A friend of mine recently shared some interesting news with me. Apparently, someone out there is trying to put together a hentai convention. Naturally, they’re calling it HentaiCon They’ve already got a Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook page set up, and all very recently, too.
So, it got me thinking: Would a hentai convention work? And if it could, how would it go down?
Though relatively underground, compared to the rest of the fandom, the hentai community is very tight-knit, passionate, and open with each other about their entertainment. Though the idea of a gathering of hentai fans might at first strike some people as weird or seedy, but the truth is, people who enjoy hentai are more-or-less normal adults, and when they get together with a common interest in mind, it’s a very vibrant social occasion.
In addition, to a certain extent, a gathering of hentai fans can be expected to be more accepting of one another’s preferences, given the common ground all hentai comes from, vice the wide range of different kinds of anime. Hentai fans very rarely talk badly about each other’s preferences. Fact is, when around other hentai fans, the attitude is “We know why you’re here, just don’t leave a mess.”
That said, already in the group’s Facebook page are people expressing concern for safety, which is 100% reasonable to be concerned about. If HentaiCon wants to put on a good event, they will have to address safety concerns very clearly, especially in terms of cosplayers.
But how would a hentai con happen? What would be its programming? Who would fill the dealer room and artist alley?
Late nights at many anime conventions already comprise fan-panels centered on adult anime. Titles like “Dick and Buster’s Hentai Dubbing Extravaganza,” “A Girl’s Guide to Hentai,” and “A Beginner’s Guide to Eff’d-Up Hentai” already populate the tail ends of con schedules nationwide. There’s certainly no lack of programming out there for HentaiCon to include. It mostly comes down to the fans. If HentaiCon can manage to attract talented attendees who can provide quality programming, they’re all set.
As for dealers and artists, the rise of FAKKU! Books speaks for itself. Project H Books could be there. J-List and MangaGamer could show up. Hendane could bring their boxes of doujinshi. They could even hang their dakimakura covers up on the wall without having to put post-it notes over the nipples. Not to mention, not all the vendors have to sell hentai. They just have to be comfortable at an event like what HentaiCon is planning.
There’s definitely potential. As a thought experiment, I honestly think it could be a fun event if set up correctly. Whether anything will come of it remains to be seen, but personally, I wish the organizers luck.