AnimeNYC 2023: A Fan's Love of Anime Culture
Josh B.
Initially, I wasn’t planning on going to AnimeNYC this year. However, thanks to the generosity of management here at RGN99, I was able to go to New York City’s biggest celebration of anime and manga for exactly one day, and I’m thrilled I could go. As ever, I’m writing to give you the highlights of my journey.
My first stop on Friday was arguably the most important – sitting in on the premiere of the upcoming anime adaptation of Delicious in Dungeon, specifically the first two episodes. Delicious in Dungeon is a series I’ve wanted to talk about here on RGN99 practically since I joined the team over five years ago. Eagle eyed readers can actually see me holding Volume 1 of the Delicious in Dungeon manga in my profile picture on the Staff page right here on the site. So, what is Delicious in Dungeon, and why do I love it so much?
Delicious in Dungeon takes place in the fictional, fantasy land simply known as “The Island”. On this Island, there is a vast, sprawling dungeon, which appeared from beneath the earth one day along with the King of a long-forgotten nation. Before the King died, he promised all his country’s wealth would belong to those who could vanquish the master of the dungeon, the Lunatic Magician. Such promise of wealth and prosperity attracted thousands of adventurers, seeking wealth and glory. Among them are Laios and Falin Touden, brother and sister, exploring the dungeon with the Elven Mage Marcille, and the Halfling Rogue Chilchuck. The group, or party, encounters a fearsome Red Dragon that devours Falin whole, but not before she safely teleports everyone else away.
Laios, realizing that dragons take a long time to digest, and by extension kill their prey, resolves to reenter the dungeon, slay the dragon and rescue his sister before it’s too late. Marcille and Chilchuck join, but none of them are thrilled about their chances of survival with no more money for food. Laios comes up with an unconventional solution – kill, cook and eat the monsters that populate the dungeon! Marcille is particularly disgusted by the idea, but the party has little other choice. With the help of a Dwarf named Senshi, they do just that, as they make their way deeper into the dungeon, toward their inevitable reunion with the Red Dragon.
One part fantasy, one part cooking, and one part comedy makes Delicious in Dungeon a truly unforgettable read. I’m elated to say that the anime is a pitch perfect translation from page to screen, thanks to the incomparable talent of Studio Trigger (Famous for Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia). The vibrant color and exquisite detail present in every frame of the anime only serves to beautify and enhance an already immaculate source material. The Japanese voice actors all perfectly embody their characters, breathing life into them. Both episodes were truly fantastic to see on such a huge screen, and I cannot wait for the anime to drop on Netflix in January 2024. I know for a fact it will be my anime of the year, without even blinking.
After that wonderful experience, I did a favor for SiriusHauser, a VTuber (Virtual YouTuber) and a good friend of mine – and got an autograph from Abby Trott for him. Sirius, much like myself, is a huge fan of Fire Emblem, and loved the character Ms. Trott played in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Annette. Abby Trott has also received critical acclaim as the voice of Nezuko Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Nezuko is Tanjiro’s sister, who has been turned into a demon and must hide her nature behind a bamboo mouth guard. I was able to speak briefly with Ms. Trott as I got her autograph for Sirius:
Joshua Brafman (JB): Hi there! I’m a big fan of your work! I wanted to get your autograph for my friend, he loved you as Annette in Three Houses!
Abby Trott (AT): Aw, that’s so nice of you!
JB: Also, I wanted to ask, is it difficult to play Nezuko?
AT: Oh, absolutely. She’s actually the most challenging role I’ve ever had. All the growls and grunts really hurt my throat; you know?
JB: I can imagine! Do they actually have you put something in your mouth when you have to speak as Nezuko?
AT: No, but sometimes I’ll put a finger in front of my mouth to get the effect the voice director wants.
JB: Huh! Well, how about that!
After aiding Sirius, I decided to indulge myself a little and get an autograph for myself from Christine Marie Cabanos, another anime voice actor, famous for her roles as Mako Mankanshoku in Kill la Kill, Chiaki Nanami in the Danganronpa video games, and as the titular character in Squid Girl. While I love all those series, Squid Girl is the one that is most important to me. It’s a cute, fun series about a young Squid Girl that comes ashore to conquer earth as recompense for all of humanity’s reckless pollution, but the young Squid Girl soon finds herself indebted to a local beach snack bar and finds that all of her plans for world domination are all too easily foiled or forgotten about. I had the pleasure of speaking to Ms. Marie Cabanos about Squid Girl as I got her autograph:
JB: It’s wonderful to meet you! I’m a big fan of Squid Girl. I put it on whenever I’m feeling down and it makes me feel better! I love all the squid puns.
Christine Marie Cabanos (CMC): That’s so nice to hear! Tony Oliver, the original voice director, was the one to come up with all of those. I love them so much!
JB: I actually got your autograph on the original DVD releases a few years ago when I went to Otakon, but I wanted to get your signature on this new one, since it has both seasons dubbed now!
CMC: Yeah! I was disappointed that they couldn’t get everyone back for the second season.
JB: I was too. It’s a real bummer Sentai Filmworks couldn’t get the whole cast. But at least they got you – it wouldn’t be Squid Girl without you!
CMC: Thank you, I appreciate that!
JB: What was it like coming back to the role after so many years?
CMC: In a way, it’s like riding a bike – you never really forget how to do it! [laughs]
Final Thoughts
It’s always gratifying to experience AnimeNYC. Having a convention on the East Coast that celebrates one of my favorite things exclusively really brings a smile to my face. This year was particularly special because of just how much anime continues to grow. More obscure, niche titles like my all-time-favorite manga Delicious in Dungeon are getting anime adaptations and voice actors and creatives in both the American and Japanese side of things are getting the recognition and appreciation they deserve. It’s truly a great time to be an anime fan.
AnimeNYC was a shorter, more frenetic experience for me this year. I felt like I was running all over the place to try and fit in everything I possibly could into the short amount of time I had. Next year, I’d really appreciate if AnimeNYC hosted more fan meet ups. Weeb Mingle: AnimeNYC Edition was nice, but it’d be great to be able to sit down with fellow fans on a number of anime titles and talk more about what we love. Cosplay Photo Ops are a great start, but I think it can go even further.
Overall, I had a truly wonderful time this year. Perhaps I’ll make it out next year when the convention moves into the summer months in August. Only time will tell.
