Planning to attend New York Anime Fest this weekend? If so, you need a strategy for getting the most out of this three-day extravaganza. Here are five fun things to do… besides shop ’til you drop and nab autographs, of course.

5. Watch a live-action adaptation of your favorite manga.
Sounds like a counter-intuitive thing to do at a festival celebrating animation, but Viz Pictures is screening a terrific line-up of movies that includes Honey and Clover, Lovely Complex (a.k.a. Love*Com) and both Nana flicks. Catch ‘em here before Viz releases them on DVD next year!

• Friday, Dec. 7th: Lovely Complex (5:00 PM, Live-Action Screening Room)

• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Nana (1:00 PM, Live-Action Screening Room)
• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Honey and Clover (3:00 PM, Live-Action Screening Room)

4. Tour Japan with a tall girl (and maybe pick up some cosplay tips, too).
Aimee Major Steinberger, one of this year’s Guests of Honor, will preside over two panels. The first celebrates the release of her charming travelogue Japan-Ai: A Tall Girl’s Adventures in Japan. (Dramacon creator Svetlana Chmakova explains, “It’s a sketchbook, it’s a story, it’s a warmly humorous and often downright beautiful glimpse of Japan through the eyes of a fellow geek.”) The second might best be described as Cosplay 101. Aimee will cover the basics from wig styling to adapting outlandish character designs into something you can wear to a convention… without being arrested for indecent exposure, that is.

• Saturday, Dec. 8th: Aimee Major Steinberger’s Japan Ai (4:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)

• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Cosplay Workshop (11:00 AM, Anime Fandom Panel Room)

3. Break into journalism.
Whether you’re an armchair critic or cub reporter, the folks at Anime News Network have you covered with two panels offering would-be Pauline Kaels and Lois Lanes tips on breaking into the biz. The first, Getting Into Anime Journalism, focuses on making the transition from casual fan to anime insider, while the second, The Art of Reviewing Anime, explores the “differences between a good anime review and a bad LiveJournal post.” (Hint: spelling and grammar are major contributing factors!)

• Friday, Dec. 7th: Getting Into Anime Journalism (6:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)

• Saturday, Dec. 8th: The Art of Reviewing Anime (11:00 AM, Anime Culture Panel Room)

2. Go mano-a-mano with Mothra.
Imagine an event that combined your favorite monster movies with your favorite pro wrestling moves, and you’ll have some idea of what’s in store for you at the Kaiju Big Battel panel. Go behind the scenes with the Kaiju Regulatory Commission to learn more about this “maximum security” sporting event in which “maniacal villains, ominous alien beasts, and gigantic, city-crushing monsters who are fighting for control of the globe” unleash “pent-up monster rage” without harming humans.

• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Kaiju Big Battel (4:00 PM, Anime Fandom Panel Room)

1. Learn something about Japanese culture.
Sure, your extensive knowledge of anime and manga has made you into an expert on maid cafes, cultural festivals, and White Day gift-giving. But there’s a lot more to Japanese culture than ramen noodles and cute boy bands. Expand your horizons by attending one of many panels exploring Japan’s rich history and traditions. Here are some highlights:

• Friday, Dec. 7th: Gekiga: Dramatic Manga (3:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)

• Friday, Dec. 7th: Symbolism in Anime (4:00 PM, Anime Fandom Panel Room)
• Saturday, Dec. 8th: Anime & Manga Research Roundtable (1:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)
• Saturday, Dec. 8th: J-Horror with David Kalat (5:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)
• Saturday, Dec. 8th: Sake and The City (6:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)
• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Samurai and Feudal Japan (11:00 AM, Anime Culture Panel Room)
• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku (12:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)
• Sunday, Dec. 9th: Japanese Woodblock Prints (1:00 PM, Anime Culture Panel Room)

The organizers of NY Anime Fest have posted a complete schedule of panels, premieres, and screenings on their website. There are also more interactive ways to get your geek on: cosplay contests, artist signings, haiku slams, and a maid cafe. Click here for a full schedule of events and contests. And if you’re planning to duck out of the Javits Center, consult Erin F.’s map for the best places to find manga and munchables in midtown Manhattan.