Anime Boston is almost upon us! If you’re coming up to the city for a weekend at the Hynes, be sure to drop by one or more of my panels to say Hello!

Update (Thursday 18 March 11:30 pm): Time for “Hentai Manga” panel has been moved later into the night.

Update 2 (Monday 22 March 9:30 am): Location for “Anime Themes” panel changed. Also, time for “Cowboy Bebop” panel moved earlier in the afternoon.

Update 3 (Monday 29 March 11:10 pm): Time for “Intro and Ending Themes” panel has been moved earlier in the day.

Friday 12:00 pm noon (Panel 302) – Introduction to Anime Intro and Ending Themes

Friday: 5:30 pm (Panel 306) – After Cowboy Bebop: The Works of Shinichiro Watanabe

Friday/Saturday 1:30 am (Panel 202) – Chains, Trains, and Happy Endings: Japan’s Underground Sex Culture (18+)

Saturday 6:00 pm (107 Panel 6) – On the Road for Anime Pilgrimages

Saturday 10:00 pm (Panel 202) – Impact of Evangelion

Saturday/Sunday 1:30 am (Panel 202) – Hentai Manga: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (18+)

Sunday 1:00 pm (Panel 202) – From Antisocial Loser to Economic Hero: The History of Otakudom

Sunday 2:00 pm (Panel 202) – Anime in Academia

Word came in today that I’ll be speaking at Ignite Boston 7.

I’m going to be speaking about Japanese fans’ affinity for 2D chicks at Ignite Boston 7 next week on Thursday 4 March 2010. If you can’t make it to Boston, the event is part of Global Ignite week, so the video will be streamed live online and eventually posted on the upcoming Ignite video portal.

Registration (it’s free) and info is here: http://microsoftcambridge.com/Events/IgniteBoston7/tabid/287/Default.aspx

But quick info for those disinterested in clicking links:

Ignite Boston 7 will be Thursday, March 4, 2010 from 6pm to 9:00pm. The event will be at Microsoft’s newest campus, the New England Research & Development office (NERD) right in Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA.

Since there is limited space at the venue, you must RSVP on this page to have an opportunity to get into the event; but admission is on a first-come/first-served basis (to account for RSVPs who end up not making it; we don’t want to waste spaces). By RSVP’ing you will also be entered for a chance to win $300 worth of O’Reilly books of your choice. You must be present to win. There will likely be other items like tee-shirts and other promo items for those who alert us ahead that they plan to attend. If you plan to attend, and do not RSVP you will be put in the ‘wait-list’ queue.

I’ll be talking about Internet memes, niche video games, and really bad imitations of foreign food in Japan (yep, the last one does tie in). Check out the panel description below.

Memes, Microcultures, and 2D Chicks: Our Future in the Otaku Gamer
Saturday 27 March 2010, 1:30 pm, Wyvern Theatre (Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA)

A singing idol who doesn’t exist. Perverted text adventures boasting dozens of female prizes. And a popular, anime-tized evolution of the classic Space Invaders shooter that has spawned a global fandom. Japan’s subcultural players are obsessed with games that, well, aren’t actually about the gaming. Alex Leavitt (Comparative Media Studies, MIT) explains how a new generation of entertainment is succeeding in a market which chooses to de-emphasize the games in favor of the characters. And as the Japanese fans influence the industry through their own amateur initiatives, what will the future of American gaming hold when online fandoms adopt similar appetites?

Today is the deadline for panel submissions, and last night I sent in three presentations that will hopefully make it onto the schedule in a few months. Check them out below!

1) Memes, Microcultures, and 2D Chicks: Our Future in the Otaku Gamer

A singing idol who doesn’t exist. Perverted text adventures boasting dozens of female prizes. And a popular, anime-tized evolution of the classic Space Invaders shooter that has spawned a global fandom. Japan’s subcultural players are obsessed with games that, well, aren’t actually about the gaming. Alex Leavitt (Comparative Media Studies, MIT) explains how a new generation of entertainment is succeeding in a market which chooses to de-emphasize the games in favor of the characters. And as the Japanese fans influence the industry through their own amateur initiatives, what will the future of American gaming hold when online fandoms adopt similar appetites?

2) Exploring International Geek Cultures Through Games

Even in the era of Internet forums and online gaming communities, our understanding of how and why geeks come together through games is pretty pathetic. From Europe to Asia to America, this panel takes a look at the technological environment in which gamers grew up and the transnational space in which geeks play today. Join Alex Leavitt (Comparative Media Studies, MIT) as he moderates a discussion between Philip Tan (Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab), Prof. Mia Consalvo (Visiting Professor, MIT), and Dr. Clara Fernández-Vara (GAMBIT) on the modern convergence and recurrent differences of the national geek factions that make up the global gaming ecosystem.

3) Trolling the Tubes: Culture Hacking Through Online Gaming

Thousands of Internet users cultivate pixelated gardens in Farmville, raise cyber-chickens in Second Life, and earn livings on Mechanical Turk without realizing that they are changing the face of online culture. From FreeRice to OKCupid, from gold miners in China to 4chan-ers in America, Alex Leavitt (Comparative Media Studies, MIT) takes a look at how online communities are redefining our friends, reorganizing our lives, and restructuring our society into a gaming culture. What will the future of the Internet look like when social networking might mean a social battleground of bots, trolls, and colorful flamewars?

But then off again to Anime Expo!

Sorry for the aberrant hiatus, everyone. Been really busy in the past few weeks with:

- Open Video Conference, where I spoke about the anime fandom’s balancing act of video culture and copyright law
- Web Ecology Project: We released a white paper full of quantitative analysis about how ideas move in the discourse regarding the Iranian Election on Twitter
- Hanging out in NYC with the crew from my Kyoto study abroad group (KCJS)

I really want/need to write articles this week, so I’ll try to get a lot of content up soon. But I have a lot on my plate right now, specifically fandom research in California and drawing up grant proposals for fandom research in Boston and Tokyo.

Good news is that come Thursday I’ll be in Los Angeles, speaking at Anime Expo. I have four panels lined up, which are:

Anime and Manga in Academia
Saturday, July 04, 2009 6:00pm to 6:50pm – LP 2
Whether you have just begun studying anime and manga seriously or are already well into your studies, this panel will guide you on the path from fan to established Japanese popular culture scholar.

Introduction to Anime/Manga Studies
Friday, July 03, 2009 10:30am to 11:20am – LP 3
Ever wanted to write a school paper on religion in Naruto? Read a book on Neon Genesis Evangelion? Or even get a college degree in otaku studies? Come meet the members of the Anime/Manga Research Circle!

The Problem with Otaku
Sunday, July 05, 2009 12:00pm to 12:50pm LP 2
From 1980s science fiction geeks, the concept of otaku has wholly transformed in Japan and America. We’ll examine the history and controversies of the most crucial part of the anime fandom: the fans.

Without Watching the Anime: Opening & Ending Themes
Friday, July 03, 2009 6:00pm to 6:50pm LP 3
When we watch anime, we tend to ignore what begins and ends series. But these small clips matter too! We’ll discuss history and music, and show some of the most influential OPs & EDs out there.

The rest of my potential schedule looks like this:

Thursday
- Digital Manga Publishing Industry Panel & eManga Demonstration (will miss due to plane arrival)
- Kouga Guest Panel (may miss due to plane arrival)
- Morikawa Guest Panel (may miss due to plane arrival)
- Morning Musume Guest Panel
- Imaishi & Nishigori Guest Panel
- Right Stuf & Nozomi Entertainment Industry Panel
- eigoMANGA Industry Panel
- Japan’s Hottest Doujin Videogames
- Gainax Focus Panel
- The Making of Gurren Lagann Documentary

Friday
- Introduction to Anime/Manga Studies
- Mizushima & Kuroda Guest Panel
- Gundam: The 30 Year Anniversary
- Manga as High Art
- VIZ Media Anime & Manga Panel
- Evangelion 1.0.1 Panel (won’t have time to see the movie due to…)
- Without Watching the Anime: OPs & EDs

Saturday
- The Indecent Otaku Comedy Hour
- Nightow & Nishimura Guest Panel
- Digital Distribution of Anime & Manga
- FUNimation Industry Panel
- Anime & Manga in Academia

Sunday
- Directors Panel [or] Breaking Into Anime Journalism [or] Convention Feedback Session
- Crunchyroll Panel [or] SPJA Board of Directors Panel
- The Problem with Otaku
- Production I.G.
- Closing Ceremonies

Also, I’m still scheduled to speak on a number of panels at Otakon, so if you’re not available to fly out to California this week, I’ll see you in Baltimore!

For one, the Boston University campus is littered with electronic swiping stations, to ease the use of Convenience Points in its dining facilities (eg. Late Night Cafés, the George Sherman Union food court) and local shops (City Convenience). These purchasing outlets also account for cash and credit/debit cards. I want to focus on the latter of these here, and bring up the case of Boston’s CVS convenience stores. Each CVS has adopted card swiping machines that also allow for “touch-and-go” technology. Citizens Bank has specifically led a push for this sort of technology in their debit cards, with its PayPass program, where an individual may purchase an item at CVS, tap his card on the electronic reader (instead of swiping the card, inputting a PIN, and signing a receipt), and leave. The ease of use would be astounding if BU implemented the technology. Drawbacks? Yes. Cashiers would no longer be able to check if the ID being used correlated to the face of the individual using it. I don’t mean to abase cashiers, but checking IDs does not occur one hundred percent of the time. Citizens, though, does not assume that cashiers will check the debit card’s user. Responsibility remains tied to the owner of the card.

My purpose for this article, of course, it to respond to another article published in the Daily Free Press (Boston University’s student-run independent newspaper), entitled “Points could fund cab fare: student proposal.” The author, Lisa Merolla, describes the BU Student Union’s attempts to propose the ability to pay for cab fares with BU Convenience Points. Apparently Boston College currently possesses a similar system, though it remains fairly unused.

Over the past three years, I have not witnessed much advancement in the implementation of the Terrier Card’s abilities across campus. Yes, we have new swiping machines installed in the dining halls. It certainly is nice to be able to order Domino’s pizza or other entrees from Papa John’s early in the morning. However, as Merolla writes, “Some students said they would rather use their Convenience Points for more dining options.”

I agree. I lived in Danielsen Hall (check a BU map if you don’t know where the dorm… oh, wait, many BU maps don’t include Danni on its East Campus side*) for the duration of my first two years at BU. Each day I would cycle past Bruegger’s on the way to class in the morning. Last year, I passed by UBurger on my way home. Noodle Street. Lolicup. T. Anthony’s. Enough restaurants line BU’s campus that I am surprised the administration has not attempted to implement the inclusion of Convenience Points as a possible way to purchase food as these, may I say, delicious dining establishments.

* Disagree? Visit the Ziskind Lounge on the second floor of the GSU and search out the scale model of BU’s campus.

Dear Boston University,
You spent money to take a line out of our logo. Congratulations. You have united us all, by making each department’s letterhead the same. Wow. Just like before you changed the insignia. To unite us, why don’t you bring together the student population on an issue that people love to indulge in on a daily basis: food.
Sincerely,
Your Tuition-Paying Student

I don’t mean to judge *hacking cough*. What I mean to emphasize, though, is that the electronic ID of a college student in Boston carries a lot of weight. So I propose a radical step forward into the future of the university experience (and maybe someone in the School of Management can actually pull this together, since I’m just a lowly English major): the AcademiCard.

OK. Lame, you say. I spent about three minutes thinking up names for this thing. Don’t bash it yet (you should have accepted the CharlieCard already).

Boston and its outlying towns contain a good number of colleges and universities: Berklee, BC, Boston Convervatory, BU, Emerson, Emmanuel, Harvard, Lesley, MIT, Mass Art, Northeastern, Olin, Suffolk, Tufts, Wellesley, Wheelock (I’m skipping a dozen at least too). BU, let’s not unite the campus, but all of Boston. If you’re a sociable college student, I will assume that you have visited at least one of the formerly-mentioned institutions. And you’ve wanted to buy something. Of course, you lost your wallet at the frat party the night before, but thankfully you kept your ID in your sock, so you can get back into your dorm when you return home. So, for example’s sake, you’re stuck at MIT, with a BU ID and a growling stomach. You meander over to the Student Center, hop into LaVerde’s, and… your face drops. They only take MIT TechCASH.

Or, in the wonderful world of tomorrow, they accept the AcademiCard.

Imagine taking the #1 bus down Mass. Ave. to Harvard U, because you want to shop around the square for a few Christmas gifts. Your cousin goes to XYZ Community College, but you feel like giving him the chance to show off in front of everyone at the family reunion with his new Harvard University sweatshirt. AcademiCard, thank you for being so convenient. Buy clothing in Harvard Square, get lunch at the Subway on Northeastern’s campus, then come back to Shelton Hall, swipe in, and run up the stairs to pass out on the bed after an exhausting day of EASE OF USE.

The AcademiCard doesn’t have to remain limited to college campuses either. BU’s South Campus boasts an Economy Harvard next to a Dunkin’ Donuts. Why not be able to use your card there? (P.S. — MIT students can use TechCASH at Economy.) If you feel like walking down to Newbury Street and hopping into Urban Outfitters with those new friends you made over at Emerson, everyone can actually buy something with their respective cards.

Wikipedia tells me that more than 250,000 college students converge on Boston and Cambridge each school year. That’s 250,000 young adults that could start their own small economy. I submit: stop wasting time on creating individualistic privileges that not many students will use anyway (the cabbies deal with enough drunk kids every weekend, and we’re trying to make students use cabs more?). Universities have to look at the big picture. From a bird’s eye view, our schools are within minutes from each other. Why can’t we converge? We could pull an Internet and connect every college student via a series of tubes. No, scrap that. But I like the idea of a card (AcademiCard, or whatever you want to nickname it; we could even introduce uPoints) that is practical because it takes advantage of common sense.

If anything, BU, just rebuild the Taco Bell under Warren and let us use our Convenience Points there, please?