Houston’s Anime Matsuri festival draws sexual-harassment controversy

Cosplayers pose on stage during the Anime Matsuri Cosplay Contest at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas on April 8, 2017. Anjali Bhimani and Carolina Ravassa, voice actors of the popular game "Overwatch" were emcees at the event. less Cosplayers pose on stage during the Anime Matsuri Cosplay Contest at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas on April 8, 2017. Anjali Bhimani and Carolina Ravassa, voice actors of the popular game ... more Photo: Luxe Studio Productions/Houston Chronicle Via Anime Matsuri Convention Photo: Luxe Studio Productions/Houston Chronicle Via Anime Matsuri Convention Image 1 of / 77 Caption Close Houston’s Anime Matsuri festival draws sexual-harassment controversy 1 / 77 Back to Gallery

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the fantastical world of anime is colliding with the reality of sexual-harassment charges at Houston’s Anime Matsuri festival.

The 12th annual gathering, which runs Thursday through Sunday at the George R. Brown Convention Center, is being boycotted over allegations that convention organizer John Leigh sexually harassed women in the anime and cosplay communities. The convention features the vibrant style of Japanese animation known as anime and cosplay, in which attendees dress up as their favorite anime characters.

The furor, initiated by a group calling itself Boycott Anime Matsuri, prompted Leigh, who runs the convention with his wife, Deniece Leigh, to post an apology for his behavior on the Anime Matsuri website. He has also worked with the Houston Area Women’s Center to come up with a “community assistance initiative” meant to foster a safe, nonbullying environment at the convention.

Boycott Anime Matsuri is campaigning for guest stars and panelists — including actor Doug Jones who played the amphibious creature in the Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water” — to reconsider their planned appearances. The female Japanese pop duo Femm, scheduled to perform, has canceled its concert, though Jones is still listed on the site as attending.

Meanwhile, an opposing group, Boycott Boycott Anime Matsuri, has formed in support of Leigh and his festival.

All of this comes with the emergence of #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which began after movie producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual abuse, launching a cascade of claims against personalities such as Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey and Al Franken among others.

The accusations against Leigh first surfaced in 2015 and were detailed in two Houston Press stories that year. The women, often models who have appeared at the convention, accused Leigh of unwanted touching, slapping buttocks, sexual jokes, requesting nude photos, lifting up clothing and asking a woman when she last had an orgasm.

While Leigh doesn’t deny such behavior, he said it’s being taken out of context.

“It was just joking around as friends,” he said Tuesday. “The same way anyone would talk to their friends. …We were friends. Everyone was fine. A year later, we stopped being friends, and they accused me of sexually harassing them or joking inappropriately.”

‘I sincerely apologize’

In his online apology, Leigh said: “Although my messages were intended to be humorous and not serious, I realize that my intentions do not outweigh the way my words hurt the people I sent them to. At the time, I didn’t realize that I was being hurtful or harassing, and I was shocked to learn that my messages had been so hurtful to their recipients, again, people I considered my close friends. … I owe it to you all to do better. I can do better, I will do better, and I sincerely apologize.”

The Houston Area Women’s Center said in a statement that it has agreed to take part in this year’s convention, but its presence is “in no way meant to condone Mr. Leigh’s behavior.”

“In order to support the survivors who have come forward, who have not come forward, who are too afraid to come forward, and to support all participants of this year’s Anime Matsuri, we agreed to provide information about HAWC, and the services we offer which are confidential, free and available to all,” the statement reads.

The apology didn’t mollify those backing the boycott.

“He has a tendency, when an article comes out or something significant occurs, he offers up an apology,” said one of the boycott’s organizers, who did not want to use her name because she was concerned about possible reprisals for speaking out. “It didn’t offer any kind of action plan. It wasn’t him conceding and stepping back from the convention. It was him trying to save his bottom line.”

Not true, said Leigh, who adds that the convention has been growing despite the controversy.

“The apology is not because I was worried about losing ticket sales,” he said. “I just wanted peace.”

YouTube fallout

The boycotters say they were moved to action after Leigh sent a cease-and-desist order to YouTube personality Tyler Willis, host of the series “Scarfing Scarves,” who posted videos critical of Leigh in 2017. “It made the rest of us say, ‘Well, if you’re not only going to do these things but silence people who talk about it, maybe we should give him (Leigh) something to silence,” said the organizer.

The organizer, who has attended cosplay conventions in Texas for 10 years, said those behind the boycott have not been victimized by Leigh. The organizer met several of the accusers after joining the protest group.

Boycott Anime Matsuri now has about 2,100 followers on its Facebook page and nearly 600 Twitter followers.

In his apology, Leigh said his legal response to the Willis videos had “the unintended consequences of stifling conversations about sexual harassment.”

His real intent was to protect his friend and ally Cathy Cat, a Japanese-based YouTube cosplay personality who was taken to task by Willis, he said. “She got attacked, and people started calling her work and emailing her work. It was a very, very uncomfortable time for her,” Leigh said. “The reason we sent out a cease-and-desist is that we wanted it to stop.”

The boycotters, who are not planning any public protests at the convention this weekend, acknowledge that Leigh’s harassment is not the only reason they are opposed to Anime Matsuri.

“It’s definitely been a breaking point,” said anime fan Helena Gonzalez, who attended her first Anime Matsuri eight years ago. The convention is disorganized and poorly run, she said.

“I think there’s a general consensus among the people boycotting that the ultimate thing to make this convention continue would involve selling the convention to a third party — or John and Deniece stepping down completely. … If the Leighs wouldn’t want to do that, then the only other option would be not having Anime Matsuri anymore,” Gonzalez said.

Thomas Guerra, who has organized panels for Anime Matsuri, said he will no longer be involved with the convention. “The boycott has my sympathies, and what was the final straw on this camel’s back was this nonsense of how he runs his business,” he said. “It’s an ’80s villain, henchman level of incompetence.”

For example, boycott supporters contend that there aren’t enough translators for visiting participants from Japan.

Leigh counters that the convention has the usual hiccups of any large event. Anime Matsuri attracts more than 36,000 people, he said.

“I have guests that have been to the convention for multiple years. If any of that were true, then they wouldn’t come,” he said. “It grows every year, and some things become more challenging. We need more translators. … We need more staff, more volunteers. … The important thing is we try our best to quickly resolve any kind of issues.

“These are things that are just being thrown at us,” he added. “They’re nitpicking on everything.”

Houston’s reputation

While those supporting the boycott want the Leighs out, they have no intention of going anywhere. “I don’t know exactly what they want for us to come to a compromise,” he said. “I don’t know what the future holds. At this moment, this is what we do and we enjoy doing it.”

This isn’t the first time a local comic convention has run into controversy. Two years ago, the now-defunct Space City Comic Con was plagued with problems and dissatisfied fans. Gonzalez said she fears this gives Houston a black eye in the global anime community.

But Guerra said that is the nature of this pop-culture beast. “It’s not a Houston thing or a Texas thing,” he said, “but a lot of people recognize that conventions can be big rackets, and they take advantage of nerds with a lot of disposable income.”