When I started going to anime conventions, I found panels deadly boring and spent all my time in video rooms, making extensive notes. But over time I turned around and came to realize that the key is to hit the 10% of the Sturgeon’s law. I think it happened when I went to Yoko Ishida’s panel at AX.

Also, a panel with Rie Tanaka would be awesome too. A man should dream big.

UPDATE: Seen in Omo’s comments:

Omo – the only reason Mike got a ticket was because I (Ray at Anime Diet) wanted a Tanaka Rie autograph (I love female seiyuus) and I paid Mike via Western Union (because I really am in Taiwan). Otherwise he’d not gotten the ticket at all. He never thanked me! Ghar.

Also, Jeff answered the title of this post:

YES.

Long answer: Because you get more than just a guaranteed autograph ticket. You also get a free con t-shirt, some random junk, a 10% discount on other NYAF merchandise sold by them, and lines cut. Considering the T-shirt is 15+tax by itself, that already cuts the differential down to $30. Even if you don’t take advantage of the other perks, that will save you hours of time. To me it’s a good deal.

Duh.

P.S. I find it strange that the premier seyuu blogs, j1m0ne and Hashi-hime ignored the Toradora’s cast as a whole, with the latter merely observing that Rie Kugimiya gets typecast.

Curiously, even J.P.Meyer asked if listening to SSS makes sense, since Sekirei is presumably about big breasts. The “even” part comes from this idea being simple enough to pop into minds of juvenile friends of Lolikit[sune]. I expected more from J.P. and, I admit, my first temptation was to ask him to stop thinking with his penis. But then I remembered how much effort SDB spent on evangelizing Divergence Eve. Sekirei is even a tougher case: the creators of anime clearly wanted the fanservice to shine… and then the DVDs came out uncensored. The story is also not very large in its scope, so it’s a little wonder J.P.’s thought process ran in the obvious track.

The story in SSS is different in details from the anime. For example, the whole initial capture arc is bypassed, but then we’re treated to additional scenes: Kuu and Uzume working in the yard, or the cliche of Minato evesdropping on his “wives” (Kuu calls them “あれのつまたち”) when they discuss him.

One thing I rue now is how Japanese are serious about their limited releases. Aside from SSS, Sekirei also had a “normal” Drama CD (which is bit confusing, since I think SSS is a typical Drama CD), but it’s sold out.

I’m not a fan of Aya Hirano. While I think she’s talented, I’m just not swept away by her voice acting the way I am by, say, Shizu-sama or Maaya Sakamoto. That said, I have enjoyed her work as Haruhi Suzumiya (megalomania ♥) and Shizu Shidou (Ijimekko~~) but, to date, my Top Favourite Aya Hirano role has to be Konata where she really made the role her own, conveying the chara’s distinctive blend of otaku passion, family/friendship love power and :3

Not that I agree, or even know anything about Aya, just wanted to preserve it.

My own understanding of seyuu is about nil. I fondly remember Mitsuishi Kotono. Rie Tanaka always impressed me with her professionalism and enormous range. She’s still in business, recently playing Lt.Col. Wilcke in Strike Witches. Also, I remember a couple of “one role” seyuu, whom I probably would not recognize again: Marina Inoue as Tsukiumi in Sekirei, and Natsumi Yanase as Chihiro in ef (I understand that Mrs. Inoue is quite well known, just not by me). Currently I keep meaning to look up who plays Sumire in Toradora — it’s another distinctive performance. Aya though? I remember Konata but not Mrs. Hirano.

UPDATE: Just noticed that Ami Koshimizu is in four series (at least) this season: Umineko, Manimani, Saki (as Nodoka, still running), GA:GADC (as Mizubuchi). When did this shift to multitasking happen?

UPDATE: JPMeyer reminds that Rie Kugimiya is also in FMA Brotherhood. I think it continues into the Autumn.

UPDATE: Sagematt says Umineko continues into the Autumn as well. So, seven roles now?!

Megumi Nakajima could be the next Maaya Sakamoto.

Surprisingly, I know who Miss Nakajima is: she has beaten every fan’s idol May’n fair and square in Macross Frontier soundtrack, and confused Hinano. But alas, Kampfer ED Single sounded kind of flat to me. It’s suitably perky and poppy, but it has no standalone power that I crave. Oh well, better luck next time.

BTW, her partner in the ED is Marina Inoue, who I also know (mostly because I was surprised to find that “Marina” was a Japanese name). Kampfer has a stong cast overall, but singing without video is a different matter.