Welcome to Virtual Memory

This is Virtual Memory, a brand new site by the folks behind Retro Matsuri. Here, in this vast field of white emptiness, we will be talking about a lot of things. We want to be honest with you. Our goal is to write about the history of technology, and the ways technology and culture intersect. Scholars call this digital culture and fine, sure, whatever. The point is, we're going to write about that, but we can't guarantee it'll be entirely about that. We're going to be free-form about this. This is our space to talk.

What is Retro Matsuri?
Oh. You - you don't know? That's okay. Retro Matsuri is a retro anime and video gaming convention, celebrating the nostalgia of classic Japanese animation, retro gaming, and vintage fandom culture. From fuzzy CRT monitors and classic console tournaments to screenings of beloved anime from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s, Retro Matsuri invites fans to rediscover the magic that sparked their passions. We aim for a blend of old-school style with modern community energy. Panels, cosplay, collectibles, vintage exhibits, up and coming artists, and a place to share your passions with friends new and old alike.

That's the marketing pitch, anyway.

Retro Matsuri was conceived over many years, as folks from around the New England convention circuit shared tales about the "good ol' days" which were, frankly, not that long ago. Nostalgia is a weird thing. Still, as they dreamed of the anime conventions of their youth – the anime conventions of the early 2000s – they began to imagine a new convention that could in some way emulate that feeling. It's sort of like how people in the 1970s got really into diners because they missed it being the 1950s. They missed it so much they wrote Grease and American Graffiti, although I guess American Graffiti is really about the early 1960s. But you get the point. We're doing American Graffiti only our American Graffiti is about InuYasha.

And now you're doing a blog?
Technically we already have a blog on the Retro Matsuri site to tell people about Retro Matsuri. So this is our second blog. But this is more like a side project blog, a way to explore, outside the parameters of the annual convention, the same general idea: things are different now than they used to be.

Why are things different now? What changes have happened? Were things better in the past, or just different? Are things better now? Whatever happened to Laserdiscs?

So, yeah. That's what we're doing here. This is Virtual Memory, a blog about technology and culture from the people behind Retro Matsuri. We hope you'll read it, enjoy it – even write for it, if you want. Keep the tapes circulating. We'll see you in a little bit with more.