Nippon 2007: day 2

[kate_nepveu]

Less cranky today. Still calibrating my expectations for this con.



I started the day with a panel on otherworld fantasy, but

1) it was being formally translated word-for-word, and it gradually became apparent to me that this had been accomplished by people *writing their remarks out ahead of time* and just reading them now; which was absolutely stultifying;

2) it was more about the business of writing than the process, which was less interesting to me.

Tidbits:

* Japanese writers get a lot more explicit pressure from publishers to write sequels or to extend stories. This is partly because if something gets adapted for anime, it has to fill at least 13 episodes.

* There are very limited short story markets in Japan.

Then I worked on my notes for one of yesterday's panels, tearing out large chunks of hair in the process when a crash lost most of my work, but eventually I finished and have posted them.

Lunch with rachelmanija, telophase, and other two people from the Henson Company. It was really good to meet them and catch up. Rachel was dressed very impressively; watch for the pictures.

Then I went to a panel on Yaoi v. Slash, a report on which is coming separately. (I've given up taking notes on the keyboard, but the paper notes ended up being pretty limited.)

I stopped in at Naomi Novik's interview, but I was too tired to stay awake during the times when it was being translated into Japanese. (I'm finding that harder than I expected, which I think is about how I usually relate to con panels, 100% active engagement.) So I bailed, wandered around for a while, and then just sat down and worked on my notes.

Dinner with Chad and mdevnich at a seafood place, which I feel guilty about because we've been trying to eat local food, but gosh, it was good.

Then we hit the art reception, where I saw a great piece by Hyuga Ishikawa, called "Xi You Ji" (online)--it was a four-panel work, very 3D, and even though I didn't recognize the title I saw that it was a priest, a monkey, a pig, and a kappa on a journey west. It was very energetic and impressive, and the more I looked at it the more I liked it.

Also, of course, Whelan and Amano are artist GOHs, so there was much of their work to admire. And stills from _Tales of Earthsea_ which look gorgeous, though I hear less than good things about the adaptation.

Then we went to the Australia 2010 bid party, because Chad and Melissa had both talked to some Aussies and thought it would be fun. (Chad actually came back last night with the words, "I fell into drinking with some Aussies. May God have mercy on my soul." And then fell over (not--quite--literally).)

That was indeed fun. I got to try out part of my spiel for my panel today, get a fanzine, and talk to a lot of people, sometimes putting faces to names and sometimes just meeting new people. Which was really good in contrast to yesterday's worry that it would be a very asocial con. And I think my voice has recovered from it, too.



Finally, I got back to find that a Fujiwara had made up the room today. (There is a little card that gets left each day with a blank for the room attendant's name.) How the mighty have fallen.

Comments

[cofax7]

"I fell into drinking with some Aussies. May God have mercy on my soul."

Hah!

I'm glad the social situation is improving. Sounds fascinating, if complex and exhausting as well.

And thank you for writing up your notes, as well as your travel commentary: it's been wonderful to follow you on your trip.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks! I'm making notes to myself about the overall experience and hope to post something more general at the end,

[cynthia1960.livejournal.com]

I'm curious. Did that person's surname use the same kanji as the Fujiwaras of the Heian era?

[kate_nepveu]

No kanji, the Roman letters "Fujiwara."

[keilexandra]

Oh, Xi You Ji! A very, very famous children's series/story/show in China, and probably in Japan too.

[kate_nepveu]

I, uh, only know it because of the manga _Saiyuki_ which is a riff on it.

[keilexandra]

Yup! Although the original Xi You Ji isn't half as pretty eye candy.