This was my first year attending PMX, and I had a great time. As someone who isn't all that interested in anime but has gone to anime conventions for the other Asian pop culture stuff they usually have hidden away in the dark corners, I was very pleased to find a con where that "other" stuff is given center stage. Since I heard you guys were looking for feedback and ideas from attendees and I wasn't able to make it to the input session, here goes. Warning, this is going to be long:

- I really hope PMX will be in Long Beach again next year. Were it in the LBCC in 2004, I would have gone then, too. Anaheim can be oppressively hot in the late summer (the cosplayers must be melting), and the air quality gets pretty awful as well. The LBCC gets a nice sea breeze to keep things from getting too hot, and even aside of the comfort factor, the location really couldn't be much more ideal: it's nice facility, the nearby hotels are particularly well-kept, and it's got the new Pike right across the street. It's Disney-free, too.

- Rex Navarrete was great; I enjoyed him so much on Saturday that I went again on Sunday. I don't think I'm the only one who enjoyed him, either-- his performances had some of the highest attendance of anything I went to at the con, and the audience was incredibly enthusiastic. I'd definitely like to see either Rex and/or another comedian GoH next year.

- I'd also like to see more martial arts, of any style/culture (the martial arts demos were of the reasons I went to the con). The Chinese and Filipino presentations were both excellent, if a little short. I easily could have-- and would have liked to-- watched more of both. The Martial Arts History Museum panel was a little disappointing; the museum is a great idea but the presentation itself didn't grab me.

- Yami the origami guy was simply wonderful, and I've never seen origami like what I saw at the origami panel and booth. Incredible stuff. I hope to see Yami and friends next year.

- I enjoyed the eclecticism of the musical guests, though the performances themselves were a bit hit-or-miss for me. Corinne May was a standout; great songs, I would like to see her again if she comes back. However, the most memorable musical guest for me was Yousei Teikoku, hands down. For a visual-like band they may not have been quite "visual" in the traditional sense, but they were an extremely pleasant surprise. The quality of their music was exceptional, especially for such an "unknown" band, and I thought their sound was quite unique-- a rare thing these days in any musical genre. Definitely my favorite musical guest. In fact, I'd say they were my favorite thing at PMX, period. I truly hope you'll consider bringing them back next year, though it's a shame they were relegated to the club. Granted, their music was well-suited to that, but it seems like scheduling them for a less-obscure location and time slot would have boosted their attendance, considering the number of visual cosplayers roaming around during the daytime.

- Speaking of Club PMX, I'm still puzzled over why such a large portion of the music was the same American stuff that you can hear anywhere. For a dance at a convention dedicated to Asian pop culture, this frankly bordered on the ridiculous (I suspect this could even be part of why the club was dead on Saturday night and still not very well-attended on Sunday night). I really like the idea of having a nightclub-type dance for both nights of the con, but I'd suggest that the music fit with the convention's theme: surely, there's some Jpop, Cpop, Kpop, etc. that would be suitable?

Actually, what I'd really like to see would be a super eurobeat/para para club, or at least a few hours of the club devoted to that. Since this is something so unique to Asian pop culture (despite the music being made for the most part in Italy), I think it could be a great way to tie the club idea into the con's theme. This would be somewhat more involved than the current club setup since you'd need some "professional" para para dancers to lead the routines-- maybe even a workshop beforehand where interested people can learn a bit before the dance starts?-- but I think it could give the club a much-needed dose of uniqueness, and may even get some more of the wallflowers out on the floor since you don't need a partner for para para. Super eurobeat even ties in with anime due to things like Initial D.

- I think the con could use a lot more publicity/advertising. I read the LA Times almost daily and saw no mention of it whatsoever (or was it there and I didn't see it?); I'm glad I happened to pick up a copy of Sushi & Tofu-- which I don't even read regularly-- the night before the con or I would never have known PMX was happening the next day. It seems that PMX has a pretty good online presence, but there are still some of us Dark Ages types around who get most of our news about upcoming events from offline sources.

- I really like the idea of an at-con independent film festival. All I managed to catch of it was part of a documentary about otaku visiting Japan; I later realized that I'd missed several films I would really have liked to have seen. Alas, that's the price of having too many interesting things to do at once. I hope there will be another independent film fest next year.

- The exhibit hall was smaller than I expected, but a lot of fun and very "happening" for its size. Here again I really enjoyed the variety the con offered. I also like how there were things to see and do that weren't limited to just shopping, which is a great hook to get more people to hang out in the dealers' area longer and probably increase sales. The wrestling was very entertaining (I'd happily watch it again if it returns next year), and while the Airsoft "demonstration" was a little disappointing-- I was expecting something a little more elaborate and involved than just going into a vinyl box and shooting a single, stationary target-- I enjoyed it and it was certainly better than no Airsoft demo at all.

- I'd really like to see something to do with fashion and/or general trends and fads, i.e., a "What's hot in <insert country here> this year?" panel or presentation. How about a fashion show? With all the interest in cosplay and EGL, I bet at least some of that crosses over into a general interest in fashion (and if something fashion-related does happen, I hope men's styles are given equal time). This could also open the door for designer or model GoHs.

- As a suggestion for next year's musical lineup, have you looked into booking B'z? They've included California on two of their previous tours. I saw them at the Palace in LA the first time they came, and as good as they are on CD, they're simply phenomenal live. Outstanding stage presence, outstanding musicianship, extremely high energy-- and extremely popular. Their publicity was pretty minimal and they sold out the venue. Some people I talked to at the concert had actually come all the way from Japan just to see B'z perform in the US. I really think that B'z would be an excellent way to draw people to PMX; if the Palace was anything to judge by, they have a vast and enthusiastic "built-in" audience for SoCal performances, plus their sound is probably more accessible than most for those new to Japanese pop/rock. They've done the obligatory anime and drama theme songs, too. If you get B'z, I'll be there with (figurative) bells on.

Same goes for Buck-Tick, though I admit they may be more of a longshot since I don't believe they've ever played in the US. I do think Buck-Tick would be a very good choice if possible, though; aside of being one of my personal favorite bands, I think they'd have wide appeal at PMX. They're one of the founding fathers of the visual genre and yet look "normal" enough nowadays that you wouldn't have to risk alienating the non-visual audience, they've done at least one anime song (I hate having to qualify bands with anime songs, but I'm sure it does increase their appeal in the States), and they seem to have some following among American new wave/goth/industrial fans. They've been around for twenty years now-- a bit longer even than B'z-- and considering the quality and intelligence of their music, it's no wonder.

Also, how about L'Arc~en~Ciel? I'm not personally as enthusiastic about them as I would be about Buck-Tick or B'z, but I'd definitely see them if they came to PMX. It seems like they might be the easiest major Jrock-type band to book; after all, they're on Tofu Records now and played at an anime con in the US.

I'd also happily see almost any visual-style band. I hope there will be at least one at next year's PMX too.

And that's (finally) about it. I enjoyed myself greatly and look forward to next year-- particularly to the musical guests and the wide, much-more-than-just-anime variety of other entertainment. Here's sincerely hoping that you guys hold the next one in Long Beach too.

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-05 AT 07:41 PM (PDT)
 
I'm not 100% sure if PMX will be in Long Beach again, but it's likely going to happen since many others enjoyed the location as well.

Rex Navarrete had a good response as the beginnings of branching away from an anime-themed convention. If we had another GoH in relation to comedy, my hopes go towards getting Dat Phan, who is known to many from "Last Comic Standing".

As for Club PMX, I think the major flaw was that we got DJs from KIIS-FM and Power who normally work with generic every-day music of hip-hop, rap, and pop. Unfortunately, most of our attendees are into foreign upbeat music, trance and techno. (As one attendee said to me, "DDR or Initial D music.") So you're not the only one with that impression.

In relation to advertising in newspapers like Los Angeles Times, I believe the main reason is the common age-range who reads them and the cost. If I'm not mistaken, the common person who reads the LA Times or the Orange County Register is in their thirties or fourties. This may be bias and ignore those who aren't of that age, but at this point, PMX has to selectively choose their "battles" wisely until it is well-established and secured.

Lastly, for the bands you named, I have to note that any band under the Sony label such as L'arc en Ciel are unlikely going to come to PMX next year for various reasons. However, request for bands from the Avex label are welcomed.

Thank you very much for the wonderful feedback that you have given us. In our second year, a lot of the programs we've done so far are a grand experiment in giving our attendees variety. I'm glad that many of the new things we've done this year appealed to your tastes.

In response:

- We will definitely try to have origami back as a regular part of cultural programming.
- There will be an expansion of the Martial Arts track.
- Fear not! We are currently scoping out our next Comedian Guest of Honor.
- We have something "fashion related" up our sleeve (no pun intended).
- We like Long Beach very much as well.

Please continue to check our website for updates. Thanks again!

A PMX 2006 CONCERT T-SHIRT! You know you want one (or two)! http://pacificmediaexpo.info/2007/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=39&Itemid=79

>Anaheim can be
>oppressively hot in the late summer (the cosplayers must be melting),
>and the air quality gets pretty awful as well. The LBCC gets a nice
>sea breeze to keep things from getting too hot, and even aside of the
>comfort factor, the location really couldn't be much more ideal

Actually, speaking as a cosplayer here...

The location is only ideal if you're staying at the Hyatt hotel, because it's RIGHT next to the convention center and holds its own share of convention functions.

Long Beach is actually way too windy for costumes in my opinion. Having to walk any distance (which you're going to be doing if you aren't staying at the Hyatt) causes wigs and hairstyles to get tangled and tousled around, costumes to get disheveled, and awkward accessories (like wings) to get blown around.

Anaheim is definitely hotter, but I just duck out inside the convention center whenever a con gets too hot for me The temperatures in Long Beach were usually nice during the day though, and I enjoyed them when the wind wasn't a factor. (Unfortunately, it usually was.)

While I think it'd be awesome if PMX got a new location, I'll still attend next year even if it does stay in Long Beach; I'll just have to make sure that my friends and I get a room in the Hyatt. Thankfully, the awesome rates that PMX is able to get in their con hotels makes that a lot easier.

>This was my first year attending PMX, and I had a great time. As
>someone who isn't all that interested in anime but has gone to anime
>conventions for the other Asian pop culture stuff they usually have
>hidden away in the dark corners, I was very pleased to find a con
>where that "other" stuff is given center stage. Since I heard you
>guys were looking for feedback and ideas from attendees and I wasn't
>able to make it to the input session, here goes. Warning, this is
>going to be long:

Well, we need input to improve. The biggest plus to our size this year was that we could spend a lot of time talking to each attendee to find out what they want.

>- I really hope PMX will be in Long Beach again next year. Were it in
>the LBCC in 2004, I would have gone then, too. Anaheim can be
>oppressively hot in the late summer (the cosplayers must be melting),
>and the air quality gets pretty awful as well. The LBCC gets a nice
>sea breeze to keep things from getting too hot, and even aside of the
>comfort factor, the location really couldn't be much more ideal: it's
>nice facility, the nearby hotels are particularly well-kept, and it's
>got the new Pike right across the street. It's Disney-free, too.

We've been working with the LBCC and Hyatt for months and haven't been able to agree on a workable date. I suspect that we will end up in another city. We just don't have a lot more time to keep trying to work things out.

>- Rex Navarrete was great; I enjoyed him so much on Saturday that I
>went again on Sunday. I don't think I'm the only one who enjoyed him,
>either-- his performances had some of the highest attendance of
>anything I went to at the con, and the audience was incredibly
>enthusiastic. I'd definitely like to see either Rex and/or another
>comedian GoH next year.

I'd love to get another comedian next year. We just have to keep searching for comics who want to break into the mainstream. Rex was a rare catch, unfortunately, since he is a major comedian, we had to tag an extra little charge onto his performance.

>- I'd also like to see more martial arts, of any style/culture (the
>martial arts demos were of the reasons I went to the con). The
>Chinese and Filipino presentations were both excellent, if a little
>short. I easily could have-- and would have liked to-- watched more
>of both. The Martial Arts History Museum panel was a little
>disappointing; the museum is a great idea but the presentation itself
>didn't grab me.

We'll probably trim them down a little to focus on one or two major performances. I'm afraid there were too many for most people to fully digest.

>- Yami the origami guy was simply wonderful, and I've never seen
>origami like what I saw at the origami panel and booth. Incredible
>stuff. I hope to see Yami and friends next year.

I loved him, which is why I wanted to bring him to PMX from our local Cherry Blossom Festival in Monterey Park. I'm glad you liked him. We'll keep looking for cultural treasures like him.

>- I enjoyed the eclecticism of the musical guests, though the
>performances themselves were a bit hit-or-miss for me. Corinne May
>was a standout; great songs, I would like to see her again if she
>comes back. However, the most memorable musical guest for me was
>Yousei Teikoku, hands down. For a visual-like band they may not have
>been quite "visual" in the traditional sense, but they were an
>extremely pleasant surprise. The quality of their music was
>exceptional, especially for such an "unknown" band, and I thought
>their sound was quite unique-- a rare thing these days in any musical
>genre. Definitely my favorite musical guest. In fact, I'd say they
>were my favorite thing at PMX, period. I truly hope you'll consider
>bringing them back next year, though it's a shame they were relegated
>to the club. Granted, their music was well-suited to that, but it
>seems like scheduling them for a less-obscure location and time slot
>would have boosted their attendance, considering the number of visual
>cosplayers roaming around during the daytime.

Thank you for the compliment! I'll forward it on to the people at Broccoli. Their preference was not to have a full concert, but instead be in a more intimate setting. If you are a big fan, the lead singer is also a seiyu.

>- Speaking of Club PMX, I'm still puzzled over why such a large
>portion of the music was the same American stuff that you can hear
>anywhere. For a dance at a convention dedicated to Asian pop culture,
>this frankly bordered on the ridiculous (I suspect this could even be
>part of why the club was dead on Saturday night and still not very
>well-attended on Sunday night). I really like the idea of having a
>nightclub-type dance for both nights of the con, but I'd suggest that
>the music fit with the convention's theme: surely, there's some Jpop,
>Cpop, Kpop, etc. that would be suitable?

Our idea was to bring in Asian-American artists and let them spin what they want. In this case, it was American music.

>Actually, what I'd really like to see would be a super eurobeat/para
>para club, or at least a few hours of the club devoted to that. Since
>this is something so unique to Asian pop culture (despite the music
>being made for the most part in Italy), I think it could be a great
>way to tie the club idea into the con's theme. This would be somewhat
>more involved than the current club setup since you'd need some
>"professional" para para dancers to lead the routines-- maybe even a
>workshop beforehand where interested people can learn a bit before the
>dance starts?-- but I think it could give the club a much-needed dose
>of uniqueness, and may even get some more of the wallflowers out on
>the floor since you don't need a partner for para para. Super
>eurobeat even ties in with anime due to things like Initial D.

That's a good thought.

>- I think the con could use a lot more publicity/advertising. I read
>the LA Times almost daily and saw no mention of it whatsoever (or was
>it there and I didn't see it?); I'm glad I happened to pick up a copy
>of Sushi & Tofu-- which I don't even read regularly-- the night before
>the con or I would never have known PMX was happening the next day.
>It seems that PMX has a pretty good online presence, but there are
>still some of us Dark Ages types around who get most of our news about
>upcoming events from offline sources.

I think the hardest thing for us was to find something to hang our hat on. Our GoH's all confirmed at the last minute, so we couldn't hit the early deadlines that the publications wanted. We're shooting to get the first names locked down in a few months so we can take out more ads. We probably won't shoot for a highly eclectic mix of entertainment just so we can focus on specific media targets.

>- I really like the idea of an at-con independent film festival. All
>I managed to catch of it was part of a documentary about otaku
>visiting Japan; I later realized that I'd missed several films I would
>really have liked to have seen. Alas, that's the price of having too
>many interesting things to do at once. I hope there will be another
>independent film fest next year.

We'll probably steer this back in the direction of original short videos. Some of the work was just way too long.

>- The exhibit hall was smaller than I expected, but a lot of fun and
>very "happening" for its size. Here again I really enjoyed the
>variety the con offered. I also like how there were things to see and
>do that weren't limited to just shopping, which is a great hook to get
>more people to hang out in the dealers' area longer and probably
>increase sales. The wrestling was very entertaining (I'd happily
>watch it again if it returns next year), and while the Airsoft
>"demonstration" was a little disappointing-- I was expecting something
>a little more elaborate and involved than just going into a vinyl box
>and shooting a single, stationary target-- I enjoyed it and it was
>certainly better than no Airsoft demo at all.

We know we don't have the critical mass to warrant a large exhibit hall. We would rather donate booths to Asian American organizations rather than flood the hall with too many anime dealers. It only guarantees that none of the dealers make enough to make it worth their while. Having a few dealers with good sales is our goal. Creating an entertaining hall with a wide range of things to do is our master plan.

>- I'd really like to see something to do with fashion and/or general
>trends and fads, i.e., a "What's hot in <insert country here> this
>year?" panel or presentation. How about a fashion show? With all the
>interest in cosplay and EGL, I bet at least some of that crosses over
>into a general interest in fashion (and if something fashion-related
>does happen, I hope men's styles are given equal time). This could
>also open the door for designer or model GoHs.

We've tried that, but without much success. We'll probably ramp up more EGL fashion panels and see if we can draw in some more people from the fashion schools.

>- As a suggestion for next year's musical lineup, have you looked into
>booking B'z? They've included California on two of their previous
>tours. I saw them at the Palace in LA the first time they came, and
>as good as they are on CD, they're simply phenomenal live.
>Outstanding stage presence, outstanding musicianship, extremely high
>energy-- and extremely popular. Their publicity was pretty minimal
>and they sold out the venue. Some people I talked to at the concert
>had actually come all the way from Japan just to see B'z perform in
>the US. I really think that B'z would be an excellent way to draw
>people to PMX; if the Palace was anything to judge by, they have a
>vast and enthusiastic "built-in" audience for SoCal performances, plus
>their sound is probably more accessible than most for those new to
>Japanese pop/rock. They've done the obligatory anime and drama theme
>songs, too. If you get B'z, I'll be there with (figurative) bells on.

>Same goes for Buck-Tick, though I admit they may be more of a longshot
>since I don't believe they've ever played in the US. I do think
>Buck-Tick would be a very good choice if possible, though; aside of
>being one of my personal favorite bands, I think they'd have wide
>appeal at PMX. They're one of the founding fathers of the visual
>genre and yet look "normal" enough nowadays that you wouldn't have to
>risk alienating the non-visual audience, they've done at least one
>anime song (I hate having to qualify bands with anime songs, but I'm
>sure it does increase their appeal in the States), and they seem to
>have some following among American new wave/goth/industrial fans.
>They've been around for twenty years now-- a bit longer even than
>B'z-- and considering the quality and intelligence of their music,
>it's no wonder.

Well, hopefully our music people are paying attention to this.

>Also, how about L'Arc~en~Ciel? I'm not personally as enthusiastic
>about them as I would be about Buck-Tick or B'z, but I'd definitely
>see them if they came to PMX. It seems like they might be the easiest
>major Jrock-type band to book; after all, they're on Tofu Records now
>and played at an anime con in the US.

We've talked about L'Arc with Sony, but the costs are through the roof. We learned with TMR that the mainstream bands

>I'd also happily see almost any visual-style band. I hope there will
>be at least one at next year's PMX too.

I really want to bring in one jrock band. I'd like to balance things out with at least one headliner of each type for each night of the con.

>And that's (finally) about it. I enjoyed myself greatly and look
>forward to next year-- particularly to the musical guests and the
>wide, much-more-than-just-anime variety of other entertainment.
>Here's sincerely hoping that you guys hold the next one in Long Beach
>too.

Thanks for all your support! Please feel free to share any other ideas and thoughts you might have. As a new con, we have to cater to a new generation of fans. We need to know what you guys want!

Mike

I really liked the location at Long Beach in the 2005 PMX more than the location at the LAX Hilton in 2006... but the 2006 events were just more strong. I'm thinking that if you do have it at the Long Beach convention center, it should be a 3 day event, but at the same time have good strong guests, like Olivia and Noiz, that would attract lots of people. But now that AX is no longer at Anaheim, you could also look into that as an option.
I would like to see PMX grow to a 3 day event with big name performers as well as an awesome dealer hall and 24 hour stuff. I also think that anime conventions should support the growing number of American Mangaka and start to inspire artists to start Comic Circles to make doujinshi like in Comic Market in Tokyo. I think that would elevate the creativity fast in this country.