Anime Central started revealing their 2016 Guests of Honor yesterday, and to our surprise, three of them are Key-related: CEO Takahiro Baba, artist Na-Ga, and composer Shinji Orito will be attending the convention.
Anime Central is the largest anime and manga convention in the Midwest United States. It is held
Iâm so close to the convention center, yet so far⌠search for reliable transportation intensifies
Fingers crossed that I can make it. The last ACEN I attended was no joke one of the best days of my life, and meeting Key staff would probably beat that out.
Anime Central describing itself as the largest anime/manga convention in the Midwest is a bit modest⌠with last yearâs decline at Otakon, ACen is now the #2 con in the US by attendance and #3 in North America, behind Anime Expo and Anime North (although, to put things in perspective, AX is the size of the next three cons combined).âRosemontâ is also a little hard to find on a map â itâs in suburban Chicago, and is basically the east side of Chicago OâHare Airport, which is handy because it means all the con hotels have airport shuttles and you donât need to rent a car or take public transit (although just taking the L is indeed an option, since it has a stop right next to the main con hotel).
As for speculating, Iâm going to get my hopes up that theyâre here to launch a Kickstarter to localize Angel Beats! 1st Beat, using the same approach that worked so well for Muv-Luv last year.
And Iâll be there â Iâll be the guy hosting the Muv-Luv panel and crossplaying Rumbling Hearts. But now I need to figure what Key merch I want to get signed⌠all my Clannad, Air, Kanon, and Angel Beats! soundtracks are digital downloads from iTunes, so I donât have CDs.
OMG⌠That settles it, Iâm definitely going to Acen now. Luckily I have a group of friends who organize hotel rooms. Anyone want to do a Kazamatsuri meetup? Iâll be dressed as Youmu from Touhou.
Now what should I get signed? I canât decide between my LB artbook or game box.
Whaaaaaaat? =_= Ugh. I live close enough where I could make it work if I tried really hard, but ACEN is more chaotic than I really like so I have no faith that I would get to participate.
Then finally we can see Na-Ga in-real, I guess 
Maybe theyâll do a Harmonia release!
Itâs great news that Na-Ga and Shinji Orito will finally be appearing at a North American convention. Should be a lot of fun! I look forward to hearing what they have to say; Iâd expect to hear a lot of reflections on their past work, but I suspect theyâll also have an announcement in store⌠Guess weâll have to wait and see!
My first thought was that thereâs a chance theyâre there because Mangagamer might be announcing one of their games since Mangagamerâs PR account has him added to one of their lists. However, then I remembered theyâve got Hinoue followed and added to another list of theirs too which might not be right since itâs Na-Ga whoâs attending, not Hinoue.
It could be a new announcement, but Iâm more wondering if VA has any plans to announce release dates for Little Busters and Tomoyo After?
I honestly donât expect any announcements; after all, nothing was announced when they went to other conventions (at least, not announced to the public).
But if anything, it lets people in the USA talk to those three and I think itâd be a great experience overall. Baba is really fun to talk to and his enthusiasm is infectious!
Has anyone else made their plans to attend? I know several KEY fans going, but from here (thus far) it seems as though only @invalidname, @supercoobie, and I are a sure thing. I agree it would be a lot of fun to have a meetup there similar to what happened at Anime Expo last year!
SO whoâs in?! =D
Iâd love to try a Kazamatsuri irl meetup. I was already going, but this reveal really got me pumped.
Iâm going to be there on Friday, but probably not the other two days. But if we could meet on Friday Iâd be in for sure ^^
Sorry for going a bit off topic here, but if any Key fan would be interested in doing a meetup I made a thread here about that. I want to try to plan something so we can actually get together.
Looks like the panel was a success 
And baba is pretty buff
( https://www.facebook.com/VisualArtsUSA/posts/1604020436582779 )
Also it seems they confirmed during the panel that they are planning to localize Angel Beats somewhere down the road! No idea when yet, but seems pretty hype!
Day one at Anime Central is in the past, and as such I have prepared a recap for your perusal. Read on to discover what was discussed in VisualArtâs panel!
Day 1 - Friday, May 20, 2016
Upon arriving in Chicago Friday morning, I took a bus to the convention, collected my badge, and entered the main exhibition hall. Directly to the left of the entrance is the VisualArtâs booth, providing plenty of exposure to all who walk past. The booth size is comparable to what they had at Anime Expo 2015, though without the gallery area for displaying artwork.
Several of the staff members manning the booth were retained from the companyâs time at Anime Expo, helping to maintain the feel exuded from that event. I understood this also provided me an opportunity to ask about some of the goods in detail, so I inquired about some of their more unique items. While it was not advertised well, the wall scrolls being sold are all 1/1 convention-unique items made by the same renowned kakejiku-makers who produced the ones at sold at last yearâs international events and come in a traditional wooden box. There are only four pieces in total per event, and as of last night ACenâs had not been sold. You can see the boxes marked on top of the shelves in the photo below:
The Rewrite reflection art being sold is numbered to 30 with all pieces having been signed by Itaru Hinoue on the 5th of April, 2016. The artwork also comes with a quality frame. Na-Gaâs hardcover ârindouâ is serially numbered with a metal plate on the back cover, similar to what was offered at Anime Expo. It seems odd they did not mention this in any of their recent promotional material; it will be interesting to see if they make it more of a focus going forward.
I also noticed one item in a rather large, striking frame which was not mentioned for sale. I asked Ichinomiya (marketing/sales) about the item; he told me the item is a framed piece of Rewrite 3D-cut artwork which hangs in the offices of VisualArtâs. Similar to a dango they have brought around to events for years, they have also brought this framed artwork with them to conventions as a good luck charm. The item contained several notations including signatures and a note saying it is from their main office. I asked if the item was for sale, to which I was told ânot officiallyâ, but technically yes. They had discussed that is anyone inquired about the item (which, I might add, was largely hidden from view), they would be willing to part with it for $1,400. He stressed this was a true 1/1 piece with no additional copies made but also indicated they they had no intention of pushing for itâs sale. It certainly would be quite a collection centerpiece to a Rewrite or Key fan!
The plush dango (which are adorable & squishy-soft, btw), microfiber towels, and the âslightly damagedâ Clannad artbooks seem to have been the best sellers of the day, though the CDs and some of the other artbooks also sold well. Iâll add a photo of my purchases later on.
The main event of the day was the certainly the VisualArtâs panel conducted by Takahiro Baba, Shinji Orito, and Na-Ga. I arrived to the area approximately an hour ahead of time and was surprised to see only a small line of people, about a dozen or so. I chatted with those present as well as with some con representatives, but they didnât seem concerned.
The line of people one hour before the event.
As the convention approached, more and more people lined up, and soon two âlinesâ had formed to get into the main ballroom size presentation area. I would estimate the room was somewhere between 2/3 to 3/4 capacity at the start of the event. I could hear the strumming of a guitar inside the area as well, causing me to anticipate some live music by Mr. Orito. I continued to take pictures as some friends of mine snapped some of me as well
The lines of people shortly before the event.
VisualArtâs dictated some rules for the panel which were even stricter than the rules placed on attendees at Anime Expo. No photography or videos could be taken at any time of anything, a rule which was strictly enforced. People who even motioned as though they were going to take a picture or look at their phone were questioned, as a gentleman sitting near me experienced firsthand. Here is the only photo I was able to find of the panel area, courtesy of VisualArtâs:
The panel started out with introductions. Takahiro Baba came out wearing a grey suit, jeans, and an unbuttoned while collared shirt. Shinji Orito was wearing a white button-up with a lightweight blue sweater and a grey t-shirt while Na-Ga wore a black graphic tee with a black floppy-top baseball cap.
After everyone had become situated, Na-Ga announced he was going to conduct a live drawing of Angel Beatsâs Kanade, to which the crowd loudly applauded. He then exited the stage to an area where he could work on his illustration while having progress broadcast to the audience from time to time. (This setup was very similar to how Itaru Hinoue conducted her illustration at Anime Expo.) Takahiro Baba then began a presentation he made using VisualArtâs RealLive visual novel editor. While much of the content provided would be well known to Key devotees, some gems were offered as well. For instance, early on Baba explained, âWe are VisualArtâs. If you know us, you are an OTAKU.â The emphasis on âotakuâ caused the audience to erupt into raucous laughter. He also said they had determined the English name for Keyâs âcrying gameâ genre: âOnion Crying Simulatorâ!
Iâll summarize some of the more interesting points of the presentation for you:
Near the end of the presentation, Mr. Baba made two major announcements: First, Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de will be released within two weeks! Furthermore, Angel Beats! -1st beat- is planned for an English release. He finished the presentation by saying that as VisualArtâs transitions more into the anime sphere, they hope to be known as a company known for creating âanime about onion cuttingâ.
Throughout the presentation, the projectors switched from the slideshow to Na-Gaâs progress, to which he would respond, âHai! Na-Ga desu!â He penciled in Kanade, then inked her outline, and finally began coloring her in. As it stood, he needed more time to complete the image, so Takahiro Baba invited people to come up front and ask a question. I, along with a few others, accepted the invitation. My question was as follows:
âThis question is for Takahiro Baba. Youâve mentioned that you appreciate the passion that creators exhibit when pitching an idea to you, and that at times youâll accept riskier proposals if they are unique enough. Youâve also mentioned the importance of molding these creators from artists into entertainers. How does VisualArtâs accomplish this?â
Baba appeared to appreciate the question, saying that it is VisualArtâs goal to turn their creative staff into celebrities, and that once this happens, the rest will begin to take care of itself. While a seemingly simple answer, this talks to a core value of VisualArtâs success and is actually quite insightful. I thanked him for my answer before he called out as I walked back to my seat, saying, âI like your shirt, and the jacket!â I was wearing a t-shirt illustrated by Shinji Orito as a giveaway for the Key 10th Anniversary fes. with a 2007-edition Little Busters! jumper on top. I gave back a cheerful âYeah!â with a smile and a thumbs up, causing both Shinji Orito and Na-Ga to laugh.
Other interesting tidbits from the Q&A session included:
At the conclusion of the Q&A, the audience got to see Na-Gaâs finished Kanade illustration:
Note: Photo taken after the panelâs conclusion.
Naturally, everyone in the audience adored the final product, especially considering he completed the illustration in approximately one hourâs time. The autograph board/shikishi was made available (along with other prizes) to the winners of an audience wide janken (essentially, rock-paper-scissors) contest. once all the prizes (including a 6-plushie dango daikazoku set) had been won, the panel came to itâs conclusion.most of the audience made their way to the doors, while others, including myself, meandered our way over to the stage where the panelists were shaking peopleâs hands. As I was walking up, Shinji Orito pointed to my shirt and I said, âYouâre quite the artist!â We shook hands and he laughed, saying, âYes, artist!â Takahiro Baba said in English, âThank you for coming,â before adding, âNice shirt!â Na-Ga followed by extending his hand and saying, âLittle Busters!â referencing my jacket, I said, âYes, yes!â followed by a simultaneous âLittle Busters saikou!â
It was spectacular.
I walked away with a huge grin on my face from the interaction. I knew I had to wear the same ensemble for the autograph session the next day since it clearly made an impression. As I was leaving, Shinji Orito exclaimed. One of my friends was wearing a shirt saying âSubaru Rally Team USAâ, and it was clear he was trying to make an effort to converse, saying, âOh! Subaru! Daisuki Subaru! I own Subaru!â Again, it was great to hear him so excited with a fan.
After briefly retreading my steps at the convention hall, I returned to my hotel room to begin writing part of this post.
Day 2 - Saturday, May 21, 2016
VisualArtâs autograph session was held at 12-noon, though I decided to head on over at 9:30 to take a look around the convention hall. Most of the booths were in the process of being set-up, so the halls were eerily empty. The VisualArtâs booth went under some renovations as well with shirts and a Kanade wall scroll now hanging prominently in view for all to see. I noted that the wall scroll, while of identical quality to those seen at Anime Expo 2015, did not have the inscription âACenâ written on them, meaning they didnât have to be sold at this convention if demand was unexpectedly low. Regardless, it was clear they wanted to make their booth appear as attractive as possible.
At 10am con-goers began to file in and gather around the Visual Artâs table. When asked about an autograph line, the sales staff said to return 20-30 minutes before the signing. Of course that didnât last, but it still managed to prevent an semi-organized mob from forming for about an hour.
View from the VisualArtâs booth, 10:10am
View from the VisualArtâs booth, 11:10am
As the session approached, order was eventually achieved as a line was officially formed. The first 70 people in line (supposedly; I think they allowed for more) got the opportunity to present one item each to Takahiro Baba, Shinji Orito, and Na-Ga. For my friend and I, there was no question for the items we wanted to present, which included the Air & Little Busters! Analog collectorâs edition vinyls as well as an Anime Expo copy of Na-Gaâs rindou numbered out of 100.
Shinji Orito signing our albums; image courtesy of VisualArtâs
They talked amongst themselves about the album and again about my shirt with Takahiro Baba asking Shinji Orito if he really illustrated the design on my shirt to which he sheepishly replied in the affirmative, partially covering his face with his hands. Personally I like the design, much of which could be seen in the photo here:
After meeting up with some friends and CLANNAD cosplayers I headed over to the press event, getting a seat in the front row. Surprisingly, Na-Ga did not attend until the conclusion, meaning all questions were fielded by Takahiro Baba and Shinji Orito. Even so, the interviews took up the entirety of the allocated time, and I was able to have several questions answered.
Press photo courtesy of VisualArtâs
My questions were as follows:
Q1 to Shinji Orito: It has been several years since OTSU has released an album. Are there any plans to revive OTSU in the near future?
A1: OTSU (pronounced how it sounds, not as letters) was founded because Orito felt he could create an event suited for clubs. This was before KSL Live World, which turned into a much larger and more popular type of event. As OTSU was able to lead the path to KSL Live World, Orito and Baba feels itâs mission has been fulfilled and that no more OTSU albums are expected to be released. However, a small possibility remains for revival, as he says he loves club music and would be open to working on one if an opportunity arises.
Q2 to Takahiro Baba: Youâve been quoted as saying you formed VisualArtâs as a game company franchiser to eliminate developer inefficiencies by providing creators with a team of experienced personnel. From your experience, what is the area fledgling game companies most often overlook or need assistance with?
A2: Baba indicated many startup studios may not be aware of what their limits are. ~âEven though every creator is inspired by the games they love, their experience and ability do not match their motivations. We offer guidance with that, allowing them to focus on game development with less distractions.â
Q3 to Shinji Orito: You have often said that Tori no Uta is the gold standard by which you compare your work. What would you consider a perfect composition?
A3: Orito indicated he doesnât think there is such a thing as a perfect composition, instead always wishing to strive beyond what has already been accomplished.
Q4 to Baba & Orito: In a recent interview, Lia said she was discovered at a studio in Los Angeles and that another was intended to try out for a singing role, eventually Tori no Uta. How did you determine she was the right person for the position?
A4: After speaking with the VisualArtâs representative, Lia was given a chance to win the position by submitting a demo tape to Iâve Music [a VisualArtâs subsidiary]. Shinji Orito said, âMany Iâve demo tapes were received and hers was the best.â Takahiro Baba continued, âLia was living in California and we wanted to record in Los Angeles at the time, so it also proved convenient.â [Note: In Japan, recording in L.A. is considered very significant. It helps establish the aura that a song or artist is significant. Recording in Los Angeles indicates how serious they were about Tori no Uta.]
Q5 to Shinji Orito: Can you describe to us a time when you struggled composing a song but decided to continue with its development due to a vision you wished to fulfill?
A5: With a pained countenance due to remembering challenging work, he said ~âActually not Tori no Uta. Every time I open up my mental drawer, there is less and less to draw from. A recent example of a song would be âOrpheusâ.â He mentioned that it was written to commemorate VisualArtâs 20th anniversary, a momentous occasion, and therefore he felt intense pressure to do an excellent job. The lyrics for the song were written by Takahiro Baba himself.
The majority of the questions were asked to Takahiro Baba despite mine slanting to Shinji Orito. Based off of this tweet, he seems to feel a bit self conscious about how he answered the questions. Personally, I thought he did an excellent job despite having to consider his answers quickly. (Donât feel bad Mr. Orito, you did great!)
Other interesting responses from the press event were as follows:
As the press session concluded, President Baba gestured towards me, saying, âI did not expect such knowledge of our games! Specific questions! I expected them to be more general.â I responded by saying, âWhen you love something, you dive into it headfirst.â Thereâs a lot of passion among Key fans!
Day 3 - Sunday, May 22, 2016
Unlike the prior two days, no VisualArtâs events were scheduled for the convention, so I decided to hang out by their exhibition booth. After the press event on Saturday Key decided that they would be holding a silent auction for the three large banners displayed at the booth. Bidding would start at $150 for the Kagari and Tomori banners while the sheet depicting Akane and Kanade would start at $450. Bidding would end at 1:30pm. While many people stopped by the booth out of curiosity, only a handful of serious bidders participated.
When the auction came to a close, the winners were announced: an Anime Central staff member won the Tomori Banner [UPDATE: $263] while another gentleman won BOTH the Kagari Banner and the Akane/Kanade sheet. I was surprised by this, not only because of the total cost but because I knew of competitive bids placed by others. While the bid amounts were not disclosed by VisualArtâs, the fortuitous gentleman did disclose his bids upon being asked: a hefty $400 for the Kagari Banner and a staggering $1,500 for the Akane/Kanade sheet. Paul Milligan (Amaterasu) confirmed the figures and said the gentleman made the purchases as âan admirer of great artâ. While we couldnât disagree, we were nonetheless impressed by the figures.
Image courtesy of VisualArtâs
Despite a self-imposed memorandum on not signing fabrics, Takahiro Baba, Na-Ga, and Shinji Orito decided to sign the banners. (I can only assume they felt the price warranted an exception!)
Disappointed in losing out on the auction, one of the bidders decided to purchase the last framed Rewrite Holo-Art Portrait signed by Itaru Hinoue. Several items sold out including well over 100 plush dango, art books, and some of the microfiber towel designs. Remaining were the last copies of Na-Gaâs rindou as well as shirts, tote bags, CDs, and some stickers. Not wanting to ship any goods back to Japan aside from necessities, discounts were placed on some goods while others were incentivized with a promise of a signature from either Baba, Orito, or Na-Ga. Understandably, several people took advantage of this opportunity.
As VA staff members frantically moved about the interior of the booth, Shinji Orito sat silently in the corner of the booth, sometimes standing up to sign a piece someone requested. He appeared vigilant, looking to help when needed but no doubt recognizing that there were too many people walking around in a small place. Already at his side of the booth, I moved towards him and asked if it would be possible to get a picture. (Aside from the winners of the silent auction, I didnât notice anyone being able to take a picture with a member of Keyâs staff.) He agreed, jumping up and quickly shimmying past the side of the booth as though happy to be out of the enclosure. After moving in towards one another, one of my friends snapped a photo of us.
âHow cool is that?â I thought to myself. I now had pictures of myself with three prominent Key staff members dating back to last year. I thanked Orito and we shook hands before he returned inside the booth. As far as Iâm concerned, thatâs about as good as I could hope for considering that Jun Maeda doesnât travel and both Itaru Hinoue and Na-Ga choose not to have their pictures taken to protect their identity.
Interesting tidbit about Na-Ga: each of Keyâs staff members went out of their way to be cordial, and he was no different, sometimes being told that he couldnât go so far as he wanted. For instance, after taking note of my Little Busters! jumper, he offered to sign it on the sleeve (where an upper-arm patch might be on a uniform) before being told he couldnât by a staff member. Whenever he signed something for someone, he was always the first to extend his hand for a handshake, thanking the receiver for asking. He is a very likable guy, making it a shame no one could take pictures with him.
As the remaining goods began to clear out, a gentleman came up Na-Ga asking for a sketch. He seemed eager to accept, but hesitated after a moment, considering if he was allowed to do so. He asked Ichinomiya, who responded that they would allow it if he bought one of the remaining -rindou- artbooks. Paul and I looked at one another, as he was presently looking through Keyâs display copy and debating whether to buy one. Noting the uniqueness of this opportunity, we asked (technically, he rushed past me to ask just before I did xD ) if he would be willing to provide us with a sketch if we bought one as well. Upon asking, Ichinomiya agreed that Na-Ga could produce another. After a brief discussion, we came to an arrangement where Paul would keep the artbook and I the sketch. A staff member retrieved a crisp shikishi and set it down in front of us. Na-Ga turned towards me and asked who I would like to have sketched. Any guesses? ^^
âKanade please!â
âAah, Kanade!â he responded. Watching him work was fascinating; while the video feed during the presentation updated the audience on his progress periodically, it did not show how he began. To prepare, he looked downward while inking some strokes to the side of the board in the air, as though he had trained his hand to follow certain motions for the character. He quickly inked several dots and began the outline of a face, eventually adding features, proceeding onward towards outlines of Kanadeâs hair and uniform. In just a few short minutes, he had completed an upper-body portrait of Kanade entirely from memory.
He signed his name and dated the piece, taking a moment to clarify the proper American date format. Looking at the the angel before him, he squinted. Like a father fixing his daughterâs hair for a family portrait, he made one final stroke, adding a strand on her forehead.
âOwarimashita!â
From time to time we all get accustomed to the monotonous routines we find ourselves in. We start days expecting theyâll end a certain way, and oftentimes they go how we predict. However, there are times when our assumptions get turned on their heads, sometimes resulting in experiences which exceed our wildest expectations. Today was one of those days. What could have been a normal day at a con became one truly special, made even better by sharing it with friends. Iâll be sure to look back on this con fondly, and am excited for the future of both Key and itâs fans.
Na-Gaâs illustrations of Kanade & Kud; the prefect end to a convention!
Thanks go out to Austin Ross, Paul Milligan, Sean Fitzgerald, and VisualArtâs for providing photography to this recap.
Wait, that was you in the Little Busters jacket? Huh.
Also I see myself in one of the line pictures.
This is getting me excited for Anime Expo, canât wait to go and see what they got in store for us.
ACen Day 2 Recap Added to Above Summary
@SuikaShoujo: Aye, I was in the Little Busters! jacket. Weâve probably passed each other several times, havenât we?
@s0ewhat: If itâs anything like last year, it should be exciting! 
@Clannad_Man
I know right! Man im still jelly you got the shiki that Itaru Hinoue drew after the panel.
