers. The release of Miyazaki’s potential final movie, The Boy and the Heron, means that it’s now the perfect time to experience his filmography before checking out his magnum opus.

This isn’t every Miyazaki movie, but it’s a strong cross-section of the director’s impressive and varied career that’s laid out in a watch order that won’t leave anyone overwhelmed.

The Boy and the Heron will be in North American theaters on Dec. 8, courtesy of GKIDS, and in UK theaters on Dec. 26.

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Miyazaki Newcomers 

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

(1988) My Neighbor Totoro tells the touching story of two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move into a new house in the country with their father while they await their mother’s recovery from an illness. My Neighbor Totoro is a magical coming-of-age story that mixes life’s challenges with adorable fantasy, which is Miyazaki’s area of expertise.

In My Neighbor Totoro, it’s change itself that serves as the characters’ greatest enemy. It’s like a more fantastical and emotional anime version of The Cat in the Hat. My Neighbor Totoro is also a film that plants the seeds for Miyazaki’s love for nature, but in a manner that’s less extreme than Princess Mononoke or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Totoro himself has become such a beloved figure in animation he’s gone on to acquire international acclaim. It’s a testament to this character’s power and why My Neighbor Totoro is the perfect gateway to Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki.

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989)

My Neighbor Totoro will connect with a very young crowd, and Kiki’s Delivery Service makes for the perfect follow-up that explores slightly deeper themes of growing independence and creative roadblocks. Kiki is a 13-year-old amateur witch who sets off to a new city to find her way with only her broom and cat companion, Jiji, by her side. Kiki’s Delivery Service crafts a sweet relationship between Kiki and geeky boy Tombo, and it repeatedly uses Kiki’s innocence as a way to express wide-eyed awe at the world of possibilities surrounding her. Kiki is also one of Miyazaki’s best and boldest female protagonists, not in short supply in his movies. Kiki slowly finds a balance in her life as the movie explores work versus creative passion and how something as infinitely freeing and magical as flight can still be commodified and turned into a chore.

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SPIRITED AWAY (2001)

Spirited Away is a breakout Studio Ghibli film that won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a first for an anime movie. Spirited Away was the general audience’s introduction to Miyazaki, and it’s an acceptable place to start. However, the movie feels like a culmination of many of Miyazaki’s earlier ideas. There are shades of both Satsuki and Kiki in Chihiro, whose time in the spirit realm works better if the viewer has already been exposed to a few coming-of-age Ghibli stories. Spirited Away chronicles the young Chihiro’s dedicated efforts to restore her parents to their human forms after their gluttony turns them into pigs. Only after Chihiro works off their debt can they all safely return home. Spirited Away connects with audiences of all ages, but its Japanese folklore influences and creepy-looking creatures become more palatable after further Miyazaki exposure. Spirited Away teases more mature themes but it’s still Miyazaki at his most magical and mainstream.

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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY (1986)

Castle in the Sky is the first official Studio Ghibli movie, but it’s a surprisingly advanced early effort from Miyazaki. Laputa: Castle in the Sky is an extraordinary airborne adventure that follows the same basic formula of many Miyazaki films. However, from its start, there are some distinct details that make it a more challenging and adult experience. Sheeta and Pazu, the film’s child protagonists, are lost orphans chased by sky pirates and corrupt officials who want to rob them of what makes them special. Sheeta and Pazu’s dream to locate the mysterious floating castle, Laputa, hits extra hard because these two have so little in life. It’s a magical story with a grim underlying theme about the importance of dreams and how war and commerce will slowly corrupt the world’s innocence and beauty.

Miyazaki Novices 

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2004)

Howl’s Moving Castle is Miyazaki’s brooding steampunk ode to getting older. Sophie is a traditional teenager who crosses paths with the wrong witch and finds herself cursed to be an old lady unless an emo wizard named Howl gives her a hand. A curious Miyazaki newcomer may quickly seek out Howl’s Moving Castle because of its wild characters or the fact that it’s the director’s successor to Spirited Away. It’s more likely for Howl’s Moving Castle to be taken at face value and to get lost in its displays of limitless magic rather than appreciating the story’s criticisms of modernity, capitalism, and war. It’s the most chaotic of Miyazaki’s movies and the easiest to lose track of its narrative thread, just like one of Howl’s elaborate magic tricks. It feels like Miyazaki’s The Prestige in the sense that it’s a layered film that pretends to be deceptively simple.

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NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (1984)

Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the director’s third feature film, and its breakout success is what actually led to the founding of Studio Ghibli the following year in 1985. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind presents a chilling version of a wasted world that feels like the result of other environmentallyminded Miyazaki epics like Ponyo or Princess Mononoke (there’d be no Mononoke without Nausicaä). The movie feels like fully-formed Miyazaki, even if it’s one of his first films, and it’s another thought-provoking adventure that strives to provoke change and promote pacifism. The eponymous Nausicaä is a courageous princess who pledges to bring two warring kingdoms to peace. While Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is full of unique creatures and proudly depicts Miyazaki’s passionate aviation obsession, the audience must wade through a post-apocalyptic wasteland to reach these brighter ideas.

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IMAGE CREDIT: STUDIO GHIBLI/ MIYAZAKI PHOTO BY JUN SATO/WIREIMAGE/ GETTY

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Miyazaki Experts 

THE WIND RISES (2013)

Hayao Miyazaki has always had a fascination with how beautiful things can become co-opted into tools of destruction, whether it’s Nausicaä’s toxic foliage or Kiki’s magic-driven identity crisis. The Wind Rises is Miyazaki’s most literal version of this story, ditching the director’s standard supernatural fantasy elements for a bittersweet melodrama set against World War II. The Wind Rises is ultimately a movie about legacy and how one person’s passion can be transformed into a force of doom. Miyazaki’s love for aviation takes flight in this fictionalized account of Jiro Horikoshi’s life as he designs Japanese fighter planes that are used in World War II. The Wind Rises is Miyazaki’s most adult movie that’s unlikely to resonate on the same level with younger audiences. This is the Miyazaki movie to show young adults after they fully understand the director’s relationship with the loss of innocence and instability of self.





PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997)

Princess Mononoke feels like Miyazaki’s angsty middle years in what’s easily his most violent movie that slowly descends into all-out war. It’s also the only Miyazaki movie with bloody dismemberment. Princess Mononoke is a sprawling action movie about environmental preservation that mixes Japanese folklore and demonic creatures with social activism. Ashitaka is a cursed prince who finds himself in the middle of a war for Mother Nature between demons, gods, and humankind, all of whom feel entitled to this land. Lady Eboshi is a terrifying Miyazaki antagonist likely to unnerve even seasoned Studio Ghibli fans. Princess Mononoke’s message about the destructive, inevitable nature of the industrial march of “progress” was initially groundbreaking against a forest of shallow Disney films but is still chilling 25 years later.

PORCO ROSSO (1992)

An animated movie about a fighter pilot who gets transformed into a fascist-hating pig should be a Studio Ghibli slam dunk that kids will enjoy just as much as adults. However, Porco Rosso is a surprisingly deep, dark story that’s far more than a swine’s skybound shenanigans. Set in 1930s Italy, Porco Rosso is a former World War I aviation legend who’s turned to altruistic bounty hunting. Transformative curses are par for the course in Miyazaki movies, but Porco Rosso’s pig metamorphosis is perfectly Kafkaesque while engaging in a larger condemnation of fascism and unquestioning loyalty that’s also oddly forward-thinking in its gender dynamics.

Miyazaki’s endless love for aircraft is fully on display in The Wind Rises, but until then, it’s Porco Rosso that’s his biggest love letter to classical aviation.

The aerial setpieces are truly unparalleled and as stunning as any spirit creature or demon.

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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Cure for the Blues

Ubisoft’s upcoming Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora lets players step into James Cameron’s sci-fi universe like never before.

BY BERNARD BOO

“THE AVATAR BLUES.” This semi-tongue-in-cheek term comes from a 2010 CNN article about a startlingly large group of fans who fell into a deep depression after seeing James Cameron’s Avatar in theaters.

These people struggled to cope with the reality that they would never be able to actually step foot in the dazzling world of Pandora, with one person sharing this confession on a 18

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

popular Avatar fan forum: “When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed... gray.”

Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, a first-person, open-world adventure set in the same universe as the films, might be the cure these “afflicted” fans have long yearned for. It lets the player explore Pandora’s lush Western Frontier, introducing new characters

and a new story that expands on the films’ lore. Ubisoft recently invited Den of Geek to play a preview build of the game on PC ahead of its launch in December. Two and a half hours spent exploring this version of Pandora revealed an engaging, majestic game world that remains true to the source material.

“We really wanted to take players to Pandora,” says associate game director Drew Rechner. “You can basically imagine that it’s you in this universe from the game’s first-person perspective, which puts you a lot closer to everything in the world.”

You don’t need to watch the first two films before jumping into the game.

Frontiers of Pandora is a standalone story, though it is canon and takes place shortly before the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. You play as one of a handful of Na’vi who were

IMAGE CREDIT: UBISOFT

NEW RELEASES

the game, we got a good sense of the characters, and interacting with them in first-person felt cinematic and immersive, the natural camera movements, animations, and highlydetailed character models working in harmony to create a sense of intimacy and proximity the films simply don’t offer. It’s creative decisions like this that justify video game adaptations and help them step out of the shadow of the source material.

It comes as no surprise that Massive’s take on Pandora looks ravishing, but, unexpectedly, the most striking thing about the demo from the moment we jumped in was actually the show-stopping sound design. As we took in the atmosphere of the rainforest around us, we could hear raindrops, tiny insects scuttling up a tree trunk to our left, and there was something lurking in the bushes to our right, its heavy footsteps indicating it was almost certainly a creature of alarming size. We heard all this at once, the soundscape fully enveloping and transportive, giving A battle between the Na’vi and RDA forces rages on in the skies above Pandora.

abducted as children by the RDA, raised and trained to be soldiers as part of the militant corporation’s Ambassador Program, which was abruptly halted in the wake of the Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains at the end of the first film. After being plunged into emergency cryosleep, you awaken 15 years later, free from the grasp of the RDA but faced with the challenge of stopping your former captors from doing further damage to the planet, all while learning about a heritage and culture you’re experiencing for the very first time.

From a gameplay perspective, the hero’s background as a Na’vi plucked from their home only to return as an adult gives the player the opportunity to discover more about the different Na’vi clans and customs through the eyes of a newcomer. The game’s combat and gameplay loops

(outpost takeovers, collection quests) fold into the plot nicely, which results in a deeper dive into the Na’vi world than even the movies can provide as you’re experiencing the story first-hand.

“One of the coolest opportunities in making this game was taking the amazing world, cultures, plants, and animals from the films and incorporating them into game mechanics that are fun and stay true to the ethos of Avatar,” Rechner says.

The demo we played included four missions early in the game’s main campaign, centering on the Aranahe clan, a tradition-driven Na’vi tribe led

by Ka’nat, who is suspicious of our hero’s history with the RDA. His daughter, Etuwa, enlists us to help get to the bottom of a troubling threat to the tribe, albeit without her father’s consent. Despite our short time with

You can imagine that it’s you in this Universe from the first-person perspective.”

— DREW RECHNER

the experience a tangible sense of space and dimension.

“Everything in the game makes sounds you can hear in 3D space,” Rechner says. “The sound of the rain in the game’s different forests sounds different, and when you have your bow out, you can hear the raindrops hitting the wood, and that sound changes depending on which bow you have equipped.”

Unlike the instantaneously impressive sound design, it takes a moment for the true beauty of the visuals to sink in. Initially, the game does look slick, with the same vibrant colors and bioluminescent flora and AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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NEW RELEASES

fauna that made the films so memorable. But it’s how the whole package comes together and how we, as the player, interact with the game world that makes it so enticing to explore and traverse. The demo was restricted to the Kinglor Forest, one of the game’s three primary regions, and what we saw there was incredibly detailed and rich.

The heavily forested areas are teeming with life, with each bizarre animal and plant reacting to us in surprising ways. Some creatures are wounded and accept your aid as long as you soothe them as you approach, while others are more hostile to both Na’vi and RDA soldiers. Some plants might shrink away as you approach or spew harmful gas to stave you off.

There’s a palpable air of mystery and unpredictability surrounding the wildlife of Pandora that makes the game’s visuals as substantive as they are superficially pleasing.

Gawking at the glowing Kinglor Forest is one thing, but traversing the game world elevates the experience tremendously. Whether you’re running, jumping, swinging on vines, being launched 30 feet into the air by a giant leaf, or soaring through the skies on your dragon-like ikran, doing barrel rolls to dodge gunfire from RDA drones, all of the movement in the game feels smooth, and at times, exhilarating. The developers chose to 20

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

go with an unobtrusive UI that encourages you to be observant of the environment around you and travel to locations on the map like a waterfall or a floating mountain not just to complete missions but to simply see if there’s anything interesting to find.

The developers’ goal was to ignite curiosity and a sense of wonder in the player. “We want players to take in the game world, and we want discovering Pandora to feel fun in its own right,” Rechner explains.

But beyond the typical video game-y things that most people would expect from this return to Pandora, there is something quite unexpected and special about the game that needs to be highlighted here. The subtext of the main character’s story reflects an experience many immigrants, people of color, and other marginalized people can relate to. In addition to tackling xenophobia just as the films did, the game explores ideas of lost identity, of not feeling accepted in

your homeland, and of someone of a mixed background feeling doubly inadequate. Suddenly, the game’s first-person perspective means so much more.

Chella Ramanan, the game’s senior narrative designer, says the team was committed to telling stories that resonate with underrepresented communities: “I really identify with the sense of not being enough of one thing or too much of another,” she says. “When the player attempts to bond with its ikran, it begs the question, ‘Am I Na’vi enough to do this? What if I get rejected?’”

The team at Massive has designed Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to be a true expansion of the lore, but it also has something poignant and new to say about both the world of Avatar and our own.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is out on Dec. 7 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

IMAGE CREDIT: UBISOFT

Left: A Na’vi rides a direhorse across the Western Frontier region of Pandora.

Below: A Na’vi village.

YOU R 2023 G U I D E T O

AN!MENYC 2023 | S H OW G U I D E

WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN WITH US FOR YEARS, OR YOU’RE COMING TO ANIME NYC FOR THE FIRST TIME: WELCOME HOME!

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

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DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

Six years ago, the idea of the community we’ve become was just a spark, and now we are tens of thousands strong, and growing! YOU have made this show what it is today, and we will never take that for granted or forget that it starts and ends with you.

As we gather this weekend, we are reminded once again, that it’s not Anime NYC’s top-tier exhibitor list, the premiere content that awaits you, or the stellar guests and artists gracing our event that make Anime NYC truly special.

It’s you—you are the reason they are here.

You are the reason we are here.

You are the beating heart of our community through which thousands of friendships have been formed, countless stories have been told, and a multitude of memories have been made.

So here’s to you—the spirited otakus, the courageous demon slayers, the gallant straw hat wearers, the guardian sailor scouts, the mighty mechas, the colossal kaijus, and so many more.

Each one of you holds a special place in our hearts. We cherish each one of you and our shared passion for anime that brings us all together.

Welcome to Anime NYC 2023!

AN!MENYC 2023 | S H OW G U I D E AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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GAMING

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

WHERE: Hall 3E – Back of Aisles 100-200 – on the Show Floor WHEN: Friday 2PM - 8PM, Saturday 10AM - 7PM, Sunday 10AM - 4PM PARTNERS: Psychic Drive, Defend the North, VR Zone, Riichi Nomi More info at animenyc.com/gaming

ANIME NYC 2023 PROMISES a plethora of video gaming and tabletop gaming experiences, creating the ultimate playground for our community!

From Japanese arcade games and console gaming to virtual reality experiences, our video gaming is sure to excite and delight! There is always time to take in a game of mahjong, if you’re looking for some tabletop fun.

CONSOLE GAMING

BY D E F E N D T H E N O R T H

AN!MENYC 2023 | G A M I N G

We’re proud to welcome Defend the North to Anime NYC, who will be bringing the best of console gaming for our anime fans all weekend long. Defend the North is NYC’s premier fighting game community conference. It is dedicated to creating awareness and appreciation for video games!

⊲ Street Fighter 6 ⊲ Guilty Gear -Strive⊲ Dragon Ball FighterZ ⊲ The King of Fighters XV

⊲ Mortal Kombat 1 ⊲ Tekken 7 ⊲ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ⊲ Mario Kart 8

VR ZONE

BY B A Z L L C

MAHJONG BY R I I C H I N O M I

Riichi Nomi NYC, established in 2020, is a New York City based riichi mahjong club that is open to people of all skill and experience levels. It was established to foster an inclusive, educational, competitive, and most importantly fun forum for members to play the game we all love.

Riichi mahjong is a descendant of traditional Chinese mahjong, developed and played primarily in Japan. With special rules that emphasize defense as well as offense, it is quickly becoming one of the most popular variants played worldwide. Learn to play with Riichi Nomi in our gaming area during Anime NYC!

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F R I DAY 2PM-8PM: Teaching & Free play S AT U R DAY 10AM-3PM: Teaching & Free play 3PM-7PM: Knockout Tournament S U N DAY 10AM-4PM: Teaching & Free play

At Anime NYC, the VR Zone by Baz LLC offers an unparalleled, immersive experience that transports attendees into the heart of a variety of fun and exciting stories. With cuttingedge virtual reality technology, this zone provides an exciting opportunity to step directly into the shoes of characters in a virtual world.

Experience the thrill of being transported elsewhere without leaving Anime NYC!

AN!MENYC 2023 | G A M I N G

JAPANESE ARCADE GAMES

BY P SYC H I C D R I V E

Anime NYC is proud to welcome back our friends at Psychic Drive!

Psychic Drive is an arcade company focused on making authentic arcade hardware available for people to enjoy. Most of its machines are Japanese, with a focus on niche and unique games. Fans can enjoy the following games all weekend long…

⊲ Taiko no Tatsujin ⊲ StepManiaX ⊲ Dance Dance Revolution Extreme

⊲ Dance Maniax ⊲ WACCA ⊲ Chunithm (2 cabinets) ⊲ Sound Voltex (2 cabinets) ⊲ jubeat (2 cabinets) ⊲ Pop’n Music ⊲ Project DIVA ⊲ Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity (linked pair)

⊲ F-Zero AX (linked pair)

⊲ Kickthrough Racers ⊲ Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (vs) ⊲ Marvel vs Capcom 2 ⊲ Capcom vs SNK 2 ⊲ Tatsunoko vs Capcom ⊲ Puzzle Bobble 3 ⊲ Mr. Driller 2 ⊲ Tetris: The Absolute The Grand Master 2

⊲ Soulcalibur II ⊲ Vampire Savior ⊲ Sonic The Fighters ⊲ Hyper Bishi Bashi Champ ⊲ Windjammers

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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DESTINATION COSPLAY AN!MENYC 2023 | D E STI N ATI O N COS PL AY

WELCOME TO DESTINATION COSPLAY! If you’re a cosplayer, or if you love and appreciate cosplay, then Destination Cosplay is where you want to be. There’s a far-reaching community of cosplay waiting to welcome you with open arms. Level up your craft, connect with cosplay enthusiasts, and take in all the artistic sights there are to see from the world of cosplay at Anime NYC!

COSPLAY REPAIR AND CHANGING

All weekend long | Room 1E05

Anime NYC is excited to partner with the Paladins of Cosplay to assist our cosplay community with tears, rips, popped seams and more. If you’re in need of a little cosplay TLC, then head to Room 1E05 for Cosplay Repair.

Looking for a costume change? There are also changing stalls located in the space, so you can cosplay up or dress down! Stay flawless as you cosplay your heart out and trust that there’s always someone in Cosplay Repair who can get your cosplay back up to presentable in no time.

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COSPLAY MEETUPS

All weekend long, the Crystal Palace

Ready to meet up with other Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball, or Blue Lock fans? Grab a group photo with other fans of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure or Genshin Impact? Then you’re in the right place! Meetups will be hosted in the Crystal Palace lobby and are a great way to gather other gorgeous cosplayers of all skill levels together for a group photo.

Make new friends, encourage fellow cosplayers, and have a great time celebrating your shared love of anime!

More info at animenyc.com/ destination-cosplay/cosplayMEETUPS

COSPLAY MASQUERADE P R E S E N T E D BY

Saturday 9:00 PM | Main Stage

HOST

JUDGE

JUDGE

AN!MENYC 2023 | D E STI N ATI O N COS PL AY

JUDGE

Cosplay takes over our Main Stage at the Anime NYC Masquerade, presented by Arisu Anime! Compete for craftsmanship prizes as a walk-on—or an individual or group skit for the chance to win prizes for craftsmanship, showmanship, and of course fame, honor, and glory! Special guests include: cosplay guest judges Gillian Conahan, Tha Black Bob Ross and honeyhippi, a halftime performance by Shao Dow, DJ Taylor Senpai and the hostess with the mostess, Stella Chuu! Prizing is generously provided by Arisu Anime, Arda Wigs, Bokksu, Oliso, Cut/Sew, Famore Cutlery, We Love Colors, and Angelus Direct. There is no reservation required to enter the Masquerade.

More info at animenyc.com/destination-cosplay/cosplaymasquerade

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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CRUNCHYROLL WHERE: River Pavilion WHEN: Friday 2PM - 10PM, Saturday 10AM - 10PM, Sunday 10AM - 4PM More info at animenyc.com/crunchyroll

AN!MENYC 2023 | C R U N C H Y RO LL + M E R C H

YOU’RE INVITED to Crunchyroll’s biggest celebration of the year!

We’re excited to welcome back Crunchyroll to Anime NYC as it showcases interactive attractions, new experiences, panels, premieres, and more in its largest presence at Anime NYC EVER! Imagine 45,000 square feet of pure Crunchyroll magic. That is what awaits fans November 17-19 at Anime NYC in our River Pavilion!

CRUNCHYROLL STORE

⊲ Shop ’til you drop as Crunchyroll

showcases 50+ items including new exclusives! Including items from: ⊲ Cowboy Bebop poster prints ⊲ New FiGPiNs for Loid Forger (SPY x FAMILY); Tanjiro (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba); and Super Saiyan Caulifla (Dragon Ball Super) ⊲ Items from the newly launched Cat Eyed Boy x Deadmau5 collection

PREMIUM MEMBER ARCADE + MORE PERKS

⊲ Presented by Crunchyroll Games,

Crunchyroll members and their guests are invited to test their skills.

Everyone is welcome to take a bit of Anime NYC home with free swag, including exclusive items for Crunchyroll Mega Fans and Ultimate Fan members. ⊲ Crunchyroll Premium Members will also have access to exclusive perks in the River Pavilion including special discounts on merchandise, access to lounge areas, and preferred seating at the Crunchyroll Stage.

CRUNCHYROLL GAMES

⊲ Crunchyroll Games will host a

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DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

dedicated space for fans to explore the expansive worlds of three titles: ⊲ One Punch Man: World, an online action game based on the global hit anime, One-Punch Man ⊲ Street Fighter™ Duel, a mobile RPG adventure within the legendary Street Fighter™ franchise. ⊲ The Eminence in Shadow: Master of Garden, transporting attendees into the universe of the popular light novel and anime series, The Eminence in Shadow.

IMMERSIVE ACTIVATIONS

Tailor-made for fans, Crunchyroll’s immersive activations will allow fans to fully engage with art and activations like they are actually in the anime! Includes incredible experiences like: ⊲ The JUJUTSU KAISEN Experience, where they will find themselves immersed in expansive moments

from the hit dark fantasy series ⊲ NUMB Art Exhibit, a new original work by Takashi Okazaki, the author of Afro Samurai ⊲ Photo ops featuring SPY x FAMILY among many others!

CRUNCHYROLL STAGE

The Crunchyroll Stage features worldrenowned creators from Japan, early looks, behind-the-scenes, and premieres of upcoming anime series. ⊲ Early looks and premieres for Metallic Rouge, Sengoku Youko, Sasaki and Peeps, and more. ⊲ My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Movie world premiere. ⊲ Over ten premieres of upcoming anime series, including BARTENDER Glass of God, Classroom of the Elite Season 3, The Witch and the Beast. ⊲ A look behind-the scenes of The Rising of the Shield Hero and Dr. STONE.

MERCH

2023 OFFICAL AND VINTAGE MERCH IS AVALIBLE ONLINE AT ANIMENYC.COM

Exclusive swag awaits at the Anime NYC Merch Booth #1819!

Featuring your favorites such as Alice and Rocket, collabs with hololive, Ohmonah, and Acky Bright, and fresh new items like a gorgeous Happi Coat or delightful Senbird Tea Infuser, these items won’t last long!

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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GUESTS

AN!MENYC 2023 | G U E ST S

hololive English -Advent-

KIKUNOSUKE TOYA

HOSHIMACHI SUISEI

Miorine Rembran, Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury

KAZUKI URA

HIROMI WAKABAYASHI

HIROYUKI IMAISHI

KORE YAMAZAKI

YOSHIFUMI TOZUKA

ACKY BRIGHT

LYNN

Suletta Mercury Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury

Yoichi Isagi, BLUE LOCK

Manga Artist/Illustrator

KANA ICHINOSE

hololive

Donny, The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse

The Ancient Magus’ Bride

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

Studio TRIGGER

SLEEPY-C

Studio TRIGGER

ZENO ROBINSON

Undead Unluck

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Akira Tendo, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

BRYCE PAPENBROOK

CHRISTINE MARIE CABANOS

Ryuko Matoi, KILL la KILL

Eren Yeager, Attack on Titan

Mako Mankanshoku, KILL la KILL

ERICA MENDEZ

AND MANY MORE! SEE THE ANIME NYC MOBILE APP FOR A FULL LIST OF GUESTS!

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AN!MENYC 2023 | CO N V E NTI O N M A P

CONVENTION MAP

AN!MENYC 2023 | CO N V E NTI O N M A P AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

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JAPANESE FOOD HALL

42

PICK UP

AN!MENYC 2023 | E X H I B ITI O N M A P

50

TICKET

BB and B Ronova

60

A B

AUTOGRAPH

KL

This guide was finalized in October 2023, a month before AN!MENYC. We can almost guarantee there have been updates or changes to the schedule and information since then. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc.com/mobile-app/

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

33

EXHIBITORS 168 Dragons Trading...................1643

A

AN!MENYC 2023 | E X H I B ITOR S

A Game Merch...............................1952 Above the Meta Gaming.............2045 Aces Pop Shop...............................1355 Acky Bright.....................................2619 Ahh!gela..........................................1551 Akanyte...........................................2246 Akiba Anime Store........................2304 Akiba HQ..........................................1440 ALIEN Books...................................1143 All Blue Anime......................221, 1135 Alphex Inc............................. 153, 2643 Amazing Art Expo.........................2438 Anime Boston................................2728 Anime Depot / King Roach Ent., Inc............................1350 Anime for Humanity....................2030 Anime Gear Guru...........................2319 Anime NYC Merch Store.............1819 Anime Palace.................................2025 Anime Pavilion................................ 105 Anime Sekai...................................1835 Aniplex of America................301, 416 Anthony Wang Shoes..................2324 Apari.................................................1935 Arise Bazaar...................................1939 Arisu Anime...................................... 452 Armory Quest................................1750 Artistsan Studio.............................. 130 Atsuko................................................ 125 Azuki: Your Digital Manga Cafe....................................1928 Azumba Collectibles Corp..............................................2245

B Bad Waifu.......................................2708 BANDAI NAMCO Amusement....................... 733, 1031 Bandai Namco Filmworks, Inc.............................. 621 Basura Gang...................................2124 Baz LLC............................................... 566 BB and B / Ronova.......................2629 Because of Dreams......................2242 Beckett Group................................2161

34

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

Belexie Shoppe..............................2051 Best Anime Shop..........................2119 Bibisama........................................... 553 Bishounen Boutique....................1839 Black Knight Anime......................1651 Blerd.................................................1937 blerDCon..........................................2730 Book Off USA Inc...........................1443 Boomslank........................................ 161 Bosuman........................................... 300 Brick Bunch....................................2129 Brother Ming Games...................1454 Bushiroad USA Inc.......................... 433 BYO Lightsaber................................ 137

C Capsule Collectibles.....................2344 Cartoon Passion................1256, 2442 Chirofish..........................................2239 Chocolate City Comics.................2326 Chyari...............................................1950 Cloaked Treasures and Games...................................1343 Closet Geek LLC............................... 101 CloverPuff.......................................1822 Coach P’s Universe.......................1652 Collector, The.................................2659 Collectors Anime LLC...................1041 Collectors Universe......................1743 Colorful Geek, The........................2313 Comic Controllers.........................2460 Copper Coast Confections....................... 860, 2450 Corgi Nation & Animation..........2726 Cosplay Moo Moo.........................1742 Cross Rose | Ears & Rears..........1134 Crunchyroll.................... River Pavilion Cuteness & Vexation

by Nat Rodgers...........................2338

D D&Tea Co.........................................1441 DC-Imports.....................................1335 Den of Geek....................................2018 DENPA Books.................................1829 Dice Dungeons...............................1826 Digital Delightz Video Games...2424 Doozicrafts x Chizuworks

x Crystal Hearted Kat...............2352 Drawfee...........................................2709 Drawn & Quarterly.......................2211 Dream Con......................................2007 Dreamily Apparel..........................1251 DX Sabers........................................2339

E Earth Tone Kingdom....................2336 Eclipse Pop.....................................1734 Ellicor Gifts.....................................1850 End Zone Collectibles..................2150 Equilibrium USG.............................. 766 Espada Art......................................2607 Everything Dice.............................2404

F Fairy Shop.......................................1644 Fakku.................................................. 255 Fanciful Gifts/Pandahat.............1728

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

G G FUEL..............................................2107 G.M. Anime.....................................1535 Game Night Arcade......................1261 Game of HAM LLC.........................2305 Gamers Heaven............................... 353 Geekify Inc........................................ 229 Geeks Outpost...............................1552 Geeky Robots, The.......................2053 Gigantic Deals LLC........................1842 Goddess of Victory: Nikke........... 653

Good Smile Company.................... 743 Greentea Design...........................1451

Inti Creates....................................... 643 IT Cosplay........................................1035

H

J

H.A.G. Entertainment.................... 110 Happy Goods..................................1557 Helensart........................................1357 Hen Da Ne! Inc................................. 260 Heritage Auctions.........................1250 HIDIVE..............................................1423 Hikari Wo Sagasu.........................1361 hololive production......................1619 Hulu.................................................... 634

J&V Anime Corp.................1345, 2038 James Spence Authentication LLC....................1363 Japan Local Government Center............................................2024 Japan National Tourism Organization...............................2026 Japan Society.................................1931 Japanese American Association of New York.........1927 Japanese Consulate.....................1929 Japanwave......................................1553 JC Elegant Accents LLC................2050 Jellymomoshop.............................1943 Jellypinch........................................2412 JET Alumni Association of New York.................................1925 J-List/JAST USA............................... 156 JPUSA Enterprises LLC................2227

I iBUYPOWER..................................... 753 Image Anime..................................1435 Impulsive Creativity....................1456 In My Parents Basement.....................................1942

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

AN!MENYC 2023 | E X H I B ITOR S

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)...................... 562 Fine Comic Collectibles...............2663 First Form Collectibles.................. 761 Five Start Corporation.................2237 Five Wits, The................................2325 Flora and Folklore........................2126 Floral Frolic/Story of the Door...1640 Frenemy Games Studio................ 573 Furbae Factory..............................1242

35

EXHIBITORS CONTINUED

Kadokawa World Entertainment............................1706 Katsucon Entertainment............2720 Kawaii Chainz................................1151 Kiddleton.........................................1230 Kinokuniya Bookstore TX............. 333 Kinwamonster...............................2657 Kirwans Game Store...................... 466 Knight of Abyss.............................1457 Koko Kuma......................................2042 Kopes Kreations............................2135

L AN!MENYC 2023 | E X H I B ITOR S

Lewd Driip.......................................1358 liliuhms............................................1351 Little River Co.................................. 454 Losers x Lovers LLC......................2335 Lost Art Studios.............................. 117 Lovers Over Losers.......................1359 LOY, Inc............................................1930 Luca Designs..................................2711 Lucky Cat Sticker..........................1729 Lunar Toy Store............................... 543 Lychee Media................................... 204

M M8s Warudo...................................2238 Madness & Company...................1725 Magic and Monsters....................2251 Magical Girl Bella.........................2310 MAMOBOT......................................2125 Manhattan Portage........................ 342 Materia Music.................................. 444 Media Blasters..............................1450 Merlin’s Munchies Coffee Company........................... 245 Milk Mocha Bear............................. 217 MILQ.................................................2605 Miss Candyholic............................2408 Misty Mountain Gaming................................ 232, 2035 Monogram International, Inc.......................2219 Moonstruck Shop.........................2236 Mori Galaxy....................................1852 MtStar..............................................2029 Muffie’s Place................................1356 mugobunni.....................................2357

36

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

MY EVENT USA................................ 567 Mythical Fair..................................1344

N N2Operation..................................2337 Namiwear Brand...........................1459 NDC.EXE..........................................1558 Nekopunch.....................................1360 Neon Culture..................................2330 NERDS Clothing............................2307 Nerdy Bit........................................... 126 New York Public Library.............1919 Next Level Games, The................. 361 NITOS LLC........................................2234 Nogi San..........................................1559 Noms Designs................................2704 Nyx Skies.........................................1047

O Offset Shwa...................................... 207 ohmonah.........................................1529 Omocat............................................1623 One Peace Books............................ 446 OP Design LLC................................2056 Open Vault Collectibles................ 324 Otafuku Foods, INC........................ 242 Otakon.............................................2722 Otaku Baby.....................................2052 Otaku Collection...........................2231 Otaku Haven LLC...........................2306 Otaku Lamps..................................1542

Project Nutype................................ 247 Pro-Play Games............................2611 Pudding Lenses.............................1547 Puillustrated LLC..........................2734 Purple Plum Inc.............................1843

Q Qubic Pictures...............................1051

P

R

Pawsome Pets New York...........1658 Pawsonify......................................... 128 Pawstar...........................................1458 Peachade............................... 253, 2707 Pikarar.............................................2225 Pin Club.............................................. 133 Pixel Empire...................................1921 Plastic Empire...............................1157 Plus Ultra Entertainment Cosplay Photoshoots...............2013 Pokettostyle...................................2256 Premium Anime Statues............1661 Prescribed Collectibles...............2058 Press Start Games New England................................. 467

Ranelynn Graphics.......................2718 Rawry and Pohly Art....................2736 Razors Edge Collectibles.............. 343 Recreyo Group...............................2724 Retro Rewind Pops LLC................. 652 Retro Saikou...................................1807 Riichi Nomi....................................... 569 RIT Anime Club..............................2710

S S2Heart............................................1144 Saffron Books.................................. 243

IMAGE CREDITS: LEFTFIELD MEDIA

K

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

U U.S. Marines..................................... 373 Uchuu Summer..............................1446 Undiscovered Realm............................................1447 Uriel..................................................2359 UUB LLC...........................................1650

V V1 Tech...................... 453, 1235, 2651 Vandel M Studios.........................2746 VIZ Media.......................................... 521 vonnart............................................2760 VoyceMe............................................ 346

Saiyre Illustration & Design.......................................1760 SAJU Streetwear............................. 201 Samurai West.......................................... ........................ 252, 767, 2635, 2260 Sanshee...........................................1951 Sarlex Studio..................................2043 Scalar Studio..................................1253 Secrets of Stones.........................2147 Senpai & Sake.................................. 367 Senpai Inu.......................................2312 Senpai Squad................................... 757 Shikkaricon.....................................2627 Shimmering Chimera, The.........2742 Shumi Toys & Gifts, INC......................................2205 Sig Toys.............................................. 152 Sleepi................................................2213 Slybonsai........................................... 263 SMARTDOLL...................................1241 SONICBOOMBOX/ Newtown HQ...............................1629 Sony Electronics............................. 443 Sony Music Entertainment.............................. 442 Sorbet Jungle.................................1957 Soulscents......................................1659 Spoonable Spirits........................... 460 Star Japan Inc.................................2130 STL Ocarina.....................................2212 Studio Sukoon and

Celestial Temple.........................2113 Stylin Online......................... 216, 1735 SugarStars......................................1455 Sukeban.NYC..................................2712 Sun Anime......................................... 143 Sushito Clothing...........................2137

T Taiga Productions.........................2329 Tanpopo House..............................1244 Teal Teacup.....................................1723 TeeTurtle............................................ 542 Tenafly Anime Club......................2625 Tentacle Kitty................................... 546 T House Imports, The..................1257 thinknu............................................1340 Thousand Skies.............................1963 Tickle Me Toys................................. 225 T-Mobile............................................ 560 Tokki’s Whimsical Times............................................... 347 Tokullectibles................................1751 Toy Dump........................................2151 Toy Mandala...................................1635 Toynk.com.......................................2047 ToysLogic.............................1541, 2224 Triforce Cutlery.................1057, 2019 Twylite Fashion.............................1341

AN!MENYC 2023 | E X H I B ITOR S

W Waifu Bait.......................................1147 Warui Karma..................................2235 Weapons Direct.................1141, 2250 Weapons Grade Waifus...........................................1642 Weebs of the Shore.............................................2428 Winsdar Inc....................................2243 Wooji................................................2143

X Xordium Comics/ Mythallica LLC............................1759 XraeArt Clothing Co.....................2744 XZY Figure.......................................2345

Y Yaoi Army, The................................. 165 Yodayo..............................................1045 Yokai Sekai.....................................1550 Yostar...............................................1523 Yuugen Apparel.............................2229

Z Zen Emporium-FL.........................2247 Zen Monkey....................................2144

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

37

ARTIST ALLEY @itsmandymo of Kurry Studio............................................. A23 _naidraws........................................... H1 1000 Dead Draculas...................... C36 1O8K...................................................H29 3liemarie........................................... D14 614S2....................................................G4

A AN!MENYC 2023 | A R TI ST A LLE Y

A Sunny Disposish.............................G1 acidbeaker........................................ D17 Aechungg.......................................... C33 ahnitol................................................ C34 AJIHAEW............................................ C23 Akanyte............................................. C29 AkiZero............................................... C25 Alchenart........................................... C32 Aleikats.............................................. C24 Alex Dos Diaz................................... C22 Alexander Iaccarino, Art of............I20 Alvin Sumigcay.................................. D2 amaicandy........................................ C21 Amanda Dufresne........................... C11 Ammybunny Studio..........................C9 Anadia-chan..................................... C18 Andy & Vi.......................................... C15 Angelfish...........................................H31 Anie Quynh....................................... D20 Animation Comics & Entertainment LLC ..................... C13 Aokkun............................................... C12 apocalyss.............................................A8 Aprahnicus........................................ D23 Arcpunk Comics.............................. C10 ART BY QUINTON............................ D29 Art by Wen........................................ D26 ARYLL................................................. D24 atelaine.............................................. D22 atomicpowered .............................. D31 Avery Kua Draws............................. D21 Awanton Art ...................................... D8 AzRuler.............................................. E17

B Babirousa.......................................... D19 Babs Webb, The Art of.................. K16 Baimon............................................... C16 Bandage Brigade LLC..................... D18

38

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

Batsouppe......................................... C19 BLACK EYE........................................H33 BlancoArt.............................................B8 Blaze Manga Productions...............E2 BOMHAT............................................ E20 Bosmitze........................................... D16 Boya Sun........................................... A11 Bridgetttt_owo............................... E23 Broccolili L.L.C..................................F34 Brownrabbits................................... A16 Bryce Kho Draws............................. A18 Bubble Jar Art LLC........................... B27

C Cafe de Yume......................................B2 Cait May Illustration...................... B29 Caitlin Ono, Art of........................... D28 Cara McGee..........................................C8 caramoccii......................................... D15 ccc.ling............................................... D35 c-dra................................................... E26 cdromarts......................................... E27 Celtis................................................... E30 centimetre art................................... D3 cglas................................................... A24 Cheru.................................................. D13 ChocolateAndT................................ E31 Chow, Art of..................................... D25 Christian Angel................................ D12 Christopher Cayco, Artwork by..................................... D30 CHUCHUGOU....................................H35 Chumaruko..........................................E5 Churro Sama.................................... D10 chuteki............................................... E32

Cissy’s Art Cafe............................... E29 Ckid........................................................E8 CLAO Art.............................................F14 Clivenzu............................................. A12 Conjunx Endurae................................A9 coolestegg art...................................F17 Courtney Wirthit..............................F20 cranity.................................................F23 Cypritree............................................ E28

D dae...................................................... E25 daifei.................................................... H4 Dark Grey Clouds............................ E24 DarkCore...............................................A7 Dominic Glover, Art of................... A14 Domasu Circle.................................. E22 dreadwyrmtrance............................. H6 Dream Fury Comics.........................F27 Dreamlogzz and Cattenco............ E21 driftwoodwolf..................................F31

E Einiv....................................................... F8 Eleanor Grootch.................................G5 emilieevo........................................... E19 endjuice.............................................H32 Eriimyon............................................ A13 Erin Kipps.......................................... G33 EROTIPOP......................................... B33 Essukaa............................................. E18 Eternal-S........................................... E16

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

F Fabucastle............................................ J2 Farmers Market................................I14 Fishofthelake...................................H11 fluffybiscotti......................................I17 Fowappi + Shmeemin.................... E12 Foxclover............................................... I2 Frammu..............................................L28 From Caliko...................................... E10 fuwaffy.................................................B9

G Gabby Ramirez, The Art of .......... K23 Gatonardo Da Vinci.........................F29 Gay Breakfast.....................................G8 Gearous............................................. G27 geeknami............................................. F1 Gerry Draws......................................F21 GOASIcon........................................... C31 Goodbunny Club, The.................... K15 grapeDraws.......................................F24

Gravitydusty.....................................F22 Greg Burnham and Marcus Williams................ L26, L27 gunbusted..........................................F28

H halluuween........................................F19 Hammling Illustrations................H12 HAZMATEN....................................... B14 helenpeanut .......................................K2 Helensart...........................................F18 hodusae..............................................F16 HollowRam........................................F15 Hong @ Metronome......................H14 Houk1se1..........................................H36 Hyde....................................................F13

I Injureddreams ................................... F7 Inkcheck Art..................................... D11 Inky Bamboo.....................................F12 Ippus................................................... B15 IRONPINKY....................................... B10 Itadaki_Yasu.......................................C3

AN!MENYC 2023 | A R TI ST A LLE Y

Expulse...............................................F33 EyYoJimbo......................................... E15

ItsJustSuppi.......................................F10 ItsKleine............................................... F9

J J Yang Art........................................... D32 J.K........................................................... F6 jaesti...................................................H17 jaizue..................................................H34 Janet Sung......................................... G10 Jarrett Melendez................................C5 JeanaDraws......................................H21 Jeluto.....................................................C6 Jessica Luna.........................................C4 Jessxjessdraws...................................C1 Jetty Jet Show, The......................... G12 jiadoesart.............................................E9 Jialing Pan........................................... D9 Jidou Art Studio..................................E6 Jimbobox........................................... B18 Jingyu...................................................I23 Jisu.........................................................E4 jiuge illustration................................E1 JM Dragunas..................................... C14 Joylychi & Alcie..................................J28 JustaSuta Art + Design.................................. E13 Jwijaya Art.......................................... H2

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

39

ARTIST ALLEY CONTINUED

AN!MENYC 2023 | A R TI ST A LLE Y

k009 comics..................................... G29 Kai Texel............................................ E14 Kamaniki........................................... B16 Kammie Pomeranian..................... G25 Kamochiruu...................................... G24 kan...................................................... G22 kan & ico..............................................I26 Kapymui............................................ G19 Karlovy Cross................................... G36 KatVanKit.......................................... G18 KawaiiChikkie.................................. G16 KDFoxx..................................................C2 KEHASUK........................................... G15 keiuu....................................................L21 KIKI Japan LLC.....................................G9 King Guro.............................................G7 kirabunni..............................................G3 kirvia...................................................H28 kissai.................................................. G26 kkaags................................................H25 klaeia..................................................H24 Klaius.................................................H20 Klimtsonian...................................... B11 Koi Doodles.......................................F25 Koyuki Panda LLC..............................G6 kozdoma...............................................K1 Kristin Kemper.................................L25 Kuronaken........................................H13 Kyomon...............................................L22 KYUPLS................................................ D1

L LA West...............................................I27 Lesliesuper.......................................H19 LessDraws........................................ D33 Lina Ngo............................................ G17 linvaniin.............................................H23 Lisa LaRose Art................................ B20 Litarnes..............................................H18 Lowah Draws...................................H16 LucidSky............................................ B23 Lulu VanHoagland.............................. I5 Lunarnia............................................H26

M Magister............................................ B12 Magpie Madness............................ A10 Maizi Huang..................................... G35

40

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

This guide was finalized in late October. Download the AN!MENYC App for the most up-to-date info at animenyc. com/mobile-app/

Makohouse.......................................H15 Mallius............................................... G20 Maobabie..........................................H10 Mark Dos Santos Art.......................J27 Matsumoto Art...................................B4 May Zheng Art................................. G34 Mazamuno........................................ G21 MC Substantial................................... F2 Melanbread...................................... G13 Melty Imp............................................. F5 Meltyrice............................................. H9 Memorille............................................ H7 miaocherii............................................G2 Migmats Art....................................... H3 Migzy Co..............................................I28 Mike Luckas....................................... D5 Min Park..............................................I25 Mirshroom..........................................I24 Misterie Krew....................................I22 Monchipon.......................................... H5 Mookart...............................................I21 mookie................................................. H8 Moon Lair Studios............................I19 Moonstruck Shop.............................I18 MooreWarmth..................................... I8 moosaicc........................................... G14 mothcharm........................................F26 Munette...............................................J11 Mushi-v...............................................J14 MUSINGS.............................................J17 Muto+Shan........................................F35

N Nachoz ................................................I16 NANCEBAOZI LLC..............................I11 Natsukashiiart...................................J20 NattyCat .............................................J23 Nemupan........................................... G28 Nunar...................................................I15

O Oastlv..................................................... J5 Oddjobs................................................. I6 ofSkySociety........................................ J8 oimo buster........................................I13 Olivia Hintz Art..................................I12 onedayfour....................................... K14 ONIONLABS.........................................E3 oofmel..................................................I10 Opal Lines...........................................J26 oxcoxa................................................ B25

P

Paperlarva........................................ B34 para049................................................. I7 Paroro & Alpaca..............................H30

IMAGE CREDITS: LEFTFIELD MEDIA

K

rainubrew............................................ F4 RaiZArts ..............................................J19 Remirii.................................................J18 Rica Takashima Arts...................... K17 Rideth_mochi Illustration.............J16 riiein....................................................L14 Ringo....................................................J15 Ririmon.............................................. B24 RISD Animanga Illustration Club.................................................. C30 RKSHI................................................. B19 Robo7 ................................................ A20 robodumpling....................................J12 RobotCat........................................... B35 rose besch......................................... C20 RTRIGGER...........................................J10

Quirkilicious Inc.............................. E11 Quisteen..............................................J21

Sabii borno .......................................L19 Sarah Miller Creations.....................E7 Sarieu, Artwork By......................... G11 SAU........................................................ F3 Senpai Sauce........................................ J9 SENPAPI-SAMA................................... J7 Sewer Betta.......................................... J4 Shiroi Room.........................................B5 Shiyi Art..............................................F32 SHOURIMAJO....................................... J3 shouukyun............................................ J1 SHUILILY............................................ K28 SirDinhosaur.......................................K3 sonyalei............................................. B13 SOUR.KO.............................................L20 Starbottle.............................................K4 Steph Bulante.................................. G32 Steve Yurko........................................ D4 Stinkytown....................................... K25 Strawberry Macchiato.................. K24 stripedpants........................................K6 Studio Toroshi................................. E33 Sudibear ..............................................K7 SugarFree by Kamui...................... K22 Sugarmints..........................................K9 Svvlinh............................................... K21 Sweet Mildred................................. K10 swoomiko......................................... K19

R

T

R. Trigger........................................... B31 Radhia Rahman & Vicki Xu............. L5 radiostarkiller ................................. E36 Raiko...................................................... L2

TabbyAddams Illustration............L23 Tee on................................................... D6 Tetocco Illustration LLC................ B26 thanhuki............................................ K18

Pascual Productions.......................... I4 Patabot & Naomi Romero Art.....H27 PaulWalcottArt..................................K5 P-Curly................................................... I9 Peachcalamari....................................K8 Peachfrosty.......................................... I1 Pegushi.............................................. D36 Penelopeloveprints...........................B1 Pidjun................................................. A15 pineapplebread................................... J6 Plumli & Roo...........................L11 PocketBean LLC............................... C28 Pokomero Art.....................................J25 poxei...................................................... L8 prince revenant + Jakface..............J24 psychosnroses...................................J22

Q

U Ukiyo-e Heroes..................................B7 Universalist LLC, The..................... K13

V Velinxi................................................... L1 Velvet KT.............................................. L3 Vinylesque........................................ K20 Vivi’s Art............................................ K11 Vonnabeee........................................ D34

W

AN!MENYC 2023 | A R TI ST A LLE Y

S

Timeskip Studio.............................. K12

Waytoopastel..................................... L4 Whispwill.......................................... C17 Winnie is Pink + bokchois............................................ L6

X Xeph’s Artworks.............................. G30 xinillus.................................................. L7 xpori....................................................... L9

Y yeehaw...............................................L10 Yeurei................................................. G31 Yien Yip Ilustrates...........................L12 Ying’s Art........................................... B30 Yuari.................................................... G23 Yueko...................................................L13 YUGAN................................................L15 Yuke Li Studio...................................L16 Yulicechan ...........................................C7

Z Zack Davisson.................................. C35 Zensoko..............................................F36 Zzyzzyy...............................................L18

AN!MENYC 2023 | DEN OF GEEK

41

POLICIES

We want Anime NYC to be fun, and part of it being fun is keeping you secure.

If you’re coming in cosplay or bringing a cosplay prop to Anime NYC, please read our cosplay rules first. Cosplay is a huge part of anime culture, and we don’t want to limit your creativity, but we want to make sure you and everyone at Anime NYC is safe.

⊲ Costumes must be appropriate

⊲ Prop weapons are allowed at

⊲ Naked isn’t a costume. Anime

⊲ Cosplay, costumes, and apparel

to wear in public – if you can’t wear it on the streets of New York, you can’t wear it in Anime NYC.

NYC is an event which will draw fans of all ages, including those under 18.

⊲ No bare feet. Can be shoes, flip

AN!MENYC 2023 | PO LI C I E S

flips, etc, but some form of foot coverings must be worn.

⊲ No signs offering services or making requests to be hugged or touched.

⊲ Harassment of any kind is not

welcome at Anime NYC. Any costume intended to harass, provoke, or intimidate isn’t allowed.

⊲ Prop firearms are allowed only if they can’t be mistaken for real weapons. If it looks like a real gun, it cannot come into Anime NYC. Realistic prop guns with brightlycolored caps are not allowed.

⊲ No cap guns, airsoft guns, or BB guns at all.

Anime NYC as long as they’re made of cardboard, foam, or similar light material.

associated with Nazis and organized hate groups are not allowed at Anime NYC. Absolutely no swastikas. Absolutely no SS emblems or uniforms.

This includes any sort of “ironic” or satirical costumes that re-appropriate Nazi paraphernalia.

This includes cosplay of Nazis from fiction. It doesn’t matter if it’s from an anime, a video game, or a movie, if it’s a costume with a Nazi insignia on it, it’s not allowed at Anime NYC. You can cosplay as characters from Indiana Jones, Captain America, Hellsing, etc. as long as you’re not cosplaying as Nazis. If you look to cosplay as characters from media set in alternate versions of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, the same rule applies. Absolutely no swastikas.

Absolutely no SS emblems or uniforms.

The Official Anime NYC Mobile App is your digital senpai for the most up-to-date information on guests, schedules, exhibitors, artists, panels, and more during Anime NYC! The printed program guide goes to press early and can’t be changed, so get the most accurate information when you download the app to stay informed on what’s what and who’s where!

42

DEN OF GEEK | AN!MENYC 2023

ANIME NYC IS FOR EVERYONE

Our events are intended to be inclusive, welcoming, and open for all fans. We believe all of our fans should be free to be themselves.

Anime NYC is an inclusive and safe space!

We pride ourselves on providing an inclusive and supportive environment where all people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect.

We expect all parties associated with our events to behave appropriately throughout the year and require that all individuals associated with our events act in a considerate, respectful, and collaborative manner.

Demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior is not permitted.

Cosplay is for everyone!

We discourage cosplay gatekeeping of any kind at our events. Please encourage fans to participate at their existing level of cosplay, no matter your subjective opinions on their craftsmanship. However far along they are with their costume, and whatever way they choose to fly their cosplay flag, encourage your fellow fan with a friendly “Come on in” attitude! All of our policies can be found in full here: https://animenyc.com/policies/

Scan the QRcode to download the AN!MENYC at animenyc.com/ mobile-app/

Read the manga that inspired the anime!

Story and Art by Yoshifumi Tozuka

Volumes 1–13 Available Now! UNDEAD UNLUCK © 2020 by Yoshifumi Tozuka/SHUEISHA Inc.