Anime Milwaukee Yaoi Report

Anime Milwaukee was a fun, well-attended, organized show. I was asked to return as a guest next year and enthusiastically agreed.

I estimated about 600 people which is amazing for a university-based show. The crowd was the friendly, happy, eager-to-have-fun type I love. I felt extremely welcome. It helped that several good looking guys were willing to put on 'live yaoi shows' at our booth in the dealers room.

I debuted a new industry presentation at this show that was more comedic than I'd done before. Everyone seemed to have fun. Even the people who were beaned by the free buttons I threw into the crowd. The same can be said for the 'Yaoi Let's Make a Deal' Game Show I put on. Audience participation at the show was awesome. I held my final 'Yaoi Hentai Slide Show' panel and as usual it went over the hour time-slot. It's Sunday and I'm sitting at my guest table at the show typing this. Every once in a while someone comes by wearing the corn badge I gave at the panel to say how much fun they had.

I don't usually give reports on shows because I do so many. I was so pleasantly surprised with Anime Milwaukee I had to put down a few words. My expectations weren't that high for what should have been a small college show. I had an experience I'd expect at much larger event. As far as organization, I don't think I've seen it much better. My excellent driver Matt was at the airport to meet me with my name on a sign. He never kept me waiting long for a ride, and pulled up close to keep me from walking through the biting cold. I was given a stipend for meals, but staff still came to my booth with menus to take my meal orders and deliver them to me. I was placed in a college apartment which I had expected to be a dorm room, but was really a nice hotel suite with full kitchen. Staff was on hand to help set up for all my panels. When it was time for the hentai panel I didn't have to ask for anyone to come and block out the windows on the doors. They were on top of things all the way.

I realized at this show that this was a necessary area for me to visit. There were so many yaoi-starved fans here. It was like the first time I'd done a show in Florida, or Arizona. People seemed to be saying, 'Finally!' I wonder how many places there's left like this...

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers for treating me so well. Thanks to all the fans and attendees for being so friending and enthusiastic. Anime Milwaukee was just a great experience.