It took me a while to write this. New York Comic Con 2024 was months ago, and yet it’s still stuck in my head. That’s how you know an event made an impact, good or bad. Coming just after Anime NYC 2024, I had a chance to reflect and compare the two. Where Anime NYC felt balanced and well-organized, NYCC felt like it was in constant flux. It didn’t quite live up to 2023, where Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and its cast made headlines. But it wasn’t without its moments. There were highs. There were lows. And some downright confusing choices.
To be honest, it took some time for me to compile my thoughts; that’s how conflicted I was. A few months later, context was given, and it helped me understand the situation better. If the title was not already a giveaway, the way I would describe New York Comic Con 2024 is this: a roller coaster of emotions. A blend of high and disheartening moments. But before my personal experience, let me give a summary of New York Comic Con as a whole in 2024. It was a blend of all things culture, from games, comics, anime, and manga, and everything in between. You were not short of options. Going into it again as a medical press member, it was a mostly enjoyable experience. There were a few moments where ADA and medical access were not accounted for in certain booths and events, but not to the extent that it warrants major criticism from me or soured my experience.
Japan Brings Their Best To New York
One of the biggest surprises was Capcom showing up with a full demo booth for Monster Hunter Wilds. It’s been years since they had a presence at NYCC, so this was a big deal. The demo showcased both the single-player and multiplayer sides of the game, and finishing it earned you a pin. While I’d played a public beta before, nothing beats playing next to other people in person. The massive Seikret model was also a highlight; detailed and mountable for photos. The staff deserves credit for accommodating medical and ADA attendees at this booth.
Capcom didn’t stop there. Over the weekend, the Executive and Art Director for Monster Hunter Wilds held a meet and greet. Attendees received a signed poster and were allowed to bring one additional item. I brought my copy of Monster Hunter Rise and a shikishi autograph board. It even gave me a chance to use my Japanese, and the director and translator complimented my pronunciation. A truly joyful moment.
Another major highlight was concerning Bleach. Namely, the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc. An arc that had waited nine years since the original broadcasts and was thought to be finished. Fans were excited to see a series since their high school days make a return. But more so here at New York Comic Con. It was because of the Japanese voice actors for the two main characters, Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryu Ishida, Masakazu Morita and Noriaki Sugiyama, would be appearing for a panel and a meet-and-greet. The panel for the show was as you expected, and it required a reservation before attending. Morita-san has appeared at New York Comic Con before, but this would be the first time Sugiyama would appear in New York. So this would be a must-attend for many fans. At the panel, both talked about the show and how the studio, Pierrot Films, is now going for the quality of movies, and how it reflects on the show. They even did live dubbing sessions of moments throughout the series.
While a highlight, it also contained a low that balanced the experience. One is during the panel while covering the event, basically, the no-photography policy. Kind of going back to what I reported last year. Understandably, it is to maintain the privacy and respect of the voice actors. On the other hand, people will take photos regardless and post them on the internet, not caring. For respect and safety, no photos of the panel will be included. But again, for press members, please have a dedicated section so you would know who is allowed to take coverage of the event. Hopefully, this can be remedied.
Another downer moment was the meet and greet. This was chaos, and the fault fell on the organizers of ReedPop, in my opinion. They were right to put the two in the lower hall, where general celebrities and actors were to meet. However, they severely underestimated the fandom and how many would attend. You would have a place where there were already a lot of attendees meeting other celebs. Now you would add two more actors, if not the biggest in the anime community at the moment, to a free meet and greet, and it was first-come, first-served. You already know how this would go, as it blocked so much traffic that Javits Center staff had to get involved. While I did manage to meet the two, it was just barely. And unfortunately, Sugiyama was not feeling well at the moment, so it was cut short for those still on the line waiting. So, Viz Media and ReedPop, please consider assigning a bigger space, if not a separate hall, in the future when bringing a star-studded duo like the two. Please treat your overseas guests like you would Chris Evans, Jack Black, or other big names.
Other nice moments were meeting the Animation Director and Producer of the movie Overlord: Sacred Kingdom, Naoyuki Ito, and Kentaro Hashimoto. The line was not massive, and it went easily enough. Ito noticed my Hentai shirt, which was a fun moment. Getting a signed poster from the two was a nice moment. Another nice moment was the Dragon Ball Daima panel. Since this was the last project that Akira Toriyama was involved in before his passing, I wanted to see what it was about. Monica Rial, voice of Bulma, and another hosted the panel. Executive Producer for Daima, Akio Iyoku, made an appearance alongside voice actors Stephanie Nadolny and Aaron Dismuke. Stephanie would be returning to voice young Goku as she did prior, and Aaron would be voicing the new character Glorio in the English dub.
So, in terms of Japanese culture, the anime and manga side was good for the most part. Minus the few downer moments and traffic jams of the meet and greet. Foreshadow, this will not be the only one.
Teen Titans, Voice Actors, and Sean “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin
A goal that I set here was to meet the rest of the voice cast of the Teen Titans. I met Tara Strong already, but it would be the first time meeting the other members, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Greg Cipes, and Hynden Walch. This would be the first time in a while that they appeared at a convention together. They would also be holding a panel for the 400th episode of Teen Titans Go. The panel was great, and the use of claymation for the episode was stellar. I wasn’t a fan of Teen Titans Go, but I can respect the commitment and the meta humor.
Simply put, it was an absolute pleasure meeting them. Tara was just as lovely as always. Scott is just a fantastic and cool guy to meet. I had him sign my copy of Tales of Symphonia, as he voiced Lloyd Irving. Tara was ever so kind as to sign my game for Presea Combatir. Khary Payton is just as cool. I discussed with him the first episode of Teen Titans and how the line of “Sonic Boom” still resonates with me. I also thanked him for his work as the King Penguin in the Super Mario Movie. Hynden Walch is so nice. I spoke to her about her roles like Starfire and Viridi in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Kinda sad that you cannot take pictures with her, but it was her wish.
Did you think that cameo episode in Teen Titans Go was a lie? No, she does mean no pictures. Last is Greg Cipes. For the uninitiated like myself, I was not aware of the health problems and prior skin cancer diagnosis he had faced. I felt like a jerk for not knowing. When meeting him, you can see him in a calm and collected state with his beloved dog. So, no personalization on autographs. He was just like a monk. Calm, in the moment, and just an overall vibe that was content and in tune with himself. At the time of writing, sadly, he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s. But he is keeping with the faith and good vibes and getting treatment. So far, he is just overall positive vibes and is confident he can beat this. So when you do meet him or see his socials, be patient with him and just send him some love. He is amazing as Beast Boy and an amazing human being. He doesn’t let his situation get him down, and that is something to strive for.
So aside from that meeting, there were also other voice actors at the convention. Yu-Gi-Oh was prominent, and they had the two main leads present. Dan Green of Yugi Muto and Eric Stuart of Seto Kaiba. I thought, why not meet them? At this point, I was already stretched thin on budget, and I hope a simple hi and gratitude were okay. Dan Green was warm and welcoming. I shared my experiences with his roles and how he was just inspiring. So that was a pleasure. Eric Stuart, on the other hand, was a bit cold and indifferent. I did say my gratitude, but he didn’t seem to mind. I guess he would be attentive if I were a paying customer. So it left me a bit down. So, note to self, if able, do buy something to help support voice artists and to help with communication.
Now, the next part is another roller coaster moment. As noted in the heading, Mr. Sean “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin would be making an appearance to promote his new comics and Bad Egg Publishing. He has done tours before in the US, but this would be the first time here in New York. One of the biggest stars on YouTube and he would be making an appearance. When first announced, he would be appearing on the main show floor at the Bad Egg Publishing booth. You can already tell this will not turn out well.
On the first day of his appearance, it was already chaos. When it was time, it was only then announced that you needed to have a wristband to see him. And that crowd was forming at an already crowded show floor. Sorry, ReedPop, you thought that a big YouTube star would be best at the show floor when it’s already packed? Naturally, attendees were angry and pissed about this, and the experience was just unpleasant. But thankfully, things improved greatly the following day.
On this day, I would find a moment that was just heartwarming and beautiful. So immediately beginning that day, I lined up and grabbed my wristband to meet Sean and Bad Egg Publishing. It went smoothly enough, and I bought a comic for him to sign. Thankfully, ReedPop moved the meet-and-greet to the bottom levels to avoid the crowding. While lining up as part of the ADA/Medical, another attendee with her mother, I presumed, was behind me and talking about the opportunity to talk to Sean.
Then a father and daughter appeared, and his daughter was in distress. The daughter wanted to meet Sean so badly that she was crying and wasn’t able to secure a wristband. The father was asking attendees on the line if anyone would be willing to part with their wristbands for a fee. I could tell he would go to great lengths to make his daughter happy. The mother behind me did an amazing and selfless act. She relinquished her wristband to give to the father and daughter. She explained that she was there with her daughter and that was enough. She didn’t need to meet and talk to Sean personally. The father was overcome with emotion and thanked the mother with incredible gratitude. The mother said that she understands the lengths a parent will go to to make their child happy. I will keep this moment in my memory, and I promised myself that I’d bring attention to that act of kindness. So if you are happening to read this, know that your act has not gone unnoticed.
So meeting Sean was an experience. Brief, but just a great moment. Naturally, I said to him my gratitude for his work and how he has been a great influence in the world, as well as bringing attention to mental health. To meet a figure that you grew up with is always a surreal experience. But he was so humble and warm that it was worthwhile. Especially when you consider his circumstances at that time. As his video mentioned, he had a bee sting on his eye. So the fact that he was calm when meeting me and his fans was commendable. He shared the same view that fault fell with the organizers for the initial chaos caused. Here is hoping that the organizers next time do research and understand that stars and celebrities outside the Hollywood sphere can attract crowds just as big, and place them in queue halls rather than the exhibit floor.
I took a picture with Sean and said I would be writing this memorable experience. He then had a panel with Bad Egg and explained the process and how the comics came to be. They explained the themes of mental health, self-conflict, and struggles with life and living. You can see the entire panel on the Popverse video here. Overall, it was an enlightening experience, and I am happy that I met one of YouTube’s heroes.
A Critical Future
New York Comic Con 2024 was a balanced event for me. It had its great moments and some downers. As if the title isn’t already clear. So if I were to choose between the two events of Anime NYC and New York Comic Con, I would give a slight edge to Anime NYC, due to Hololive and the Breaking Dimensions Concert. But Sean made it memorable and joyful. Plus, the rare faith-in-humanity-restored moments that happened, like the mom giving the father her wristband to give to his daughter to see Sean.
Now looking to 2025, how will it fare for conventions this year? A new year, new changes, the current world situation, and the economy being unstable. Will it affect the prices for tickets? Will the goods sold at conventions also be affected? What guests will appear in 2025? So far, we have confirmation that the cast of Critical Role will be making their return to New York. This also coincides with a D&D session they planned outside of the Javits Center on October 7. For now, it is all hypothetical, and it will be revealed in the coming days. My only hope is that ReedPop does listen to the criticisms and is aware of celebrities and stars outside the typical Hollywood circles. If the guest in question has passed 500K in any following, it should warrant a separate part of the center for their meet and greet, if able. I do hope that they learn from Sean’s gathering and know not to underestimate any fanbase, be it YouTube or the anime and manga industry.
Other concerns I have are minor critiques, like the general treatment of press members, but overall, I had a good time. Props to the staff, like Capcom, for great treatment of medical and ADA attendees. As I titled this retrospective, it was a roller coaster of emotions. Many highs and many lows. My wish is that New York Comic Con 2025 be steady and not have too many moments of discord and chaos. So as long as they improve on the flaws and keep general transparency to their customers, then ReedPop and New York Comic Con will be fine. Just like I mentioned in my New York Comic Con 2023 retrospective. Now hoping that after this article’s release, no major worldly events happen that change the course of this industry and make things difficult to bring smiles and enjoyment to the world. Here’s hoping that New York Comic Con 2025 will be a bright spot in an otherwise unstable year.
It’s only a few months away now. So we shall see… Until the asylum in New York opens up once again.
