Autographs Information

[sulkyselkie 5]

Hi there! Last month, someone asked the Otakon Twitter account for information on the autograph sessions. The reply they received was: "Autograph session details will be announced soon, but there will be a mix of paid VIP (like the concerts), panel sessions, and first-come first-served autograph lines. Some autographs will allow brought merch, others will require a merch purchase (dependent on the contract)." It's been almost four weeks since then, with no details announced. Can anyone confirm if there will indeed be paid VIP tickets to the autograph sessions, and when these would be made available for purchase? Which autographs will require merch purchases, and which won't? (I have some blank shikishi boards that I was hoping to get autographed.)

Also, how will the autographs be structured? What will the line system be like? Thanks for any answers you can provide!

[sulkyselkie 5]

For the curious, I got a partial response on Otakon's Twitter account: "This year, the only paid VIP autograph tickets are being sold through the VIP concert passes for concert guests and the Fruits Basket meet-and-greet through Funimation." 

Although if anyone knows anything else about what the structure will be like for this year, I'd love to know! I'm kind of concerned since Kikuko Inoue's autograph session starts at 12:45, but the Dealer's Room opens at 12:00. It's going to be a mad rush to get to the Dealer's Room line, get in, and then head to the autographs area...I'm also a little concerned because I'd like to get get Toru Furuya's autograph the same day...but I think waiting in line for Inoue means I'll get to Furuya's line too late to get in...