By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting

Aniplex Online Fest has been a staple of my annual calendar ever since the pandemic brought it to life. This entirely online “convention” experience became something I have eagerly anticipated each year, and the announcement that a recording would be available for at least a week after airing this year’s stream on YouTube was a huge relief.

With my busy work schedule, the flexibility to catch up later was something I deeply appreciated. So, in all, it would be safe to say that I was looking forward to the 2024 event as a celebration of anime and music during its roughly four-hour runtime. Unfortunately, this year’s online fest left much to be desired, especially for longtime fans like me who have come to expect a solid production quality and at least some content depth like past iterations.

While AOF still featured a lineup of familiar and new titles with upcoming releases and some entertaining performances, it lacked the exclusivity and substance that made its earlier editions stand out.

One of the most glaring issues this year was the absence of truly exclusive or in-depth content. In previous years, Aniplex Online Fest often featured sneak peeks into upcoming projects, complete with interviews featuring animators and creators that provided a rare behind-the-scenes look at the anime industry. These segments made viewers like myself feel like they had a front-row seat to the creative process.

This year, however, much of the content felt rehashed. Most segments featured talent speaking in front of green screens, offering surface-level talking points that could easily be found online. For example, during the Blue Exorcist -Beyond the Snow Saga- segment, there was a brief anecdote from a voice actor about working with a dialogue coach, which could have been fascinating if explored further regarding why this was important to the character being played and series but instead felt shallow.

Similarly, the Fate/strange Fake segment mentioned that the production team traveled to the U.S. for accuracy but failed to really explain why or how this influenced the project. Even the trailers and previews for new, upcoming releases felt like content that was already publicly available, leaving me wanting the unique insights into storyboarding, character design, and adaptation challenges that previous fests delivered.

Another issue was the overall lack of engagement. In the past, Aniplex Online Fest excelled at creating a lively atmosphere. Whether I was watching solo or with friends, it never felt lonely because the content was immersive and the hosts brought energy to the experience. This year, the event struggled to replicate that connection.

When I streamed it with friends, many lost interest less than an hour in, leaving me to watch the rest alone for loyalty as a fan of previous AOFs and the sake of my blog. The lack of fresh content and depth made it difficult to stay invested, and segments that tried to engage viewers fell flat compared to the intricate discussions of artistry and production that were once a hallmark of AOF.

The shift toward more promotional content seemed intentional, perhaps as a way to protect their material from being recorded and reposted. While making that decision to protect content is understandable, this decision ultimately diminished the experience. Instead of feeling like a celebration of anime culture, or Aniplex’s titles, and music, the event came across as a polished advertisement reel.

That said, the event wasn’t without positives. Musical performances were energetic and well-produced, and fans of major franchises like Demon Slayer and Fate likely enjoyed seeing their favorite works highlighted. As a huge Solo Leveling fan, I was excited during its segment, though it didn’t offer much new information since I’d already seen similar content at AX earlier this year.

However, these moments weren’t enough to outweigh the overall lack of substance. I think that fans return to events like these expecting more than a highlight reel. They want unique perspectives and a deeper connection to the medium they love, and I can understand that producing this kind of content for free online distribution may be a challenge, but I think it is one that pays off more by creating stronger fan loyalty to the brand.

In the end, Aniplex Online Fest 2024 felt like a missed opportunity. For an online event that has been running for several years, the bar is higher—not in terms of runtime, but in the quality and depth of the content. So, here’s to hoping Aniplex returns next year with a more inspired program that recaptures the magic of its earlier iterations!

To read a full recap of the event, you can check out Tamara Lazic’s summary published by Anime Corner here: https://animecorner.me/aniplex-online-fest-2024-full-recap-and-highlights