A History of Gay Erotic Manga

Come learn about gei komi (a.k.a. bara) and all its thick-bodied history. We will journey through the development of Japanese gay magazines and how gei komi came to be.

AliceSoft: Brutal King of Eroge

Touhou? The Fate Series? Konosuba? Mushokou Tensei? What do they have in common? They all drew inspiration from Rance. "Alicesoft is eroge maker!" These four words, since 1989, spawned titles such as Rance, Dohna Dohna, Evenicle, and far too many to count. Join us as we explore their history, struggles, and their broader impact on the games and anime industry as a whole.

Let's explore the blood, sweat, tears, and THE *Imperial Juice*(???) behind the devs that shaped many of your favorite works.

An Osomatsu-san Retrospective

A decade ago, Osomatsu-san brought gag manga characters from the 1960s into the modern age with a bombastic reboot. Since then we've had four anime seasons, movies, games, and oh so much merchandise featuring the iconic identical sextuplets. How has Osomatsu's success changed the landscape of anime, and how has Osomatsu changed? Whether you can't tell the Matsunos apart or you're a die-hard Karamatsu girl, come join us!

Behind the Ballroom 2026

We KNOW Ball! But do YOU know chicken bake? Celebrating 17 years in 2026, the FanimeCon Black & White Ball team will recount significant, hilarious, and near-miss moments in our history as well as what happened to make this year's ball a success. Our staff will share even more stories of our unique history, then open the floor for Q&A—pun intended.

BOIN TO BE WILD: A JAV Iceberg

The world of JAV (Japanese Adult Video) is as wild as it is exciting and intriguing! Join A-to-J Connections as we discuss and examine the big names, the movies, and what makes it unique compared to similar adult content overseas. We'll even explain why it's all censored! The JAV Iceberg will guide everyone through the history, the memes, and the fandom, while showing all sorts of clips you'll never forget! This panel will have something for everyone (everyone 18+ of course)!

Coffee Shops in Tokyo

Do you like coffee? Tokyo is a fabulous city for coffee shops. Come learn about some.

Corporate Chaos & Video Games

Game developers are unionizing; what about video game characters? Let’s talk about real life and fantasy, how characters and people can both benefit. Join Sharker, a Teamster, as they discuss working conditions and better wages in both worlds. Learn why bugs in Pharloom and SDN dispatchers should unionize and why employees of Deep Rock Galactic and Halcyon Holdings Corp must strengthen their current union. How can you support game devs' unions and engage in workplace democracy? Come find out.

Cyberpunk 2026: Chrome vs. Slop

Neon lights and corporate greed! Is this the future we asked for? Join us as we trace the roots of Cyberpunk and its "High Tech, Low Life" reality. From the cataclysmic ruins of Akira to the streets of Edgerunners, we explore how anime defines our vision of tomorrow. We'll contrast fictional "chrome" with real-world tech and the modern AI slop factory. We may be getting closer to a dystopia, but why does it have none of the cool aesthetics?

Danmei: Chinese Boy's Love

Welcome to Danmei, Chinese Boy's Love (literally "Indulgence in Beauty")! We're breaking down the terminology (Seme/uke who? It's gong/shou now.), genres you didn't know you needed (Immortals falling in love? Sign me up!), and all the ways to consume it: novels, manhua, donghua, audio dramas, and c-dramas. Leave with a list of recommendations!

Dark Souls for Dummies

*You died. You died. Skill issue. Git gud.*

Are you dying (repeatedly) to get into Dark Souls and other Souls-likes? Take it from me, someone who is notably bad at video games and only figured out how to use a controller a year ago, yet picked up Dark Souls and finished it. There are better tips beyond "getting good," and this panel is here to go into detail.

Examine Mental Health in Anime

Examine themes of behavioral activation, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy in popular anime characters and their resiliency. It's embedded in arcs tackling inner demons and literal demons. Explore lessons we can learn from our beloved characters.

Gender and Giant Robots

Could transition have saved Shinji? Is Kamille really a girl's name? Do good hounds really follow orders, 621? We look at the frequently unintended transgender coding of some of mecha's most famous characters, why they end up that way, the genre's ongoing popularity within online trans communities, and what we can learn from it.

Genshin Stats 102

We're talking about the NUMBERS…AGAIN! If you attended last year's "class," come see brand new statistics as well as how the numbers compare to last year. And even if you didn’t make it last year, come see anyway! Learn about how much money Genshin players spend, the top characters and ships, the time between location releases, and MUCH MORE! Includes live polls throughout the panel. Come find out how our—I mean your Genshin opinions can't be wrong as long as you have data to back them up!

In My Toonami Era

To be cringe is to be free. Join The Fangirl Diaries author, Erica Victoria Espejo, as we look back at a time when anime was transitioning from a niche hobby to mainstream television. Let's talk about OUR era. Rushing home to watch Sailor Moon, setting our VCRs, and discovering anime for the first time!

Intro to Tokusatsu: Ultraman

Learn the history and origin of Ultraman and how the Ultra Series has inspired anime, manga, and games throughout the years.

Introduction to Guro

At the Con late? Want to learn something you probably didn't know (and perhaps didn't want to know)? Stop by Introduction to Guro for an educational, historical, and artistic discussion on the genre, as well as a showcase of various video games, mangas, visual novels, live-action films, and even novels and art that you can enjoy (or not?) later!

Localization for Linguists

Video games are played across the world and more are localized every day. However, there is limited information online regarding what takes place during localization and how beginner linguists can strengthen their skills to be hired. Learn all this from a former SEGA Atlus manager!

Mother 3: Fall of the N64 RPG

20 years, the Japan only sequel to the cult classic EarthBound released: Mother 3. While most are aware the game never made it overseas, most don't know the fact it was nearly never released at all! To celebrate the legacy of this Game Boy Advance classic, we will take a look at its origins as a Nintendo 64 title and how the Mother 3 we know came to be.

Neurotechnology in Anime

Ever wished you could experience full immersion VR like in Sword Art Online, or accelerate your brain and body to incredible speeds with a cyberpunk Sandevistan? I personally haven't ripped out anyone's spine and replaced it with a robot implant yet, but you can come learn a professional's opinion on whether it's a good idea! Join me for a tour through anime neurotech and find out about dystopian personality scans, Full Dive VR, and whether you should microwave your brain! (hint: maybe!)

Obscure Themes of Junji Ito

Junji Ito has said in interviews that he does not think there is much to analyze from his works, but there very much is. Junji Ito's works are well known for being scary with lots of body horror. But that just scratches the surface, pun intended. There are many deeper themes that can be seen in his stories from feminism to coping with mortality. Discover the deeper themes behind the holy trinity Gyo, Uzumaki, Tomie and MUCH MORE!

*Potential light spoilers

Otome Intersectional Feminism

Otome games are an undervalued form of intersectional feminist media, presenting players with critical commentary on modern social issues and representation of marginalized groups. We will provide recommendations and analysis of our favorite Japanese otome games and characters that embody progressive values through the medium of hot husbandos.

Page 2 Plate: Anime Food IRL

Why does anime food look so good? We've seen it before in the comfy, cozy Ghibli meals to the over the top Shokugeki no Souma gourmand reactions. Join me, 9th year Gold Yelp Elite, SGV's best photog/all-around Elite/Yelp-time Achievement winner and #3 most prolific Elite in North America with my fellow foodie/Yelp Elite friends as we share some of our favorite food series and scenes and where you can find these dishes in real life!

Pokémon License to Drive

Do you like cars, Pokémon, and strongly voiced opinions? Kick back and join our PowerPoint presentation on which vehicle your favorite Pokémon drives! We've used high-level technology (cough cough: rough cropping) to show you your favorite little guys in the cars of their dreams.

So You Want to Move to Japan?

Ready to make Japan more than a dream? Join this panel to learn how to actually move there through jobs or schooling. This talk draws on nearly 5 years of living in the country and studying at a Japanese university from an expat that turned her passion for Japan into a serious ambition to experience it firsthand. We'll bust common myths, explain visas in plain English, and help you figure out if Japan fits your real-life goals—not just your watchlist.

The Anime Economy

Anime is a $30 billion industry. For most of its American history, anime lived outside the mainstream. How did we get here?

Industry veteran Dallas Middaugh—Viz, Penguin Random House, Kodansha, Crunchyroll—traces the business behind anime's American conquest: piracy, Pokémon, streaming wars, and corporate takeover.

This isn't a nostalgia panel about trading VHS tapes. It's a front-row account of one of entertainment's strangest transformations—and where it's heading.

The Realities of Found Family

From SPY×FAMILY, to Metal Gear Solid, to Revolutionary Girl Utena, there are many heartwarming and dramatic portrayals of families formed by means besides genetic lineage. How does real life compare though? What facets of adoption don't make it into your favorite anime or visual novel? What differences are there between adoption in the USA and adoption in Japan? If you're interested in learning more, you can come listen to me yap about it all.

Umamusume: Real Life to Anime

Do you play Umamusume or watch anime series based on the game such as Cinderella Gray? Ever wondered where the inspiration for these Umamusume girls come from? Join us, as we explore the history of real life race horses that inspired your favorites, such as Special Week, Gold Ship, Oguri Cap, and so on!

Video Games That F*** With You

Have you ever felt like the video game you were playing was actually playing YOU? From Metal Gear to the recent [ENIGMA] Trilogy, we'll explore how devs can turn storytelling on its head, unsettle the player, and shatter the fourth wall with the good ones wondering, "what the heck just happened (affectionate)?" and the bad ones driving you to Reddit discourse (derogatory). Join the Cosplayer Survivor Support Network folks who brought you "A History of Controversy in Video Games" to get meta AF!

Viking Sagas in Anime

Everyone loves Vikings (other than their plundered victims), so let's explore which anime draws on real Scandinavian legend and magic, and how they compare to actual Viking texts! Is there a real Vinland Saga the anime is based on? Which Studio Trigger anime has a passing reference to an obscure style of Viking duel (it's not that one)? Who would win in a fight, Thor or Jesus? The Vikings sure wanted to know! What's the deal with runes? And what exactly was a "Berserker" really?

What Do You Do With Forever?

What do you do with forever? The concept of immortality has been a constant source of discussion for philosophers and curious writers alike. Explore the existential crisis of characters blursed with immortality, those punished for chasing after it, and in some cases, the inner peace of just living to be really, really old.

Which Mechs Would Work

Have you ever wondered if a combat robot from your favorite show, movie, video, or tabletop game might be useful on a real life battlefield? Probably not, but join Marine and Iraq War veteran Dave as he explores which robots might stand a chance at being useful and his reasoning behind it.

Yaoi: Is It Cringe?

Yaoi: is it cringe? Let's find out! Come celebrate the good, the bad, and the ugly of yaoi's past, present, and future. While yaoi (or is it called BL now?) has had an infamous place in fandom, it has also come with its share of controversies. From yaoi paddles to yaoi hands, BL has had a bit of an image problem in the past. But amid the questionable content and unique anatomy, yaoi has persevered and even gained more acceptance in recent years. Come explore and celebrate yaoi's legacy!