Takeshi Obata in Germany - Death Note Artist Appearing at Manga-Comic-Convention 2015

Death Note artist Takeshi Obata is certainly getting about just recently. After personal appearances in the USA and Spain, he's now off to Germany.

German Death Note fans will be able to catch up with the legendary mangaka at the 2015 Manga-Comic-Convention, held on March 12th-15th in Leipzig.

There will be plenty of opportunities to meet Takeshi Obata too. With public appearances every day of the Convention, including one panel, it seems that he's practically moving in! 

The Death Note artist is attending as a guest of TOKYOPOP, hence look to its Convention stand for most of Obata's German events.

For those who do attend one, there is apparently a 'surprise' awaiting you.  Do report back!  Nosy minds want to know what it is!

However, read the details very carefully, as this is going to be organized very specifically in the same way as occurred in New York. Death Note's German fans could wind up shut out of proceedings, if they arrive unprepared.

At the end, I'll run through what you need to do before turning up at one of Takeshi Obata's German signing sessions. 

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Takeshi Obata's Schedule in Germany

March 12th 2015: 

14.00-15.00:  Takeshi Obata signing autographs, at the TOKYOPOP Stand, Manga-Comic-Convention 2015, Leipzig.

March 13th 2015:

16.00-17.00:  Takeshi Obata signing autographs, at the TOKYOPOP Stand, Manga-Comic-Convention 2015, Leipzig.

March 14th 2015: 

12.00-13.00: Takeshi Obata signing autographs, at the TOKYOPOP Stand, Manga-Comic-Convention 2015, Leipzig.

14.45-15.45: Takeshi Obata taking part in a panel, which will include live drawing demonstrations. This will occur at the ComicForum Schwarzes Sofa, Manga-Comic-Convention 2015, Leipzig.  All questions will be collected in advance. From these a selection will be made. Those chosen will be read aloud by the organizers on your behalf during the panel.

March 15th 2015:

13.00-14.00: Takeshi Obata signing autographs, at the TOKYOPOP Stand, Manga-Comic-Convention 2015, Leipzig.

I will update this as more information about Takeshi Obata's German schedule comes in. I'd be grateful for a heads up, if you spot anything happening, hitherto unlisted above. Danke!

How to Get Takeshi Obata's Autograph

• Death Note's mangaka will not sign anything that you put before him.
  

This isn't your big moment to get your inflatable dolphin collection etched with artistic kanji, and certainly not a chance to secure an original L to have tattooed onto your breast. I suppose it curtails the risk of the artist scribbling his real name into a Death Note, or something.

• You will be given a card to present to Takeshi Obata. He signs this and only this.

However, you need to pick up that card in advance, and only a limited number are available for each signing session.  To secure a card, visit the TOKYOPOP stand at the Convention at 10am.

It's a first come, first served affair, but (assuming this is the same as in New York, though this part hasn't yet been mentioned for Leipzig) you will only be allowed to start queuing 15 minutes before - i.e. 9.45am.  In the US, anyone loitering in a I'm-not-queuing-just-standing-where-the-queue-will-be manner was asked to move on. They automatically lost the chance to get a card.

During the 10am pick-up, only the signing cards for that day's session will be given out. You can't queue on Thursday to get Saturday's card etc.

If you fail to get one, then don't appear at the actual event, as you will not be permitted to approach Takeshi Obata's signing desk. Thus proving categorically that he really is manga royalty.

• At Obata's public signing appearances, all photography and filming is strictly prohibited.

This is why the internet isn't swarming with pictures of Death Note fans grinning alongside its legendary mangaka.

I don't know what the penalty is for yielding to the Hands On Imperative here. It could be a Significant Glare and Much Tutting during the immediate aftermath of a flash going off. It could be you falling to the ground, clutching your heart 40 seconds later.

It does seem strange that everyone obeys this rule. Being asked is one thing, but in my experience universal politeness often fails, when the alternative is the Fandom Photograph of a Lifetime. Particularly when masses of people are involved.

Has anyone here attended one of these signing sessions in the US, Spain or Japan?  Any insight to share concerning such matters?

The answer could really be that Death Note fans are genuinely quite lovely, despite our dark reading matter. The impetus for the No Pictures thing has come from Obata himself. Organizers of all these events merely request that fans respect the artist's wishes, and apparently we do!