Spiraken Convention Report: Animazement 2025

Animazement returned to the Raleigh Convention Center from May 23rd–25th, now in its 28th year as a convention that started as a college film festival and grew into something genuinely special. My first visit was 2023—a smaller, cozy affair. This year? I went all in. Three panels, a mountain of hot takes, and zero regrets. Here's the breakdown.
The Guest List: Legends and Surprises
This year's roster was a beautiful mix of old-school heavyweights and modern talent:
Voice Actors: Ryuusei Nakao (Frieza himself!), Hiroaki Hirata (Sanji in One Piece), Chie Koujiro (Gintama's Space Okan), and Chika Sakamoto (Cat's Eye, Sailor Moon Stars) alongside newer stars like Laura Stahl (Promised Neverland) and Sarah Anne Williams (Kill la Kill, Madoka Magica).
Industry Titan: Masao Maruyama—co-founder of MAPPA, producer of Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, Card Captor Sakura, and Yawara! This man is a walking history lesson.
Performers: Aimi (musical contributions to Bleach, Gundam 00, Darker than Black) and The Jacabal's stage combat group brought energy to the main stage.
Returning Favorites: Trish Ledoux and Toshifumi Yoshida (Animerica royalty) plus Hiroshi Nagahama (the Uzumaki artist himself).
Cancellation Note: Taishi Yamabe (taiko drummer) had to bow out—hopefully next year.
My Panels: Three for Three
Friday – "I'm Still Not Old! More Protagonists Over 30" (4:00-5:30pm, Room 306A)The third iteration of this crowd-favorite drew another packed room of adults hungry for representation. The shift toward more female leads over 30 was hugely appreciated by the audience. Bonus highlight: someone shouted out a certain mad scientist who fights a platypus (Doofenschmertz for the next version? Noted.). Excellent reactions all around. This panel isn't going anywhere.
Saturday – "Horror in Anime & Manga" (10:00-12:00pm, Room 302Ab)Still a sellout. Still a blast. This year's revelation: Bondrewd (Made in Abyss) has officially surpassed Shou Tucker (Full Metal Alchemist) as fandom's most hated anime parent. That takes effort. Also, how have so many people never seen Wicked City? I love introducing fresh nightmares to fresh victims. Will absolutely present again.
Sunday – "Happily Ever After?! Wedded Bliss in Manga & Anime" (12:30-1:30pm, Room 306A)A brand new panel exploring marriage from newlyweds to old couples (and even a few divorcees). Decent turnout, solid engagement, but the pacing needs tweaking. Next iteration: more prizes, maybe a "best dressed couple" contest. Consider this a beta test—final version coming soon.
Panels I Attended: Hits, Misses, and Jealousy
Friday
"Original to Adaptation" – A fascinating study of how source material gets stretched, trimmed, or mangled in translation. Hosts had some visible tension, which honestly made it more entertaining.
"10 Anime Movies You May Have Missed" – Third Impact Anime knows their showmanship. Solid niche picks.
"The Rotund Mecha Gentleman" – Someone had the same brilliant idea as me but executed it better. Instead of the Gai Daigoji type, they focused on the Musashis of giant robot anime. I'm jealous. No notes. Just respect.
"Intro to Japanese Bookbinding" – Sounded fascinating. Room was packed. Couldn't get a spot. Maybe next year.
"Traveling Japan Your Way" – Solid advice for neophytes. Common sense for frequent travelers, but a few restaurant recommendations caught my interest.
Saturday
"Aged to Perfection" – A cosplay-centric discussion about aging in fandom. I was the only guy in the room. Surprisingly good to hear fellow "oldtaku" (still hate that term) share experiences.
"Let's Watch Crazy Japanese Commercials" – Exactly what it sounds like. Long Long Man still holds up. Packed room, no notes, pure comfort panel.
"Shojo Manga's Lost Generation" – Great premise about the Year 24 Group and shojo history. Poor execution. Under-researched and overly focused on a few creators. Strange coming from a panelist who's usually top-notch—maybe an off day.
"Showa: The Golden Era of Kaijus" – The Godzilla guys are back. Lots of kaiju, sentai, and unrefined chaos. Sometimes you want a cheap hamburger, and this hit the spot.
Sunday
"The Shockingly True History of Tokyopop" – I love a good Stu Levy/DJ Milky hate session. Covered the good, the bad, and the what were they thinking. Tokyopop is somehow still alive. This panel was well-researched and entertaining—which makes the shojo panel's quality drop even more confusing.
The Dealer's Room & Artist Alley
The dealer's room was organized but quiet for my wallet. Still feeling the absence of CheapManga.com and Sci-Fi Continuum. Discotek was there—I didn't buy anything this year. Instead, I grabbed custom dice for Gretta and one art piece. The shamisen sellers returned, and so did the guy selling $4 dorayaki. Priorities.
Artist Alley was separated from the dealer's room this year—a refreshing change. Lots of talented artists. Also a lot more AI art, which is now officially concerning. Standout: Goblin Growlers (pricey but looked fun).
Video Game Room & Music Stage
Video Game Room – Same setup as last year. Not a huge library, but people were playing. I crushed a rhythm game, got obliterated in the Gundam battle game, and somehow won a top-down space shooter (first time ever—only died about a thousand times).
Music/Concert Stage – Barely populated. Maybe 12 people for one concert. The rave at night was similarly sparse—apparently an offsite meetup pulled the crowd. Lots of drunk weirdos, which is fine. Fun fact: the convention center serves alcohol at night. That's dangerous.
Masquerade & Cosplay
The masquerade was packed with contenders—no overarching theme, just creativity. Cosplay highlights this year included:
Oscar from Rose of Versailles (classy)
A red-jacket Lupin III with a torn top hat (Lupin the First movie version)
Lina Inverse (always a win)
Multiple Maomaos (Apothecary Diaries)
A Ranma-kun and Ranma-chan rocking the new character design hair
Nothing overwhelmingly elaborate at the masquerade—lots of quick, clever designs. More contained than previous years, but still plenty of heart.
Manga Library, Board Games, and Vibes
Manga Library – The local library collaboration continues to impress, with an excellent catalog and the staff running it were lovely.
Board Game Library – Same as last year: great games, no one to play with. I didn't arrange a game again. Maybe next year I'll actually follow through.
Overall Vibe – Homey, accepting, low-stress. The weirdos come out at night, but that's part of the charm. The layout is now second nature, and the crowd felt engaged without being overwhelming. This is officially my favorite convention of the year (admittedly I've only been to one so far, but it wins by default).
Final Thoughts
Animazement 2025 delivered exactly what I wanted: solid panels, legendary guests, and a fan community that actually feels like a community. No corporate bloat. No chaos. Just anime fans being anime fans.
See you next year, AZ.
—Xan (@Spiraken)

Spiraken Convention Report: Animazement 2024

by Xan Villanueva.
Animazement 2024 returned to the Raleigh Convention Center from May 23rd to 26th, marking another year of growth for this fan-driven event. What began in 1997 as a college film festival has evolved into a vibrant convention, and after my first positive experience in 2023, I dove in fully this year—panels, guests, and all. The result? A weekend that solidified Animazement as one of my favorite conventions on the circuit.
Guests & Highlights
This year’s lineup boasted an impressive mix of veteran voice actors and industry talent. Legendary seiyuu Toshio Furukawa (Kai Shiden in Gundam, Ataru in Urusei Yatsura) and Kikuko Inoue (Belldandy in Ah! My Goddess) drew crowds, while Noriko Hidaka (Akane in Ranma ½) and Shino Kakinuma (Naru in Sailor Moon) brought nostalgia to the forefront. On the English dub side, Erica Mendez (Ryuko in Kill la Kill, Gon in Hunter x Hunter) kept panels lively with her infectious energy.
Musical guests Angel-Taka, Kaizan Nitta, and Hakusui Ogiyama added a dynamic layer to the weekend, while industry veterans like Trish Ledoux (co-founder of Animerica), Hiroshi Nagahama (Uzumaki, Revolutionary Girl Utena), and Kohi Nagai (producer of My Hero Academia) offered deep dives into anime production.
Panels: Successes & Surprises
This year, I ran four panels—all well-received, but two stood out as highlights.
"The Live Action Equation: Anime in The Flesh" (Friday) sparked heated debates, especially over Netflix adaptations, while surprising attendees with the first live-action anime adaptation (hint: it wasn’t Death Note).
"I’m Not Old! Main Characters Over 30" (Saturday) packed the room, with fans passionately defending (or protesting) picks like Alucard (Hellsing) and Mr. Fujisawa (GTO).
"Horror in Anime & Manga" (Saturday night) remained a cult favorite, though I was shocked how few had seen Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.
"24 Manga Recommendations for Grown-Ups" (Sunday) was my personal triumph—engaging discussions, new readers hooked, and requests for sequels.
As an attendee, I caught Third Impact Anime’s "10 Years Later: Anime in 2014" (a brutal reminder of my age) and Fatal Fanatix’s "Cool Manga No Anime," which unearthed hidden gems I’ll definitely cover in future Wheel of Manga episodes. The "2025 Anime Music Challenge" game show had a clever gimmick (though I still think my Anime Tune Showdown format reigns supreme).
Dealer’s Room, Artist Alley & More
The Dealer’s Room was well-organized but lacked the rare manga finds of years past—CheapManga.com and Sci-Fi Continuum were sorely missed. Still, Discotek’s booth delivered, and I walked away with some stellar Blu-rays.
Artist Alley showcased incredible talent, though the creeping presence of AI art raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, the new Video Game Room—with arcade cabinets, consoles, and PCs—was a welcome addition, if not yet on par with Otakon’s legendary setup. The Manga Library, while smaller than Anime Next’s, impressed with its local-library collaboration system.
Cosplay & Vibe: Comfortably Crowded
Cosplay at Animazement is always a highlight, and this year’s eclectic mix included Maomao (Apothecary Diaries), Fallout wastelanders, Sakamoto (Sakamoto Days), and even Conker (Bad Fur Day). The atmosphere was relaxed yet energetic—crowded enough to feel lively, never suffocating. Attendees played board games, debated anime, and lingered in halls without the usual con stress.
Final Thoughts: A Keeper
Animazement retains the charm of a "homey" fan convention while expanding thoughtfully. The layout was intuitive, the panels diverse, and the attendees genuinely happy to be there. After two years, I’m convinced: this is a convention worth returning to. See you in 2025, AZ!
Overall Rating 
Drop Everything & Go – This Is Worth It!" (Highest – Must-attend, flawless execution)
#Animazement2024 #SpirakenConReport #AnimeConventions #spiraken

Otakon 2023 : 23 Train Manga RecommendationsFor Grown Ups List

Greetings from Otakon 2023,
Here are the 23 manga titles that were discussed in the panel at otakon
5 CM Per Second
500 Miles
Anya kudos
Baccano
Densha Otoko
Eikiben hitoritabi
Engineer
Galaxy Express 999
Ginsai no kawa
The girl who is obsessed with the oneesan she sees on the train every morning
Hajimari no Yakou
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Let's take the Train Together
Mad Train Conductor
Maiden Railways
Mr Morning
Night on the Galactic Railroad
Sayonara Papa
Shuuden no chan
Termina
Tetsuko no Tabi
To the Place the Rails Go
Train + Train
 

Fifteen Years Ago Today We Started A Podcast

On May 15th, 2008, May-san and Xan sat down at Xan's Laptop (dubbed the deathtop for surviving so many falls and crashes) and decided to record a fun podcast about a subject that they both loved... Manga. Here we are, 15 yrs later, with over 1050 episodes recorded, over 3000 hours spent editing podcasts, over 2 million listeners collectively, over 20 co-hosts later and several other statistics that we did not count on having happened. And it has been totally worth it. 
It has been an amazing ride and without you dear listeners and readers, we would never have made it this far. Thank you so much  So here's To 15 years of podcasts about manga, movies, conventions, video games and just random chatter. 
Now Let's see if We Can Make It To Thirty

Anime Boston 2023 Panel Guide ”’I’m not old! Main Characters over 30

Here is a list of the characters that we discussed in this panel
Yuuko ichihara - xxxHolic - age 1000
Worick Arcangelo - Gangstas - age 35
Vlad Draculea III aka Alucard - Hellsing - Age 592
Tetsuo  Toso - My Home Hero - age 47
Ryo Saeba - City Hunter - age 30
Romper (moyoco anno) - Insufficient Direction - Age 30
Mariko Morioka - Recovery of an MMO Addict - 30
Arsene Lupin III- Lupin the III - age 31
Marco Pagot- Porco Rosso - age 37
Liliko - Helter Sketler  age 29-30
Daikichi Kawachi - Bunny Drop - age 30
Kuro Hazama - Blackjack- age 32
Kotetsu Kaburagi - Tiger & Bunny - age 36
Dr Kenzo Tenma - Monster - age 37
John " Sleepy" Estes - Madbull 34 - age 34
Ichiro Inuyashiki- Inuyashiki -age 58
Ginko- Mushishi - age 33
Duke Togo - Golgo 13
Chuyoko Fujiwara - Millennium Actress‐ age 95
If you have any questions or comments about the panel please email me at xan@spiraken.com
 
 

Merry Christmas 2021

From Us to You,
May you have an awesome christmas 
Xan, Gretta and The Spiraken Manga Review

Happy 40th Birthday Xan

Today is a very special day! Our amazing host Xan turns 40 years old today.
 
I know its a long time in geek years but he is still reading/reviewing manga and he will continue be a nerdy geek til the day he dies. Show your love by sending him some great messages at Xan@spiraken.com 
Happy birthday you Oldtaku

Happy Thanksgiving 2021

We give thanks for all of our listeners, the unique year we've had and the many years to come
From Us To You, may you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving 
Xan & Gretta

Astoria "Stori" Duchess Villanueva May 18th 2019-March 31st 2021

It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that our treasured kitten Astoria Duchess Villanueva who we affectionately called "Stori" crossed the rainbow bridge today. 
Stori was a one of a kind Dilute Tortoiseshell Cat who was clever, loving, sweet and a true joy to have in our lives. She was grey, white and red with a white patch on the left side of her face  one paw having pink pads, one having black pads and the other two were a mix of colors. We called her Stori because she was always meowing and had a lot to say to us.
She loved knocking over stuff, playing fetch with nerf darts, eating all of the moist food (even her big sister Maddie's), interrupting podcasts recordings, watching star wars, hiding behind her dad's manga shelves and napping on the top of the couch. Stori was obsessed with the mystery that was "Up" and would patiently wait for Xan to come home from wherever he went.
Stori was a rescue kitten that Gretta tricked/convinced Xan to pick up on Sept 28th 2019 (her gotcha day). When Stori met Xan, she immediately chose him as her hooman. Faithfully keeping him company, spending lots of time by his feet and constantly following Xan around. She brightened up the day and was always unforgettable in whatever antics she did. While not as ninjalike as her big sister Maddie, she was durable and sturdy like a little tank. 
Stori was a rescue cat, she overcame many obstacles and we gave her the best life a cat would ever dream of. In the end she developed FIP/Feline infectious peritonitis. Her final days were spent being pampered and cuddled. 
Stori was our baby girl, our "Stori Stori" who always would let us know when it was time to eat and when it was time to play. We will never forget her and she will live in our hearts and memories. 
 
We love you Astoria Duchess/Stori.
Thank you for choosing us as your humans 
5/18/2019 - 3/31/2021 
 
Please donate to an FIP charity so other young cats don't get this horrible disease and petition the FDA to have the cure approved. 
 

May The Fourth Be With You

Happy May Fourth Everyone
To all the Star Wars fans, watch a good Star Wars Movie, Play a Star Wars themed game, or finish off Clone Wars