Events

Wondering what kind of events happen at AOD? As the San Francisco animation convention featuring cartoons, Japanese animation and their many related topics, we are planning a lot of exciting things for this year's convention! Unless specifically noted below, a badge/registration is required to attend AOD events. Register here. We will be adding more event descriptions as they are confirmed so please check back as we get closer to convention time.

Opening Ceremony

Meet all the illustrious guests of honor who are gracing our event with their presence this year.
The Opening Ceremony is open to the public- no badge or registration is required.

Anime Audition

with Kyle Hebert

Ever wanted to see what it's like to be a voice actor? Here's your chance! Voice actor Kyle Hebert will select volunteers from the audience to try out as actual characters, using actual scripts from Bleach!

AnimeTV

with Cristina Vee

AnimeTV is the first ever webcast show of its kind dedicated to reviewing the latest and greatest anime titles. Cristina's looking for people to share their experiences about the con and their fandom on film for a chance of being on the show~ :)

A Pleasant Interlude With Happy Tree Friends

With Ken Pontac

Remember the first time you saw Happy Tree Friends, before you knew what the joke was? You kind of wondered what your friend who said, “Dude! You have to check this out!” was so excited about. It was just a bunch of cute little animals doing cute things until, suddenly…something happened and you got the joke. The sick crew who work on Happy Tree Friends LOVE to see people get the joke for the first time, so bring a friend who’s never seen the show, and blow their minds a little.

BlazBlue

With BlazBlue voice cast

Don't miss your chance to talk with David Vincent, Tony Oliver, and Cristina Vee, three of the American voice cast from this amazing fighting game!

BLEACH

With BLEACH voice cast

Join us as Kyle Hebert (Aizen, Ganju), David Vincent (Grimmjow Jeagerjaques), Tony Oliver (Ulquiorra Cifer) talk about their experiences in working on this very popular series.

Comic and Manga Production

Tommy Yune, also a veteran of comic series such as Speed Racer, Racer X, Danger Girl, and Robotech, covers modern production techniques and new options available to hopeful comic creators through digital print-on-demand.

He Was Once a Little Green Slab of Clay...GUMBY!

Ken Pontac’s first job in TV series animation was Art Director on The New Adventures of Gumby. Pontac and whatever other ex-Gumby staffers he can wrangle together will spend an hour with the audience showing clips, telling stories, and answering questions. This panel is especially timely since Art Clokey, creator of Gumby, died on January 8th, 2010.

Manga Start

With PMBQ

Manga Start presents a brief presentation and open Q&A to educate parents and adults-in-tow to the hows and whys of manga, anime, and convention culture. This panel is geared towards adults not as familiar with anime and manga, but all are welcome to come because you might learn something new!
This panel is open to the public- no badge or registration is required.

Robotech: Special 25th Anniversary Panel

Creator/Producer Carl Macek, Tony Oliver (Rick Hunter), and Tommy Yune (Creative Director) will take a trip down memory lane, relive some of the highlights and moments, and share some of their favorite stories from behind the scenes of this classic series. Who knows, perhaps they might even give away a special Robotech collectible or two!

Robotech Free For All

Did you miss Saturday's 25th Anniversary panel? Do you still have questions about the past, present or future of Robotech? Here's is your chance as Harmony Gold's Tommy Yune opens the floor to fans in a town hall-style discussion!

Stop Motion Animation

Stop motion is perhaps the craziest way in the world to make an animated film. You’d think that after working on The New Adventures of Gumby over twenty years ago David Ichioka and Ken Pontac would have figured that out! But they kept at it, moving those damn puppets a tiny bit at a time, over and over again, until their hands were raw and their eyes were shot. Now they’ll show you how you can do it too.

Writing For Animation

Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead. ~Gene Fowler

The infinite void of the empty page, the crushing deadlines, the ridiculous demands of the network executives… does this sound like the life for you? Decide for yourself when cartoon veterans Tommy Yune, Ken Pontac and Carl Macek overcome their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to relate their anus-clenching adventures in the bloody trenches of television and feature animation.

Unemployed Pandas!

History and tradition dictates war between ninja and samurai. However, the global economic meltdown has left no stone unturned—including the entities that funded these once proud clans. Thus, after years of fighting, the ninja and samurai must face a new reality of the unemployed life. To survive this new, strange world, these two once-hated enemies must start their journey…at the unemployment office…but not before grabbing a quick cup of coffee. Join PMBQ as she discusses what comes next in this exciting webcomic drama!

We will be bringing back the Charity Auction at AOD 2010! It will be Saturday, January 30 at 4PM! We'll be featuring a variety of exciting and interesting items donated by our sponsors, industry guests, and private collectors.

Our charity this year will benefit Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children in hospitals with toys and games. For those who would like more information on Child's Play, their web site is http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

Proceeds will be donated to Child's Play in the memory of Rannie Yoo Reid, who was an AOD volunteer and a dear friend to many of the AOD staff.

Items that are part of the AOD 2010 Charity Auction will be available for viewing in the Registration area on Saturday, from 9am to 3:45pm

The Masquerade is a staple of your AOD convention experience. Masquerade is a costume contest in which costumers display their finest costumes and present skits hoping to win the coveted "Best of Show" award. This event is scheduled for 7:30pm on Saturday January 30, 2010.

For more information about Costuming (Cosplay) events, please check the AOD Cosplay Forum, or email cosplay@aodsf.org.
More Information: Costume Events

See our list of musical performances

Adult and Otaku: Anime Fans 25 and older
Presented by: Murphy Milburn
An open discussion panel geared towards fans of anime and manga 25 years or older.

Careers In Videogames: What to expect
Presented by: Steven Savage
You want to get into the gaming industry - but what is the gaming industry really like, what's it like to work there, and just how do you get in? Steve will help you understand what makes working in gaming unique and challenging, and how to use this understanding to help plan your entry into the industry! Are you ready to make your move? Handouts provided.

Catching the 'Hallyu' (Korean) Wave
Presented by: Frank Demola and Jason Yu
Jason and Frank of the new Asian Culture website Green Tea Graffiti will discuss the current trends in Korean music, movies, and dramas. Getcha'kimichi ready!

Comiket, Doujinshi, and the Touhou Phenomenon
Presented by: math4origami
Learn about doujins, the Touhou Project series of games and their devoted following in Japanese online communities and at events such as Comiket, the largest anime-related convention in the world.

Cosplay Photography for Beginners
Presented by: Venus DeCoy
Whether you have a regular camera or the world's most awesome Nikon, learn how to take fantastic cosplay photos without even trying. And the tips and techniques to make your photos better.

Criticizing the Job of an Anime Critic
Presented by: K Valentine
Convention reporter K Valentine discusses the pros and cons (mostly cons) of working as an anime critic while providing a few tips for those interested in this field.

Developing your own Iconic Manga Character
Presented by: Bentoboxbobby
Bentoboxbobby, a professionally published artist, walks you through all the steps on how he develops a anime/manga character design.

Dilbert is a Deity
Presented by: Branden
Ten years ago, Dilbert starred in his own cartoon. Join his aging nerd fans as they lift their own weight in subtlety and meaning from these ten 23 minute episodes.


Fan Fiction/Transformative Works
Presented by: Donna, Joseph
What it is, why we do it, how to do it well - and have a hell of a lot of fun!

For Parents: When your child sees a hobby as a career
Presented by: Steven Savage
A special event for the parents of our attendees, or those joining in on the fun. Your child is enthused about anime, manga, video games, and more -and they're talking about actually making a career out of it. Worried, concerned, or just not sure? Steve, an experienced IT professional who speaks and writes on "geeky" careers, will help lead you through ways to help your child realize their potential without raising your blood pressure. Handouts provided.

From Fan To Pro: Using your hobbies in your career
Presented by: Steven Savage
We'd all like to turn our hobbies into jobs, but we're also used to thinking that's impossible. Steve doesn't buy it and neither should you! Come and learn how your hobbies and interests can be powerful tools for making a more interesting career and life. There's more to your fandom than you may realize!Handouts provided.

Girls Got Game
Presented by: Karuka Ikashi and Bebop
The world of video games is competitive and male dominated. Where does the other gender come in? Come join the discussion about this underrepresented but still growing group of gamers.

How to Draw Manga/Portfolio Review
Presented by : eigoMANGA
Artists and editors from eigoMANGA's comic book publications RUMBLE PAK and SAKURA PAKK will be on hand to teach the fundamentals of manga illustrations and storytelling.

Inside the World of the Shinigami Presented by : Venus De Coy
We're going to talk about the history of Death Gods, and their intense involvement in the Japanese Culture and animes that talk a lot about them. We will also talk of the differences in funerals and death rituals in japanese and american culture.


NicoNicoDouga, MADS, and the Vocaloid Phenomenon
Presented by: math4origami
Explore Japanese MAD’s and the virtual singing idol software Vocaloid and how they have impacted Japanese popular culture, as well as the vehicle for such expressions of creativity, NicoNicoDouga website.

So Many Beautiful Men (in anime and manga)-The 18 and Under Panel!!!!
Presented by: Venus De Coy
A panel about beautiful men (in anime and manga) that is family approved for all ages!!! You may not think that is possible, but it is very possible.

Otaku at work: Why you don't have your dream job
Presented by: Steven Savage
Remember when you dreamed about a job in anime, or acting, or video games, or comics? What happened to your dream and why? Steve will discuss the serious issues that sabotage our dream careers - and how to overcome them. It's time be a career otaku! Handouts provided.

South Park Slam
Presented by: Branden
For over a decade South Park has been spreading moral deprivation and juvenille filth across our TV screens. What horrible effect has this had on society? Think of the children!

Welcome to the 60's- it was a great time to be a kid.
Presented by: Donna
Retrospective on the best cartoons from the 60s. Description coming soon!

Your Fan Business
Presented by: Venus De Coy
No matter how hard we try, anime and manga does not seem to get any cheaper does it? Want to learn how to turn your anime and manga addiction into money for new anime and manga? This panel is designed for all those who wish to learn how to cash in on the rise of anime conventions and online e-selling! Artists, writers, plushie makers, fashionistas, and all entrepreneurs of all lifestyles are welcome to attend and learn how to make your otakudom work for you!

Join us again for this year's presentation of the AOD Game Show! Lots of trivia and lots of prizes available for those who want to get on stage.All of the contestants come straight from the audience, so just show up and get ready to play, and you just might get picked! There will be three separate game shows during this time slot, so it's okay to come at any time and join the fun!

The Video Gaming room for AOD 2010 is back again for another year. In addition to open play, we're bringing back tournaments!

Saturday Tournaments:
1:00 PM: Street Fighter IV (PS3)
3:30 PM: BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (PS3) (note: This will be Single-Elimination, not double-elimination as originally planned due to time constraints.
6:00 PM: Tekken 6
Sunday Tournaments:
12:00 PM: Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii)
The Rock Band 2 Tournament has been cancelled due to space issues.

Tournaments and times are subject to change. Back by popular demand is the Rock Band 2 Open Mic! - Saturday from 9PM - 11PM! More info here

Please check out our video rooms showing the latest in cool animation features. We are also working hard to have some special animation premieres and screenings!

Kill the Monsters, Steal the Treasure, Karate Chop Your Buddy! Come join us for Munchkin Fu, eight other Munchkin variations, and all the rest of the Board Games we have for you to play in the Board Game Room. We'll teach you to play Apples to Apples and see who associates what words with which (often very wrong but funny) ideas; join us for some Killer Bunnies or Zombies mayhem, let us show you the new variations of Risk, and even play great out of print games like Star Trek NG or Betrayal At House On The Hill. A valid photo ID is required to check out games and borrowed games must remain in the room at all times. We also welcome people bringing their own games and decks of Magic the Gathering or other card games to play.

Featuring a diverse group of passionate and talented singers, the KaraokeOD Competition brings the spirit of friendly competition and the excitement of vocal peformance to the convention stage. We also have open mic after the contest for those who want to just sing their favorite songs for fun!

The Swap Meet is back!

One of our most popular night-time events, the Swap Meet will be held Saturday night, at approximately 9PM (after Masquerade ends).

The Swap Meet is for individual fans and their personal items only- no dealers are allowed. In general, if you have a large number of new, shrink-wrap items, we will probably consider you a dealer. We reserve the right to inspect your items. All decisions of AOD Staff are final.

Booth space tickets can be purchased from our Registration/Info Desk. Buy early to guarantee yourself a spot at the Swap Meet!

AOD is proud to bring, for the first time, a Cosplay Photo stage to our attendees. Professional lighting, backdrops, and other equipment will be available for anyone to use to snap photos of their favorite cosplayers. Bring your camera and your cosplayer down to the Dealers Hall and check it out. AOD staff are on hand to answer questions, but in general the stage setup is ready-to-go.

Since the booth is in the Dealers Hall, the booth is only open while the Dealers Hall is open. Operates both Saturday and Sunday.