Didn't Expect This...
Well then..
Looks like within two weeks I will be back in the saddle of anime-themed merchandise retail again. That's right, I will be starting up with (of all people) CARMATE, which is one of Japan's foremost providers of car accessories, and street racer gear as their point man for Shonen Jump merch. This more or less came out of nowhere as apparently someone referred me to them, and were aware of my obsessions. Now I may not be the biggest SJ fan on this side of the Pacific, but these items from Toei are great reminders that this is one of the few Japanese companies that openly embraces the changes coming to the world of digital distribution. And to be a part of that new perspective sounds quite fun. And after my days at Broccoli, I can assure all that SJ is where it has been all these last ten years, so it isn't like I'm dealing with strangers to the anime/manga fame game. The characters from many of these properties sell themselves.
Now for the time being, this is temp, but I really don't mind too much, as the rhythm of job hunting has never really slowed. But to skip up this opportunity, is something that could have been a lot worse. I've always wanted to try my hand at something like this anyway.
It's a big countdown to AX this year. And even as it will likely be the thinnest convention we've seen since perhaps the late 90s, it should prove a good testing grounds to see how well this new ad-supported model is doing with anime fans all over.
It's a whole new world, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it rotates.
NOW. To make sure Kiyo gets better from her flu