Anime Fair

     Curiosity and a daughter with a long-standing interest in anime compelled a trip to the convention center nicknamed Tokyo Big Sight. The Conference Tower (four inverted pyramids)  looks like a giant robot keeping Tokyo Bay safe from alien intruders. Like the Javits Center in NYC, this place requires hiking through endless hallways, hopping on moving walkways and navigating many escalators to get to the destination of choice. A few oddly dressed youngsters indulging in "cos play" (costume play) plus 54,000 other normally dressed folks led the way to the International Anime Fair 2010. Along the outside of the building, public art pieces by big names (ie Claes Oldenburg) broke up the long trudge to the atrium.

     For Y 1,000 or $12 (half price for students) a visitor could spend time with representatives from companies such as Studio Ghibli, the producer of classics "Princess Mononoke" and "Howl's Moving Castle." Toddlers were going gaga for Anpanman (Red Bean Man), a super hero whose head is essentially a jelly donut. The other hit for the under-five set was a soy bean character called Spring. Pokemon was in great evidence, with Pikachu receiving sloppy kisses from pintsize admirers. For the teenagers screens blasted coming attractions in 3D, booths offered giveaway tote bags as well as appearances by some of the actors and actresses, which created a feeding frenzy of keitai (cell phones) snapping photos of the celebs. Pillows in the shape of some of the shapely female characters sold out quickly. An Italian radio crew interviewed musume-chan (daughter) about what brought her to this Fair.

      After 90 minutes of this onslaught, it was time for a sit-down at the coffeeshop called Pronto. Gaijin (foreigners) at the next tables were exchanging telephone numbers, while nihonjin (locals) were cradling tote bags covered with illustrations of some Goth looking characters. Can it be a coincidence that tomorrow evening just one subway stop away I will hear Bob Dylan crooning at a hall called Zepp?