Ok, first off, super cool that you did a panel for Katsucon! So proud of you! I know you knocked it out of the park :D Katsucon is also one of those cons I'd love to go to one day. It would be a bit of a mini road trip for me, but it's a gorgeous venue and a prime location for so many cosplayers (then again, I'm also in the same boat of getting too old for these things. Not that I don't want to cosplay ever again, but it's exhausting and a lot of work for something I'm going to wear for maybe half a day at a convention or two or three. I'd rather spend more of my time doing other things at cons, like tabletop gaming and chatting with artists and stuff). If I ever end up going, I'll let you know!

I've noticed the lack of diversity in terms of upper-level staff with Anime Boston, as well. It's really unfortunate. Panels in general are so hit and miss for me. I tend to like the silly and fun panels, like cosplay games and stuff, because the informational-ish panels are massively hit or miss. It's either given by someone who is Actually Qualified By Degrees and Shit or a college freshman reading off of a tvtropes page. I don't want to waste my time with the latter.

Also feel you on being too old for anime cons. I had a chat with one of my friends about this a month ago - coexisting with pure bred anime fans over the course of a long weekend isn't how I want to spend my free time. Gaming conventions? Pure pop culture nerdery? Hell yeah. Anime cons? Eh... not really. This will be the first year I'm going to AB without cosplaying (I might bring one. I don't know. I'm really not feeling it) and I'm curious to see if I'll enjoy it sans dress up.