Yoshimatsu was a special guest at SakuraCon 2016.

SakuraCon 2016 was a very lackluster convention. Its guest list that was furnished by its corporate sponsors like Aniplex demonstrate how far a convention can really go downhill once it fully embraces corporate influence. Sponsored guests are featured on whatever new anime or manga a distribution company is trying to promote, rather than people that most convention attendees want to meet.

I knew, going in to the SakuraCon Guest Reception, that it was going to be difficult to get any sketches from any of the guests. SakuraCon had cracked down on sketches the previous year, and although they have yet to announce this policy on their website, I knew they'd be up to their old tricks again. Fortunately, as I had met some of these guests before and was able to recall my interaction with them, I knew that Yoshimatsu would be a safe bet. After all, this was the man who worked through his entire autograph line during Fanime 2011, postponing his dinner until several hours later. I relayed this fact to a couple of friends and all of us decided to sit next to Yoshimatsu.

Dinner with Yoshimatsu was pretty fun. He was chatty, and we supplied him with gifts. I showed him a scan of the Trigun charity auction sketch I picked up at Fanime in 2011, and he recalled it.

When SakuraCon staff took to the mic and announced that there would be no sketches, Yoshimatsu gave them a "F that" look. He told his translator that he was going to draw something for everyone at the table and he did. I was really happy that everyone sitting at our table was able to get a little something. I couldn't say the same thing for the table where Toshihiro Kawamoto sat; Despite being three tables over, their glares were felt.