Day 111: FunimationCon

Today's a work holiday, but I hoped to get 13 papers read. Nope, not even close - I ended up spending most of the day enjoying FunimationCon, a special online event for anime fans. I watched several panels and got to see a number of actors whose work I'm familiar with. There was also an amusing esports event, where they had pairs of people playing a new videogame based on My Hero Academia. The contestants were the voice actors from famous duels in the show, and they more or less recreated those events. I ignored the video game combat stuff but enjoyed the conversations with the actors.

Then, in the evening (after I'd managed to read _one_ paper), we saw the final event of the day: the premiere of a new anime series called By the Grace of the Gods. The premise was crazy: A pretty 11-year-old boy tells us he lives by himself in a forest. (Whut?) Then he clarifies - he doesn't really live alone, he has dozens of pet slimes who live with him, transparent magical beings with properties based on the different types of food they eat. At this point, J. and I were both looking at each other. Whut?? He discovers a party of medieval-type nobles nearby, and one needs medical help, which he cheerfully provides, and after visiting with these people for a bit he explains that he's been living by himself for three years since his grandparents died. ( And here the already crazy premise takes a 90-degree turn. Spoiler. )

Naturally, we are hooked. The series will launch in the fall.