Retro Gaming Conventions in Japan?

[shawnji]

I've been living over here for the past three years now, and while I usually take in a bit of the Tokyo Game Show; my interest in new games is waning.  I tend to go to just about every Game Center CX event that comes up if I can make it, but I haven't been able to find a two or three day convention with lots of events and booths dedicated purely to retro gaming.  Anybody know of anything? 

[SuperDeadite]

tatsujin's apartment 24-7.

[SignOfZeta]

I've always been under the impression that American style multi-day cons are not well known in Japan. They tend to do the thing where they pack 100,000 in a stadium and get it all done in 10 hours.

That's just my impression though. I have no first hand knowledge.

[Arkhan]

I've always been under the impression that American style multi-day cons are not well known in Japan. They tend to do the thing where they pack 100,000 in a stadium and get it all done in 10 hours.

That's just my impression though. I have no first hand knowledge.

lol you should see some of the MSX conventions that go down there

there's like auditoriums and presentations, and hot chicks in character outfits.


then you go to the american ones and its disheveled unshowered people, and fat chicks in Sailor moon outfits with their gunts hanging out.

lol

[SignOfZeta]

Or fat dudes in Sailor Moon outfits with their guts hanging out.

Anyway, I'm not saying they don't have cons there, they certainly do, and with much larger attendance (and less fat attendees) it just seems like most of the ones I've seen we're not American style, whoever everyone stays in the hotel for four nights and most of the con runs 24 hours.

[ccovell]

whoever everyone stays in the hotel for four nights and most of the con runs 24 hours.

That's it right there... most Japanese adults don't take any time off work.

[Samurai Ghost]

Yeah I don't think most adults can take off more than a full day for a gaming convention/concert, etc.

But personally I just invite my friends over and we play Bomberman or Street Fighter II tournies for like 9 hours straight. Doing one tomorrow in fact!

[shawnji]

I'm mostly just looking for something similar to the format of TGS or the lesser-known Japan Games Convention.  I'd even just like to meet some other people who are in my neck of the woods that like to just hang out and play retro games and what-not.  I'm getting tired of my wife and I living like a couple of hermits all the time...

[Colossus1574]

I'm getting tired of my wife and I living like a couple of hermits all the time...

Better hope the wifey doesn't suddenly have an itch to read up on PC Engine talk  :-"

So what got u to move there in the 1st place? job?

[shawnji]

Better hope the wifey doesn't suddenly have an itch to read up on PC Engine talk  :-"

So what got u to move there in the 1st place? job?

Haha.  Don't worry, she feels the same way and we don't really have any secrets.  We both are mostly home-bodies, but we still like to get out on occasion... Besides, she actually hates video games.  Totally supportive of my love for them, though.

I got a job teaching English; pretty much like every other foreigner over here does.  I was formerly a stage actor working in the US; but to be perfectly honest, it just wasn't paying the bills and I had always wanted to come back here (I spent a year as an exchange student back in 2003).  I just started looking for jobs on gaijinpot.com and I snagged something almost immediately.  Unfortunately, the school where I work is one of the most oppressive work environments I've ever been in (the native teachers have flat out told me that it's unbelievably strict, even by Japan's standards).  I'm hoping to pass the level two JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) soon and then work up to the level one so that I can move into doing translation work professionally.

[Colossus1574]

Cool, well it's mighty good to hear you have her support, moving all the way there is quite a committment...

And hopefully you do hear of some nice retro conventions over there, cause it's sounding like it's gaining momentum over here...one of the other members posted he just went to one in my part of town and i didn't even know about it! hahaha. I wonder in North America if we're just more nostalgic then the rest of the world? Hobbies like collecting baseball/hockey cards, collecting comics, and old LPs definitely show we like are retro!  Seriously though, it's just so important that people don't dismiss the importance of all the games that came before all the ps3s, 360s, wiis. And to find fellow players who enjoy playing them in a group or hangout is the icing on the cake. 

[shawnji]

Completely agreed.  I'm a bit of a film buff too, so I've always kind of wished we had a similar kind of "preservation society" in the gaming world like we do for film.  I can't imagine a world where I couldn't watch classics like Double Indemnity any more than I can imagine a world where my kids wouldn't be able to play Super Mario Bros.

I think there are a lot of fans of retro-gaming in Japan, but you really have to travel around a lot to find them; and it's often hard to get a conversation going with them since a lot of Japanese gamers seem to be a bit introverted.  I've made several Japanese friends at Game Center CX events (I'm usually the only foreigner...), but we pretty much only ever see each other there since we all live in different parts of the country.

[esteban]

My friend, your mission is to start a video game club for teachers and students at your school. You will overthrow the oppressive regime and be victorious.

Or you will be mocked and (likely) lose your job.

Either way, you will have fun  .

[shawnji]

Heh.  All my students are from age 5-8, so when they talk to me about games it's always about Pokemon or Mario.  The teachers similarly have little to no interest in games.  We've got a really small town vibe going on out in the boonies where I am (hence my problem).

Losing my job does admittedly sound kinda' fun, though! 

[SuperDeadite]

Where are you abouts?  I'm in Shiga, land of the lake, and bored umemployed, but very easy women.