Some of Charles Dunbar’s Panels
I present topics according to category:
-Kaidan for Otaku includes panels about Japanese religion, mythology and folklore,
funeral/death practices, monster history and culture, symbolism in Giant Robot
series, the Hyaku-monogatari storytelling event, and any new panels related to
sacred culture and media.
-Fandom Culture panels include looks at otakudom both in the US and abroad,
examines the ideas of converging fandoms through Henry Jenkins model of media
convergence, and analyzes the evolution of fandom events in the United States. My
dissertation was on Anime Convention Culture and Convergence Theory, so this is a
subject near and dear to me.
-Video Games as Literature panels include looks into narrative developments in
Final Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei series, the mythological elements of
Pokemon, and how video games have become a new method for storytelling in the
digital millennium.
-Japanese History and Culture panels include looks at Ninjas, Samurai and the Rise
of the Warrior Class, Cross-Culture Trade between the US and Japan, Fear of
Technology in Japanese Media, and a retrospective on the films of Studio Ghibli, with
regards to their political themes and philosophical roots.
There are miscellaneous panels that cover other topics, and I also take requests
from conventions. I do a long-form retrospective on Japanese film, on Anime and
Technology through the opening sequences, and on Astro Boy and the dissemination
of anime in America.
Standard Panels
An International Game of Telephone: A Timeline of Japanese Cross-Cultural
Trade
A look into the aspects of culture borrowed and re-interpreted by Japan and the
United States. Focuses on music, art, genre, fashion and entertainment elements
traded between the two cultures since the Meiji Restoration.
Castles, Forests and Bath Houses: Politics, Philosophy and the Worlds of Hayao
Miyazaki
The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki: Explorations into the movies of the legendary film
director Hayao Miyazaki. Sacred themes, characters and story elements are
identified and discussed.
Chocobos Ate My Baby: The Evolution of Final Fantasy
A retrospective of a FInal Fantasy series, exploring the progress in game mechanics,
art styles, storytelling methods and mythological/philosophical co-options.
Dead Like Us: Shinigami and the Japanese Idea of Death
A look into the concept of the Shinigami and how it is influenced by Japanese
religious and cultural ideas.
Fanthropology: Behind the Study of Fandom
An introduction to the field of fan studies, tailored towards answering the questions
of budding fan scholars.
Joseph Campbell Sends Out Mew: Pokemon and the Mythic Journey
A look into folklore and world mythology, using Pokemon as a lens.
Kowai: Ghosts, Yokai and Japanese Monster Culture
An exploration of ghosts, monsters and horror within Japanese mythology, folklore
and modern media. Companion to Yokai Nation: monster index and "lore roll call."
Modern Mythology: Mythic Elements in Anime and Video Games
A look inside the mythological symbols, story elements and themes that appear in
anime and video games.
Sacred Symbols/Giant Robots: Symbolism in Mecha
A look into the melding of science and symbolic images and actions within the
mecha genre.
Spirits, Wheels and Borrowed Gods: Anime and Japan's Sacred Culture
A primer on the major religions of Japan, their history, how they impact Japanese
Culture, and their influence on modern media.
We Con, Therefore We Are: A Critical Look at the Modern Congoer
An exploration into the changing demographics and motivations of contemporary
anime con attendees. Co-Hosted by Joe Chen of Animechanics.
Weekend Nihonjin: Anime Fandom on the Road
Share stories, advice and experiences gathered from years of congoing.
Yokai Nation: Japanese History and Monster Culture
An exploration of the context, history and significance of yokai legends. Companion
piece to "Kowai," this is a theoretical analysis of concepts, specific historical and
cultural indicators, and evolution of monster legends and tales.