We are pleased to present our next JET Talks event, featuring KATSUCON President Grig Larson, on “Japanese Pop Culture’s Influence on Modern American Media.”

Date: Thursday, December 19, 2013
Time: 7:00 – 8:00PM (Doors open at 6:30PM)
Entrance Fee: $5
Refreshments: Drinks and light snacks will be served
Location: 2101 L Street, NW (Entrance is next to Citibank on 21st Street. The closest metro stations are Foggy Bottom or Farragut North)

If you have any questions about the event, please email Shana at jet.talks@jetaadc.org.

RSVP here

Grig “Punkie” Larson is a computer professional, author, and has been with the Internet since its rise from 1989.  He has been working for science fiction and anime conventions since the 1980s and has seen the rise in popularity from an obscure niche in our culture to a wide acceptance with the help of the Internet. Currently the President of Katsucon Entertainment, Inc., which runs a 12,000+ attendee Japanese animation and pop culture convention at the Gaylord Resort in National Harbor next to Washington DC every February.  He has been working with multiple anime and Japanese culture conventions for over 16 years, and has vast experience on how the Japanese pop culture has grown into US pop culture during this time.  He has worked with cosplayers, convention staff, Japanese guests, and lots and lots of anime and manga fans as well as Japanese IT for a joint venture of Docomo and America Online. He currently lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with his wife, son, and many pets. 

JET Talks is a speaker series modeled after TED Talks that will feature dynamic and interesting individuals to inspire innovative ideas and conversation on Japan within the DC community. Our first event was a screening and follow-on discussion in Washington, DC on May 23, 2013 of Regge Life’s film, Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story, celebrating the life of JET participant Taylor Anderson.