Otakon 2014: The Overview
So, yes, Otakon 2014. It's come and gone, and, yes, I went. I was afraid the trip wouldn't happen this year due to a variety of family health issues, but, with a lot of prayer, it did, and it was wonderful. Lots of fun, lots of rest, lots of great food. (Brownie smothered in cookie dough ice cream, fudge, Oreos and whipped cream... Mmmm....)
Seeker and I started out on Thursday by going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. As seems to be the norm now, Marvel did not disappoint. The movie had just the right mix of hilarious and awesome plus some gleeful subversions of tropes the viewer was set up to expect. (That Power Walk... *cackle*) Then, it was off to the Cross Street Market to try a crabcake from Nick's Seafood. It wasn't quite as good as Faidley's, but not bad at all.
Finally, it was on to Otakon on Friday. This was my ninth visit. And, it was an oddly - though not unpleasantly - laidback convention. There was nothing I had my heart set on this year. The con's primary focus seemed to be "Sailor Moon" to accompany the releases of the old and new anime, and I've never been a fan of "Sailor Moon". So, with no premieres or must-see guests, Seeker and I just picked whatever sounded interesting and drifted that way.
The Con: There were a few changes this year. Firstly, there was no selection of con badge designs, just one generic Otakon design on hard plastic. I'm sad to see the various anime designs go, but I suspect the new badges are harder to counterfeit. The only change that bothered me was opening up my con bag to find the schedule missing. Instead, I was directed to download an app for the smartphone I don't own. Fortunately, I'd printed out the online schedule at home before leaving, and Seek does have a smartphone. The assumption that everyone has a smartphone was still a bit annoying. Mind you, I think the app is amazing. I love that it can update us on room and time changes before we travel two blocks and three floors to find that we have to turn around and go back. (Which happened a couple times our first year at Otakon.) But... I can't buy a smartphone just for Otakon.
The Panels: This year, Seek and I mostly attended a selection of fan panels and guest question and answer sessions. The standouts were the hilarious "Ninja in Anime: The Sweet and (Mostly) the Stupid" and Dante Basco's question and answer session. The latter included the best cosplayer I've seen since the incredible Maes Hughes cosplayer at Animazement who responded to nearly being tackled into a potted plant by asking his attacker, "Do you want to see a photo of my daughter?!" This one was dressed as the beleaguered cabbage merchant from Avatar: The Last Airbender. He got to the front of the question line, looked around furtively while clutching two cabbages, and then broke down, screaming, "MY CABBAGES!" and ran from the room.
The Anime: This wasn't a big anime year for me. The convention itself was mostly showing series that are already available in simulcast. But, back at the hotel, Seek did finally get me to watch Aldnoah Zero, which is an interesting mecha series. I always like my giant robots, and, as a bonus, the soundtrack is by Sawano Hiroyuki.
The Random Photos: Looking back through the photos Seek happened to take while we were at the con, I found a surprise Cheng-Long Liu (Blue Exorcist: The Movie) cosplayer hidden in one.
The Random Quotes:
"I'm doing my train dance!" -- Overheard at the light rail station.
"So, basically, you can be a ninja even if you're a robot or a mutant freak of nature." -- Paraphrased from the Ninja in Anime panel.
"Someone get that man a cart!" -- Dante Basco after the amazing Cabbage Merchant cosplayer ran screaming from the room.
The Stuff: This was Manga Year for me. I've been working my way through the 16 volume Psyren series ever since my brother got me hooked on it. (Well, how could I resist time-travelling and a story my brother swears he's re-read eight times?) So, between a sale at the Power Plant Barnes & Noble and one con vendor, I came away with four new volumes. I really, really wanted a new AnE or FMA T-shirt, but the only ones available were shirts so cheap and thin I could see through them. But, as a surprise bonus, everyone who attended the question and answer session with Shinichiro Kashiwada, producer of "Sword Art Online" among other things, got a small poster. So, this was my haul for the year. (By the by,![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jordannamorgan, I seem to have gotten my hands on a spare poster if you're interested.)
Seeker and I started out on Thursday by going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. As seems to be the norm now, Marvel did not disappoint. The movie had just the right mix of hilarious and awesome plus some gleeful subversions of tropes the viewer was set up to expect. (That Power Walk... *cackle*) Then, it was off to the Cross Street Market to try a crabcake from Nick's Seafood. It wasn't quite as good as Faidley's, but not bad at all.
Finally, it was on to Otakon on Friday. This was my ninth visit. And, it was an oddly - though not unpleasantly - laidback convention. There was nothing I had my heart set on this year. The con's primary focus seemed to be "Sailor Moon" to accompany the releases of the old and new anime, and I've never been a fan of "Sailor Moon". So, with no premieres or must-see guests, Seeker and I just picked whatever sounded interesting and drifted that way.
The Con: There were a few changes this year. Firstly, there was no selection of con badge designs, just one generic Otakon design on hard plastic. I'm sad to see the various anime designs go, but I suspect the new badges are harder to counterfeit. The only change that bothered me was opening up my con bag to find the schedule missing. Instead, I was directed to download an app for the smartphone I don't own. Fortunately, I'd printed out the online schedule at home before leaving, and Seek does have a smartphone. The assumption that everyone has a smartphone was still a bit annoying. Mind you, I think the app is amazing. I love that it can update us on room and time changes before we travel two blocks and three floors to find that we have to turn around and go back. (Which happened a couple times our first year at Otakon.) But... I can't buy a smartphone just for Otakon.
The Panels: This year, Seek and I mostly attended a selection of fan panels and guest question and answer sessions. The standouts were the hilarious "Ninja in Anime: The Sweet and (Mostly) the Stupid" and Dante Basco's question and answer session. The latter included the best cosplayer I've seen since the incredible Maes Hughes cosplayer at Animazement who responded to nearly being tackled into a potted plant by asking his attacker, "Do you want to see a photo of my daughter?!" This one was dressed as the beleaguered cabbage merchant from Avatar: The Last Airbender. He got to the front of the question line, looked around furtively while clutching two cabbages, and then broke down, screaming, "MY CABBAGES!" and ran from the room.
The Anime: This wasn't a big anime year for me. The convention itself was mostly showing series that are already available in simulcast. But, back at the hotel, Seek did finally get me to watch Aldnoah Zero, which is an interesting mecha series. I always like my giant robots, and, as a bonus, the soundtrack is by Sawano Hiroyuki.
The Random Photos: Looking back through the photos Seek happened to take while we were at the con, I found a surprise Cheng-Long Liu (Blue Exorcist: The Movie) cosplayer hidden in one.
The Random Quotes:
"I'm doing my train dance!" -- Overheard at the light rail station.
"So, basically, you can be a ninja even if you're a robot or a mutant freak of nature." -- Paraphrased from the Ninja in Anime panel.
"Someone get that man a cart!" -- Dante Basco after the amazing Cabbage Merchant cosplayer ran screaming from the room.
The Stuff: This was Manga Year for me. I've been working my way through the 16 volume Psyren series ever since my brother got me hooked on it. (Well, how could I resist time-travelling and a story my brother swears he's re-read eight times?) So, between a sale at the Power Plant Barnes & Noble and one con vendor, I came away with four new volumes. I really, really wanted a new AnE or FMA T-shirt, but the only ones available were shirts so cheap and thin I could see through them. But, as a surprise bonus, everyone who attended the question and answer session with Shinichiro Kashiwada, producer of "Sword Art Online" among other things, got a small poster. So, this was my haul for the year. (By the by,
jordannamorgan, I seem to have gotten my hands on a spare poster if you're interested.)
no subject
You know, the theme of Knightrokon was "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Dante Basco was there--and so was that cabbage guy (or a version of him; a number of times he came wheeling through the dealer's room with a cart). I don't know anything about the series or characters, so his antics were a bit lost on me, but they were funny anyway.
no subject
You're welcome! I may try to pad it out with something else before sending. Oh, and I thought you'd appreciate this: During the question and answer session with the SAO producer, someone asked, "So, if Asuna weren't in the story, who do you think Kirito would have ended up with of the other girls like Lisbeth?" The producer's answer was a simple, "Mmmm... I think Asuna is the best." And, no, I didn't get the feeling that he at all misunderstood the question ;)
--Dante Basco was there--and so was that cabbage guy...--
*laughs* Wow. I'm only a season and a half into the show (late to the party as always), and I'd noticed the Cabbage Merchant was a funny, recurring joke. (Basically, no matter where he goes to sell his cabbages, the heroes and villains are going to be there and their hijinks are inevitably going to destroy his cart.) But, I wouldn't have imagined he was so popular with the cosplayers!
no subject
*laughs* That's perfect. ;D It's always amusing when the Japanese writers/producers so neatly and laconically beat down the fans' bad ideas.
I think I remember the cabbage guy at Knightrokon getting chased a time or two. I *do* know that once or twice, instead of being upbeat, he came dragging with great comic mournfulness through the dealers' room. (And he may have been specifically arranged for by the con, as they made a note of telling attendees to watch for him.)
no subject
Oh, yes. My personal favorite is attributed to the creator of Inuyasha, who, upon being asked a rather squicky question about one of her characters, supposedly responded, "I don't think about that, and neither should you."
--I *do* know that once or twice, instead of being upbeat, he came dragging with great comic mournfulness through the dealers' room. (And he may have been specifically arranged for by the con, as they made a note of telling attendees to watch for him.)--
*laughs!* That sounds like a fun thing to arrange. Especially since, from the sounds of it, they found someone with the acting skills to make it entertaining.
no subject
*DIES* Oh, that is absolutely *perfect*. I think I'll have to use that quote any time one of several annoying regulars at the shop shows their stupidity. ;Þ