NY Anime Festival '08: This Weekend's Manga Highlights

Manhattan's Jacob K. Javits Center will be the East Coast epicenter of manga, anime and Japanese pop culture fun when New York Anime Festival rolls into town this weekend, from Friday September 26 through Sunday, September 28, 2008.

While I'm kinda bummed that NYAF's move from last year's December weekend to a timeslot directly conflicts with Yaoi-Con back in San Mateo, California, I'm glad that I won't have to slog through a chilly Manhattan winter to get to the show this time.

There's lots to see and do this weekend, but to get you rev'ed up for this weekend's fun, here's my manga-centric guide to what's worth checking out at NYAF:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

• 3:00 – 4:00 pm: Otaku USA Magazine Panel, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Look for Otaku USA Editor in Chief Patrick Macias to bring together his all-star band of experts for a lively panel about the many joys of putting together this monthly mag of Asian geek culture.
• 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Spotlight on Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Pop Culture Panel Room 1A21
  Okay, this isn't really a manga pick, but after watching Morimoto-san do his culinary magic on both Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, I have to do my Food Network fangirl thing to check out the coolest chef around.
• 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Spotlight on Hideyuki Kikuchi, Creator of Vampire Hunter D, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Kikuchi-sensei will answer any and all questions about his immortal creation as well as his other horror novel creations, including Demon City Shinjuku and much more.
• 6:45 - 7:45 pm: Vertical Inc. Publisher's Panel, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Now that their first volume of Osamu Tezuka's memorable medical manga Black Jack is out, see what else the Vertical manga and J-Lit crew has up their sleeves for 2009.
• 8:00 - 9:00 pm: Kitty Media Yaoi and Yuri Manga Publisher's Panel, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  It is hot in here? It will be when the Kitty Media gang show off their sexy line-up of yaoi and yuri manga for the rest of 2008 and maybe a few peeks of their 2009 line-up too. Sorry kiddies, you have to be 18 or over to check this one out.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

• 11:15 am - 12:15 pm: Spotlight on Cooking Manga, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  With special guest Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto in mind, this spotlight on cooking manga is sure to leave a few comics fans craving a snack by the time it's done. Just to make it even sweeter, one lucky attendee will win copies of Kitchen Princess, the deliciously delightful shojo series from Del Rey Manga.
• 12:45 - 1:45 pm: Spotlight on Vampire Hunter D, Anime News Network Theater, Room 1A12
  Author Hideyuki Kikuchi, artist Yoshitaka Amano and translator Kevin Leahy share their take on everyone's elegant post-apocalyptic vampire slayer.
• 1:45 - 2:45 pm: Del Rey Manga Publishers Panel, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Join the Dey Rey Manga gang as they raise the curtain on some of their latest releases and give us a sneak peek at some new coming attractions for 2009.
• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Spotlight on Yoshitaka Amano, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Legendary fantasy artist and versatile character designer Yoshitaka Amano talks about some of his past and present projects, including Shinjuku, his eye-popping new project from Dark Horse due out in 2009, and maybe share some tidbits about the upcoming Gatchman movie.
• 4:15 pm - 5:15 pm: Comics for the Manga Fan, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Can manga fans find reading enjoyment on the American side of the comics shop? Get a few choice recommendations from folks in the know.
• 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm: World Cosplay Summit Masquerade, Anime News Network Room 1A12
  See which cosplay team will reign supreme and represent Team U.S.A. at the 2009 World Cosplay Summit in Japan.
• 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm: Spotlight on Gekiga, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Discover the cutting edge of manga with this spotlight on gekiga, or "dramatic pictures," courtesy of Rym and Scott of GeekNights. How cutting edge? It's strictly for readers age 18 and up.
• 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm: Spotlight on Yuri Anime and Manga, Anime Fandom Panel Room 1A14
  Meet yuri manga maven Erica Friedman and find out her picks for worth-a-look titles for fans of girls who love girls. And yes, this one's strictly for fans over 18 too, so bring your ID.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

• 11:15 am - 12:15 pm: The State of the Manga Industry, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  Leading luminaries of the manga publishing biz share their thoughts on the hits and misses of 2008, plus their take on trends to watch in 2009.
• 11:15 am - 12:15 pm: Yen Press Publishers Panel, Manga Panel Room 1A24
  With the arrival of Yen Plus and the Haruhi Suzumiya manga in 2008, Yen Press is sure to have some newsworthy announcements for 2009.
• 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Spotlight on Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Pop Culture Panel Room 1A21
  Meet the designers behind the cute couture house Baby the Stars Shine Bright as they share their latest creations for Lolita lovelies.

Get a taste of what's in store with a peek at some photo highlights from New York Anime Festival 2007. And if you'd like to keep up on my updates straight from the floor at NYAF, check out my updates on Twitter.