Next weekend is the annual otaku "mega" event ACGHK 2015! Otherwise known as a five-day-long celebration of all things animated, comic book, and gaming related, that will be taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Friday July 24 to Tuesday July 28.
Otaku Zone was a fervent supporter of this event but over the last few years this column has slowly lost its regard for it and will not be attending this year. Why, you might ask?
Well simply, it has become boring. Every year it's the same stalls selling almost the same merchandise and memorabilia from the previous year. It's the same exhibitors showcasing already released games and recycling old news and old guests.
Combined with overcrowding and a lack of proper air con, it's a rather horrid experience overall.
On top of that, the organisers don't make an effort to invite or welcome foreigners (the severe lack of English info regarding events, guests, and exhibitors makes that clear).
The major disappointment is the lack of representation of western TV shows and movies. HK has legions of Star Wars and Star Trek fans, and new shows like MTV's Teen Wolf and Arrow are incredibly popular locally, but there is no sign of any of them.
What we would like to see at next year's ACGHK 2016 is controlled attendance, more international exhibitors, guests from popular western television shows like Doctor Who and The Flash, displays featuring cool movie props, and information in English.