FanimeCon 2023 Pocket Guide

May 26 – 29, 2023

San Jose, CA

Art By Finni Chang

FanimeCon 2023 is here!

Another year, another exciting FanimeCon! The staff have been hard at work to plan FanimeCon 2023 and we hope that you enjoy yourself, regardless of if this is your first or your 20th year.

This tiny booklet, dubbed the Pocket Guide, contains programming and important information as of a few weeks before the start of FanimeCon. Unfortunately, while we try to keep programming changes to a minimum, it can happen between the printing of these guides and the start of events. You can find all updates to our scheduling on our official website (https://www.fanime.com) and scheduling website (https://grid.fanime.com).

From all the FanimeCon 2023 staff, our hotel partners, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center staff, and all the other hard working business owners in downtown San Jose, we hope you have a great time this weekend!

FanimeCon Tips!

» These “tip bubbles” convey helpful bite-sized information – either to provide “at-a-glance” information or highlight important information on events that are happening.

» The back of your badge contains a phone number that you can text to reach our Convention Operations. If you have any questions or would like in-person assistance, you can go to an Info Desk or Convention Operations (located in the Hilton’s San Carlos room).

COVID-19 Vaccination and Masking Policy

We want to ensure that everyone is safe so for FanimeCon 2023, we are enforcing the following rules:

» Everyone attending FanimeCon 2023 must be fully vaccinated prior to May 25, 2023 (Thursday)

» Fully vaccinated:

» 6 months to less than 5 years of age: Primary series

» 5 to 17 years of age: Primary series and (1) booster

» 18+ years of age: Primary series and (1) booster

Indoor Masking Required

» FanimeCon will require all attendees, guests, and staff to wear a mask covering the nose and mouth in all FanimeCon indoor event spaces.

» Prolonged periods of mask removal are not permitted for eating or drinking; the mask must be worn between bites, sips, and taking medication. Exceptions are allowed if you are inside personal hotel rooms, designated eating or drinking areas, or for FanimeCon performers actively on stage performing. Please follow instructions from stage show managers for additional policies if requested.

» For cosplayers with large helmets/cosplay masks, a mask must be worn underneath the cosplay.

» Please follow masking policies for restaurants and other spaces operated by our facility partners.

For more detailed information, please see our website or scan the QR code above 2 © FanimeCon 2023

We post updates on our website as well as our main social media accounts!

Twitter: @FanimeCon

Facebook: FanimeCon

Some of our departments maintain their own social media presence – see the list at: https://www.fanime.com/social-media

Need to find an event location or food/drink options?

Need to find a room where any event is located, the quickest path to the nearest boba shop, or even clarification on hours for specific programming? Locate one of our Info Desk locations where you can find the answers to these questions and more!

Need Assistance?

Need assistance while at the convention? You can contact our Policy Relations department who works with convention security to ensure that everyone feels safe while at FanimeCon. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them if you or someone you know is in a situation that feels unsafe. Send a text message to 1 (414) 3264631 or flag down any staffer with a headset.

Food & Sleep

There’s plenty of excitement during this weekend, but please remember to take care of yourself. Please stay hydrated, well fed, and get plenty of sleep.

Artist Alley

FanimeCon Shuttle Schedule

Schedule-at-a-Glance

Silver Island (18+) returns!

After taking a break last year, Silver Island returns to FanimeCon 2023! Come enjoy all the exclusive adult programming and shopping at the DoubleTree hotel – a short shuttle ride away from the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

Party Quiz: the Official Game Show of FanimeCon

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday / 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Stage Zero

We’re back! Now called “Party Quiz”, we’ve been the official game show of FanimeCon for over two decades. Each of our hour-long shows feature a different format. Some of our games test your reflexes, where the fastest buzzer will have an advantage. Others require deep memory mastery, while others will require contestants to spot the smallest detail. We also have picture rounds, category rounds, spelling rounds, and maybe even a drawing round or two.

Contestants will be quizzed on a medley of topics including anime, video games, and general knowledge. A single game might run from Bleach to Bayonetta to BTS, from Fullmetal Alchemist to Final Fantasy to french fries. How is your RPG lore? Have you brushed up your favorite classic anime series? Do you know your world capitals? You never know what might come up during the games.

Players who score well can walk away with prizes such as plushies, gift cards, and figures. In addition, each day concludes with a jackpot round. Contestants can win hundreds of dollars in actual cash if they are fast enough and lucky enough. We’ve given away hundreds during each show before, and we’re looking to do it again!

We select all of our contestants from the audience, so just show up, and you can play and win! Come on up, and show off your knowledge!

The Party Quiz will be running on Stage Zero in the San Jose Convention Center, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.

Games with Guests / Saturday / 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Stage Zero

As a special event, one of our rounds will feature some of our Guests of Honor as contestants. Not only will they be competing for the championship among their fellow guests, but they will also be playing to win prizes for selected members of the audience. Cheer them on, and you might win as well!

Black & White Ball Dance Schedule

Marriott – San Jose Ballroom

Speed Dating

Speed Dating Workshops

What is Speed Dating? How does it work? Speed Dating 101 is designed for those who want to find out more about our events before participating. Learn the basics, practice with us, and get out all those butterflies before the real deal! Experience low-stakes “friend-dating” under the guidance of Speed Dating staff. We will also be raffling Speed Dating fast passes!

Speed Dating Sessions

Speed Dating sessions are only offered for attendees 18 years and older. Please bring valid photo ID (e.g. passport, driver’s license, state ID, etc.). Rotate between conversations with other singles while the Speed Dating staff coordinate your mutual matches! We also offer LGBTQIA+ sessions. Please see the Registration section below for sign up information!

Arcade, Console, PC, and Tabletop Tournments

Here are the gaming tournaments that will be happening in our Gaming Hall and Tabletop rooms. Keep in mind that these are subject to change due to various delays.

Arcade, console, and PC tournaments are located in our Gaming Hall (SJCC Hall 3) while tabletop tournaments are located in the Almaden Ballroom (Hilton)

Guest of Honor Events

These same blue backgrounds will be used on events where a FanimeCon Guest of Honor will be participating in!

Scan the QR code to sign up for your chance at a Guest of Honor autograph. Autograph spots are randomly selected in advance. More information:

Join

Guest of Honor mossbadger can be found at her Trunk Show table all weekend long!

Cosplayer Gatherings Schedule

See Map for Locations

Day 1 – Friday

Panels 1 (SJCC LL21A:E)

Fri 9:00 AM

Fri 10:00 AM

Fri 11:00 AM

Fri 12:00 PM

Fri 1:00 PM

Fri 2:00 PM

Panels 2 (SJCC LL210AB)

The staff has been hard at work for the last year+ so we hope you enjoy FanimeCon 2023. Please be good to each other, be safe, and enjoy FanimeCon!

Panels 3 (SJCC LL20C)

Anime Unpopular Opinions (16+)

Fri 3:00 PM Ship or Skip (16+)

Skill Check! First Rap RPG! (16+)

Fri 4:00 PM

Extremely Hard Anime Quiz: Q&A (16+)

You’ve Got Mail!

Create and Publish Your Manga

Fri 5:00 PM Materials For Lolita Fashion

Fri 6:00 PM

Fri 7:00 PM

Fri 8:00 PM

Fri 9:00 PM

Fri 10:00 PM

Fri 11:00 PM

Sat12:00 AM

Sat 1:00 AM

Sat 2:00 AM

Make Anime Great Again (16+)

Anime and Black Culture (16+)

Learning History Through Anime

Altering Lolita Fashion

Japan’s Media Culture of Food

Let’s Talk About Harems (16+) More Than City Pop

Hilarious Hentai Read Along! (18+)

Kinky Side to Anime (18+)

Oh the (Animated) Horror! (18+)

An Uncensored Hentai Review! (18+) Realities of Quality Assurance Testing (18+)

City Popular

Do Your

Otaku Comedy Tournament:

Mature Programming (Rated R) (18+)

Party Quiz: the Official Game Show of FanimeCon

Fri 10:00 PM

Day 2 – Saturday

Panels 1 (SJCC LL21A:E)

Sat 9:00 AM

Sat 10:00 AM

9:00 AM to 2:00 AM

Panels 2 (SJCC LL210AB)

Mythology of Summons

Panels 3 (SJCC LL20C)

Vintage Anime—Name That Year

Sat 11:00 AM Waluigi Time! (16+)

Sat 12:00 PM

Sat 1:00 PM

Sat 2:00 PM

Sat 3:00 PM

Sat 4:00 PM

Sat 5:00 PM

Sat 6:00 PM

Madoka Magica: There’s More!

Cthulhu for President! (16+) Support for New Dungeon Masters Weathering with You(r Cosplay)

Q&A with Kyle McCarley Cosplay Makeup 101 California Cosplay Gala

Studio Ghibli: 35 Years with Totoro

Mario Maker Mayhem

Q&A with Cherami Leigh

CWF Fanimania VIII: Night 1 (16+)

Budget-Friendly Cosplay! eigoMANGA Industry Panel

PBS: The Secret Anime Channel (16+)

Modern Relationships in Anime (16+)

4Kids: More Good, Bad, & Ugly

DIO Did Nothing Wrong (16+)

Sat 7:00 PM Game Translation Gone Wrong

Sat 8:00 PM

Sat 9:00 PM

Sat 10:00 PM

Sat 11:00 PM

Sun 12:00 AM

Sun 1:00 AM

Sun 2:00 AM

Bad Hentai (18+)

Pokémon: Mommy & Daddy Version (18+)

Anime’s Biggest A**holes (18+)

Developing Anime Mobile Apps

Which Mechs Would Work?

Music of The Lost Decade

Nothing But JAV (18+)

Playing to…Win? (16+)

Nerdcore Is Not Dead! (16+)

Convention Stories (16+)

(Rated R) (18+)

(to be determined! please see the schedule website)

Day 3 – Sunday

Panels 1 (SJCC LL21A:E)

Sun 9:00 AM

Sun 10:00 AM Console Wars

Sun 11:00 AM Twitch Tech Talk

Sun 12:00 PM

Sun 1:00 PM

Sun 2:00 PM

Sun 3:00 PM

Sun 4:00 PM

Sun 5:00 PM

Sun 6:00 PM

Sun 7:00 PM

Sun 8:00 PM

Sun 9:00 PM

Sun 10:00 PM

Sun 11:00 PM Mon12:00 AM Mon 1:00 AM Mon 2:00

Horror Master Hirokatsu Kihara

Panels 2 (SJCC LL210AB)

9:00 AM to 2:00 AM

Panels 3 (SJCC LL20C)

Name That Anime Tune Lolita Fashion 101

Get the Look—Anime Edition!

VTuber Tech

Love & Light with Cherami Leigh Romantic Values in Shoujo (16+)

Q&A with Keisuke Ueda

Make My Pokédex Marketing + Selling Your Craft (16+)

Gundam/Gunpla is for everyone!

Fifth Gen Isn’t Pokémon (16+)

Ash Can’t Catchum (16+)

CWF Fanimania VIII: Night 2 (16+)

The BnB: Board Games with GoHs

The Completionist Q&A

Queerness and Magical Girls (16+)

Magic in Anime (16+)

A Kojima Fan Panel: MGS to DS2 (16+)

Sneak Peak: Haenuli Design

Anime to See Before You Die (18+) A Guide Through Isekai Series (16+)

Bad Fanfiction (18+)

Dragon Age Otome (18+) A Brief History of Kotodama (18+)

Day 4 – Monday

Mon 9:00 AM

Mon 10:00 AM

Mon 11:00 AM

Mon 12:00 PM

Mon 1:00 PM

Mon 2:00 PM

Mon 3:00 PM

Mon 4:00 PM

Mon 5:00 PM

Closing Ceremonies

Panels

Extremely Hard Anime Quiz: Awards (16+)

Frontchill: Stories & Games (16+)

We love Feedback!

We love reading your opinions about FanimeCon 2023 – the good and the bad! You can email them to feedback@fanime.com but please note that we will be unable to respond directly to every inquiry and email.

Joining FanimeCon Staff!

FanimeCon happens with the help of our at-con volunteers and all volunteer staff. We have many departments and programming events that can use volunteers – if you’re interested in learning more, please see our website!

https://fani.mobi/volunteer

Panels 1 (SJCC LL21A:E)

Panels 2 (SJCC LL210AB)

3 (SJCC LL20C)

Lost Something?

If you lost something during FanimeCon, you can ask each hotel’s front desk as well as our Lost & Found room – located at the Hilton’s San Carlos room. They are open until 2 PM on Monday, but can be reached via email at lost@fanime.com www.fanime.com