one of the most important parts of how pop culture is digested isn’t just critical analysis, but how the average person responds to it when introduced to it. this is, in a way, the make or break moment of pop culture.

that’s part of the experience of fandom events too. that doesn’t just include things like anime convention – but concerts and any sort of event where the layperson can get introduced to something they aren’t aware of.

we’re here because of an anime convention, of course – currently (as of writing!) Deep-Hell and associates are at the local Arizona event, taiyou con which is one of the more chilled out conventions that happen out here in the desert.

as there always is at these types of things most of the events are all ran by fans themselves. “members of the community” you could call them, but i doubt that’s how they might refer to themselves? anyway,

i’m not unfamiliar with the works of Junji Ito. really if you’ve been on the internet for long enough even if you’re not the type of person to read manga, you’ll encounter his work here and there. whether it’s the bizarre depictions of impossible gore and those suffering from it still being alive, or his various illustrations of horrific monsters and creeping dread. i’m familiar with his art primarily because of a comic called The Enigma of Amigara Fault. 

one of the events this weekend at taiyou con was something that promised to introduce people to the works of Junji Ito and i’d say that the panel proved to be an interesting example of how people react to him.

a brightly lit room filled with the banter of panelists and guests is hardly the place to experience true terror.
yet: i guess i can sum this up in a single image.

what does it say about the craft of junji ito that it could get the crowd to sit on the floor like a campfire story was being retold?