The Tale of a Con-virgin

I can't wait for the next one! I have to admit I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it was better. My friends were staffing, so I was pretty much left to my own devices for most of it while they ran willy-nilly making sure everything went smoothely, but with everything going on I was very not bored. My first stop was the "Noise Room" which had music, dancing, limbo, and mock-battles with this guy who came dressed as Sephiroth all three days.

Two dances which seemed quite popular are shown here:

Then I stopped by a screening room and watched the Deathnote live-action movie. It was better than I had heard. /:-) After that, there was a lovely thing called "Anime Hell" where fans had taken clips of their favourite shows and... done things to them, as well as other hilarious things... highlights for me:

Deathnote Squarepants

Doctor Tran!!!

I also made the aquaintance of this fellow:

Cloudberg, as he is known, is a bit of a fixture at the cons in this part of the country, and my friends know him pretty well. I can attest that he's rather cute under those tentacles. ;-P

I also attended a workshop on staged battle for cosplay skits, watched a few episodes of an anime called MoonPhase, purchased the most adorable little purple top hat in the world (which I will see about posting pics of, tomorrow), watched a concert by a raucus band called Voices For, (which all of the voice actor guests performed in and the money from CD sales is donated to various causes), and after dinner was given a bear hug by a man in a hula skirt who insisted that I squeeze his coconut brassiere (which I did, since he asked nicely).

(And that was just the first day.)

Second day, I got a crocheted panda hat and a Naruto headband for my little sister, and yea did I cosplay! The kitsune went over smashingly. Lots of people asked me to let them take my picture. Unfortunately, you know that little camera that I picked up? Yeah. Forgot it. I'll post anything good that pops up online, though. The highlight of that was being called up during the Japanese anthropology panel to serve as an example of the kind of "strange, beautiful" thing that might be found in Harajuku. :"> *feels special* And there was a rave! I've never been to one before. I didn't get to dance, because the high heels had done a number on my feet and back by then, but I had a blast listening to the music and watching the shiny neon-bedecked people wiggle and jump around.

The third day, I picked up a copy of Perfect Blue, which is an excellent Anime movie by Satoshi Kon, the twisted genius behind Paranoia Agent and Paprika. I highly recommend all three. I also attended a very good panel on Japanese folklore, and another on RPGs, then, exhausted, we drove back to their apartment and crashed. I'm still not quite together. I think I could use a nap...

Definitely planning on going next year, though. I think I might see about making a Yuki-onna costume for next year...