Kris' Ramblings

Well, Otakon time has come and gone, and it was absolutely weird not to be there. Seek and I decided not to go this year as it was the convention's first year in Washington, and we expected there would be some bugs to be worked out. Although, reading about it, the biggest problem I'm seeing is long lines for bag checks. Ugh. Not sure how to avoid that. At the bare minimum, I feel like I need a bottle of water, sunscreen, and an umbrella. Even with the wonderful seven pocket jeans Seek found me, I don't think I can pocket all that. There's also the matter of increased fees everywhere. Though we have half-seriously discussed staying in our usual (cheap) Baltimore hotel and getting a ride into Washington every morning. Eh, details to be considered for next year.

I did make con-ish purchases though. The entirety of Ao no/Blue Exorcist's "Kyoto Saga" has been pre-ordered because I've been saving my money since the series was announced. I really, really love the Kyoto/Impure King Arc.

And, more seriously, it's been a good thing that we didn't have Otakon locked in for this year since Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in the last couple weeks. She starts treatments soon, and everyone's optimistic and praying hard for a good outcome. Still, if I'm not around or slow to reply for the next few months, that will be why.

So, Otakon 2015. Aside from Thursday's technical difficulties, it was a good year. A really good year. The weather was absolutely perfect with no rain, and the temperatures were generally in the mid to upper 80's with a breeze most days. The convention was a ton of fun with great guests, and I found a crabcake that might be almost as good as Faidley's. Pappa's Restaurant (the Glen Burnie location particularly) was this year's big food find. Delicious crabcakes that are almost pure lump crab with minimal filler. *drools*

So, like last year, we "officially" started vacation on Thursday by going to see the latest Marvel movie, Antman. I honestly went to see this one purely on the strength of Marvel's previous movies because the trailer didn't wow me. But, the movie did. Mom came along, and even she liked it. Seriously, Marvel, please keep up this winning streak. I'm loving it. After that, it was off to the Power Plant Barnes & Noble to take advantage of their Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal on manga. Then, of course, came Linecon. But, I got a free T-shirt.

Otakon proper started on Friday.

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ETA: I forgot the best quote of the con. A tweet posted up in response to the delayed lines: "I saw the line move once. When I was young and full of dreams."

I don't think I'd mentioned it previously, but, yes, Seeker and I are planning to attend our tenth Otakon this year. And, having checked the guest page... Romi Park!!!!! I can't believe it, Romi Park, the Japanese voice actress behind Edward Elric, is coming to Otakon! *squeals and runs around in circles* This is going to be awesome! After Kappei Yamaguchi, who we saw a few years ago, she's definitely next on my Voice Actors I Would Love to See in Person List. (Psst, guys, how about Keiji Fujiwara next year?)

Other guests include Bryce Papenbrook (English voice of Rin from "Blue Exorcist") and Travis Willingham (English voice of Roy Mustang). This is looking to be an amazing Otakon.

So, because there was a reduced rate for signing up early, Otakon 2014 is already locked into my schedule for the year. Not that there was much of a chance Seeker and I wouldn't be going again.

Vaguely related, on a whim I gathered together all of my anime and manga just to see how my collection has grown. It started (well, became anything you'd call a "collection") here. Presently, it's a bit more of: Shelf 1, Shelf 2, Shelf 3, Shelf 4, Shelf 5, Shelf 6. Plus artbooks, of course.

I didn't try and squeeze in any of my figures (or posters, wall scolls, mouse pads, and keychains) this time except for my cute little cooking!Rin. But, you can see several of my Inuyasha figures in the old shot.

(No, I can't really keep it like that due to space problems. When not being photographed, the anime and manga live in separate places, and my Inuyasha manga is double-shelved.)

I'm not dead yet, just having a massive creativity slump. Though I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least, I've got drabbles in the works. That's something, right?

And, I've used the dead time to finally manage my email backlog and catch up on anime-watching. Of the current series, "The Devil is a Part-Timer!" has remained hilariously wacky (if occasionally burdened with obnoxious fan service). But, I've also been poking my way through Hulu's collection of completed anime that I somehow missed along the way. Thus far, the standout series has been "Soul Eater", which I watched on jordannamorgan's recommendation. It's a fun series with an off-beat sense of humor and a tendency to lead you along before gleefully subverting the standard anime trope you were expecting. Almost always in a good way. The resolution of the final battle is decidedly lacking, but it's a fun ride up to that point. And, things resolve so happily I can't complain much.

In other news, Otakon 2013 is sounding better all the time. I'm especially excited that Kaoru Kurosaki, wife of "Rurouni Kenshin" and "Buso Renkin" creator Nobuhiro Watsuki, will be coming. Of course, there's also that concert by Yoko Kanno... I've never stayed for a Sunday event before, but this might be the year. Oh, and having favorite guests like Vic Mignogna and Todd Haberkorn doesn't hurt either ;)

And, I'm finally getting around to my big post-Otakon post. This will have been the eighth year seekersks and I have attended. We've toyed with the idea of trying something else - another convention or just some other event entirely - but Otakon almost always delivers a great weekend.

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So, as has become our yearly tradition, seekersks and I will be going to Otakon at the end of July.  Sadly, I noticed just yesterday that Nobuhiko Okamoto (voice of Rin in "Blue Exorcist") will actually be in the US... but at a con on the west coast weeks before Otakon.  *sulk*  Ah well, we get Simon from Gurren-Lagann ;) 

And, I've set some definite shopping goals this year: to complete my FMA artbook collection, possibly snag the Blue Exorcist Color Archive... and get an FMA T-shirt.... because, yes, I need an FMA T-shirt.

In other happy, fannish news, I've learned that Disney has finally made a Broadway version of their musical "Newsies"!  *squee!*  "Newsies" is one of my favorite movies with a great story and songs by Alan Menken (of Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast/Aladdin fame).  And, it always seemed to me to have been intended for a live show that never happened.  Until now.  Not that I'm likely to see the Broadway version, but if there are any off-Broadway tours in the future...

*tentatively pokes LJ* Is this thing working yet?

Well, here's hoping it is. I've been meaning to make a post for days but hadn't managed it between getting the last, monster chapter of "Nameless" up, packing for Otakon and all the LJ problems. But, yes, I'm now in Baltimore. seekersks and I picked up our badges today (no cool FMA badge this year), and Otakon starts tomorrow.

It's looking to be a good year. No voice actors that I'm super-thrilled to see, but there's some sort of "Voice Actor Storytime" that sounds fun. And, best of all, the convention will be showing the new Fullmetal Alchemist movie on Saturday! And, yes, jordannamorgan, I'll let you know if I think it's something you want to see. Though the review posted to fm_alchemist sounded very positive in that regard... and got me excited to see it all over again.

Yes, I'm now back from Otakon and posting about it sooner than a week later for once! And, as I rambled a lot, see behind the cut.

( Click if you dare... )

Ah, it's that time again. seekersks and I have once again signed up for Otakon! Sadly, this year it's at the end of July, which means waiting to pick up our badges on Thursday afternoon will probably be like standing inside an oven. Ah, well. As is the norm for this early in the game, there aren't a lot of guests or events officially announced just yet. But, I see that "Jordanna's Ed", Vic Mignogna, is already on the guest list. Shame there's nothing in the FMA:B soundtrack to cajole him into singing (and why couldn't "Bratja/Brothers" be re-used in FMA:B? Or a new ballad for the brothers?). But, maybe he'll have some funny stories from the recording process.

In other fangirly news, FMA:B is moving into the final battle. Episode 50 just made me want to stand up and cheer as some familiar faces showed up again after a long absence and we began the prelude to some really awesome action. Yes, I know from the manga things are going to go south soon, but the tide is already turning in the most recent manga chapter, so I'm just going to enjoy the ride.

And, my plans for tonight are to sit down with the final three episodes of Inuyasha. Yes, I stopped watching it weekly so I could see the end all at once. "Final Act" has improved in leaps and bounds since its rocky beginning, so I expect to be a very happy fangirl by the end. But, a sad one too. Because this is it. The manga has ended, now the anime adaptation will have ended. ::sniffle:: No more Inuyasha. Hmm... I wonder if they've considered doing another movie. ....What? The fangirl needs more of her fix.