Exhibition Hall D was packed to the gills for this event. Everything started off normally, with the painfully acted intro by con mascots A-chan and B-kun, and staff introductions. However, the event took a turn for the more serious tone afterwards, as the chairs spoke of Todd MacDonald - a security staffer that passed away last June. To commemorate his efforts, Mr. MacDonald was granted posthumous "red shirt" (administrative security) status, and the manga library was dedicated in his name.

After the short commemoration, the guests were introduced, which included perennial button-pusher Tom Wayland who donned full Yankees attire as he was speaking and MyM, who was so speechless that all she could do was wave at the fans. At the end of the event, Reni made an appearance to sing a song for the crowd, which had fans up out of their seats and dancing along. (This clip dedicated to Scott VonSchilling of the Anime Almanac - colleague and Reni fanboy!)

The event was more subdued than last year's, which featured a fairly cheesy skit with the mascots. However, it's definitely a welcome change. Things were more cohesive, and the event just seemed to flow better without the extra fluff. Hopefully, they'll keep the format the same in next year's event.