Otakon 2014--The Story of the Wardrobe, The Writer, & The Wallet

Another Otakon has come and gone.  Sadly, I won't be around for Otakon 2015.  Hubby Christopher Wanamaker and I are planning to venture to a con on the West Coast next year, just for a change and a standard of comparison.  Hopefully, we'll be around for Otakon 2016.... But, back to Otakon 2014!   I was planning to cosplay as Toad ("Super Mario Bros.") all 3 days--August 8, 9, & 10, because Hubby was doing a different version of Mario for his cosplay outfits: Fireball Mario, Cape Mario, & Classic Mario.  Unfortunately, a wardrobe malfunction  rendered my Toad costume unsuitable for public wear after Friday.   Mercifully, I had--as I always do-- packed a pair of jeans a and few t-shirts in case of emergency.  On the upside, I did replace my copy of the DVD "The Last Unicorn." (Note to self: Stop loaning your stuff out to people who are likely to ruin or lose it!).  I even got it signed by Peter Beagle, who wrote the book that inspired the animated film adaptation.  I was lucky enough to have my picture taken with him.  That was the highlight of my weekend, though I did purchase some DVDs to add to my collection--"Garden Of Words," "Dragon Pink" (a hentai), and the aforementioned "The Last Unicorn."  I also walked away with a free disc of  "The Ping-Pong Club."  Aside from the DVDs that I got for myself, I was also thinking of my friends who were unable to attend Otakon.  I bought my friend Curtis the complete DVD set of "Deadman Wonderland."  I wish I had had enough money to catch myself up on the "Fairy Tail" anime, but 5 DVDs threatened to put a strain on my finances!  Oh, well!  There are plenty of cons where I will have an opportunity to catch up, right?  I do plan to attend Anime USA from October 3-5 of this year, and Katsucon during President's Day weekend in 2015.    I normally attend a few panels at every con, but I had a problem with the schedule. Unfortunately, someone on the Otakon staff thought it would be a brilliant idea to make the schedule available only via a SmartPhone app!  In other words, because I was too brainless to properly use my IPhone, I missed out on most of the panels.  Oh, well!  I still had a relatively good time, and I am looking forward to attending Anime USA this autumn. It is being held from October 3-5, 2014 at the Washington Marriott--Wardman Park, though I will probably not have a hotel room for that con. I'll probably just commute from my apartment.  For further details regarding the upcoming Anime USA, visit www.animeusa.org

Otakon 2013!

Chris and I arrived in Baltimore for Otakon on August 8 (which happened to be my niece's 11th birthday. I left her gift with my parents ahead of time). It was the first time we'd ever gone to a con a day early. The Dealer's Room was epic! I found and purchased "Lupin the 3rd: Red vs. Green" and the latest DVD of the "Fairy Tail" anime, as well as some hentai. I was also able to (FINALLY!) buy a copy of the book "The Last Unicorn" by Peter S. Beagle! I even got to have my picture taken with him! Also interesting was watching my cousins enjoy a showing of "Lupin the 3rd: The Secret of Mamo." (It was their first anime con ever!) Of course, no con would be complete without cosplay outfits! I dressed as Toad ("Super Mario Bros." video games), Rei Ayanami from "Neon Genesis Evangelion", & my purple and black outfit that makes me look like either a ninja or one of the female characters from "Mortal Kombat." I made it a point to take a lot of pictures. Ironically, one of the funniest occurrences happened not in the BCC, but in the hotel room I shared with Hubby Christopher Wanamaker, our friends Kofi & Anwar, and my cousins Rasheena & Tammy. We were all settling down to go to bed for the night, but we were too excited and wound up to sleep, so I pulled up an audio recording of Samuel L. Jackson reading "Go The F*** To Sleep" by Adam Mansbach. We were all cracking up laughing! Unfortunately, that's all the fun that my cousins were able to have. My cousin Lonnie had to pick them up the following morning (Saturday). Saturday was fun for me. I wanted to attend 4 panels, but ended up missing 2 of them (Darn!) The "Ghibli Girls" panel was interesting. As the title implied, it was about the central female characters in movies released by Studio Ghibli. The "Lupin the 3rd" panel was also a treat. Incidentally, "Lupin the 3rd: Red vs. Green" was one of the DVDs I managed to find in the Dealer's Room. Also among my purchases during the con were the 5th "Fairy Tail" DVD and some hentai (some for me, and one for a friend! Don't judge us!) I would have finished this blog post earlier, but it's been utter chaos since Chris & I came back from Baltimore! Among the chaotic moments were coming back from Baltimore to find that my father-in-law went into the hospital the day after we arrived in Baltimore for the con. He has since been moved to another facility, but he is still recovering from pneumonia! Also, we spent September 7-8 back in Baltimore for Baltimore Comic-Con. The best thing I can say about that con is that I got some great 80s stuff on DVD from the Dealer's Room there. ("Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling, "The Hugga Bunch," and "The Popples" were among the DVDs I found). Anyway, now that I have FINALLY finished this blog post, I can concentrate on preparing for Anime USA! Let the fun begin! Oh! By the way, the dates for next year's Otakon have already been announced! August 8-10, 2014! For information on Otakon and other anime conventions, you can go to http://animecons.com/

Otakon 2012

Post-con fatigue has prevented me from posting the details of my weekend at Otakon 2012 until now. July 27-29, 2012 represented the pinnacle of the summer for me. Over the weekend, the city of Baltimore was overflowing with OTAKU! The biggest highlight for me was getting the interview with Peter S. Beagle that I was unable to get last year. I even managed to get someone to videotape it for me! Unfortunately, somebody cancelled the interview I was supposed to have with Jason David Frank, best known for his role as Tommy Oliver in the long-running TV show "Power Rangers." Dammit! I had even remembered to bring my VHS copy of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" for him to autograph! Of course, I spent (or rather my Hubby did) a few dollars in the Dealer's Room! My purchases included several DVDs: 1. Season 2 of "Black Butler," 2. Discs 3 & 4 of "Fairy Tail," 3. "Unico In The Island Of Magic," and 4. 2 discs of "Princess 69." (Don't judge me because I like hentai!) And, yes, I did cosplay! Once again, I donned the personas of Toad from the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise, and also Rei Ayanami from "Neon Genesis Evangelion." I also picked up a new cosplay outfit in the Dealer's Room. I plan to debut it at Anime USA this year, which is being held from November 9-11, 2012! As usual, I made it a point to attend the Funimation industry panel on Saturday. I was ecstatic to learn that there would be a second season of "Fairy Tail," as well as a movie based on the series! I also made it a point to attend the Cosplay Masquerade. However, I was not impressed by the entries this year and left before the skits were done. Clearly, I had a good time at Otakon 2012 and can hardly wait for Anime USA to get here. In the meantime, I think I have enough anime to keep me occupied and to keep this blog interesting!

"Fairy Tail' Is A Dream Come True....So Far!

I spent most of yesterday watching Funimation's "Fairy Tail."  I only own the first 2 discs of the series, but at least 2 more volumes have already been released or slated for release.  I first learned of this show via the Funimation Channel (which was recently removed from the Verizon FiOS channel lineup! Damn!), and it piqued my interest enough for me to add it to my Wish List!  Hubby Christopher Wanamaker found the DVD/Blu Ray combo sets at Katsucon 2012!  (Thanks, Boo!)
"Fairy Tail"  follows the adventures of the celestial wizard Lucy Heartfilia after she joins Fairy Tail: "a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest. One from which countless legends have been born; a guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future" and partners with Natsu Dragneel, who is searching for the dragon Igneel.  Natsu aka "Salamander," is a Fairy Tail wizard and easily recognizable by his pink hair.  Natsu is the main male protagonist of the series.
Though to date, I've only watched 24 out of 124 episodes, I already find it to be highly interesting and entertaining.  I will admit, however, that it does focus quite a bit on fighting.  I have no problem with that, as it develops the storyline.  I did find one slightly annoying character--Happy, Natsu's blue feline partner. However, Happy also provided some comic relief, so that provided a balance to the annoying side of his personality.  Another character worthy of notice was Erza Scarlet, a  19-year-old S-Class wizard, who is usually tasked with performing extremely dangerous missions, and considered by many to be the most powerful female member of the guildcommon sense.  Scarlet was a little bossy, but still not a character to be hated.
I know that at least one more DVD of the series has been released, and I plan to get it when I attend Otakon this summer.  In the meantime, I can keep myself occupied by watching "Witch Hunter Robin," another title that was purchased for me at Katsucon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Katsucon 2012: Exhiler-18-g!

I spent President's Day Weekend 2012 as I have since 2003--at Katsucon with Hubby Christopher Wanamaker!  (and the rest of the Otaku!)   Friday (2/17/2012), Chris and I cosplayed as Jem & Rio.  Saturday, our alter-egos were Mario & Toad (Super Mario Brothers), and on Sunday, Chris was Ben 10 and I was Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)!  Of course, the Dealer's Room had me feeling like a kid in a candy store! LOL!  Chris bought me most of the items on my Wish List.  2 discs of "Fairy Tail," "Taro The Dragon Boy," part on the the TV series "Squid Girl," the complete collection of "Witch Hunter Robin," and "Princess 69: Lesson 1" (a hentai!).   I bought a few DVDs for my cousin Lonnie and my friend Amber.  (Don't make me have to beat you down like Stewie Griffin beat Brian....I want my money!)   I also found a stuffed "Ponyo!" (I've been wanting one since I bought the DVD when it first came out!)  Sadly, I could not find "Princess Mononoke" for my niece, Anaiya!  I guess I will make a trip to Best Buy to see if they have it!  Or wait until Otakon this summer!  Aside from the Dealer's Room, I also enjoyed attending the Funimation panel.  It was there that I learned that the second season of "Black Butler" will be released on DVD in April!  Of course, I'm going to check it out!!!!!!!!!!  I blogged about the first season of "Black Butler" in 2011.  (see the post "Black Butler: One "Hell" Of An Anime About "One Hell Of A Butler!")  Not surprisingly, I managed to get some great photos!  There were cosplayers dressed as characters from "Fairy Tail," "Black Butler,"  and several people cosplayed as characters form the "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" series.  I think my favorite cosplayer was the woman who was dressed as Satsuki and carried a doll of Mei (from "My Neighbor Totoro)!  There was also a guy dressed up as Totoro himself!  Needless to say, I had a great time, and can't wait to attend Otakon   this summer!!!!!  In the meantime, I have plenty of anime to keep me busy writing this blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know what I'll be doing on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!  Watching anime (hopefully) uninterrupted!!!!!!!!!!!!  Woe unto those who dare disturb this "Anime-niac!"  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

"Fruit's Basket": A Plum Of An Anime

After being prejudiced by my Hubby's negative opinion of "Fruit's Basket,"  I avoided it for most of my years of anime fandom; that is, until a friend expressed his love for it and suggested I check out an episode via YouTube.  I enjoyed that episode so much, I added "Fruit's Basket' to my Anime Wish List.  Surprisingly, my hubby bought it for me at Otakon 2011!  (Thanks, Boo!  I know how much you must've hated doing that!  I owe you big time!)  "Fruit's  Basket," or "Furuba," tells the story of Tohru Honda, a 16 year old orphaned girl who gets invited to live in the house of her classmate, the handsome boy Sohma Yuki, and his cousins, 16 year old Kyo and 27 year old Shigure. However, these young men and parts of the rest of their family (both close and distant) hold a curse; if they are hugged by the opposite gender, they transform into animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Everyday is an adventure for sweet Tohru, as she gets to know everyone in the large family better (especially Yuki and Kyo), in both common and bizarre situations. But, the Sohma Family curse is certainly no laughing matter... it also holds horrible cruelity and heartbreak.   Of course, there are characters loathed and loved.    The aforementioned main characters are quite amusing, and more or less endearing, while other characters--such as Momiji Sohma and Hiro Sohma--seemed to be a pain in the ass!  There was one character that had me asking WTF....Ritsu Sohma!  All things considered (characters, sugar level, plot), "Fruit's Basket" was pretty entertaining, and may be worth a second look sometime in the future!

"Black Butler": One Hell Of An Anime About "One Hell Of A Butler!"

After checking out a few episodes of "Black Butler" via the Funimation Channel, I decided to add it to my Anime Wish List.  I was happy when my Hubby was able to find it in the Dealer's Room at Otakon 2011!  I spent most of a rainy Saturday watching the first season on DVD!  It was very entertaining, in spite of the fact that I found myself comparing it to "Hell Girl," an anime that received a less-than-favorable review from me.  (See the post "Is Hell Girl A Hell No?")  "Black Butler" tells the story of Ciel Phantomhive.  The most powerful boy in all of England, he bears the scars of unspeakable suffering. Forced to watch as his beloved parents were brutally murdered, Ciel was subsequently abducted and violently tortured. Desperate to end his suffering, the boy traded his own soul for a chance at vengeance, casting his lot with the one person on whom he could depend: Sebastian, a demon Butler summoned from the very pits of Hell. Together, they'll prowl the darkest alleys of London on a mission to snuff out those who would do evil. They're a rare sight, these two: the Butler who dismembers with dazzling cutlery,  and the Young Master who carries the devil's marking. Rest assured that wherever they may be headed, it'll be one Hell of a ride!   I liked Sebastian, the demon butler.  I especially liked the way he protectd Ciel.  Yes, I know he was contractually obligated to do so, but it was still interesting to watch.  All in all, this dark anime was thrilling to watch, and I will probably pull it out again!  However, it probably won't be anytime soon, as I still have more anime to finish before I attend Anime USA in search of new anime!!!!!

Otakon: O-What-A-Kon!

I spent the final weekend of July 2011 (7/29-7/31) in Baltimore, Maryland celebrating the 18th anniversary of Otakon! It was also my fourth appearance at this particular anime convention (I previously attended in 2003, 2009, & 2010)!  Of course, the biggest draw was the Dealer's Room!  I hardly had to spend a dime, as my Hubby was willing to spend most of his hard-earned money from his job to make me happy! (SN: Thanks for a great weekend, Chris!  I love you!)  I ended up with most of the anime titles I was looking for, including: 1. Season 1 of  "Black Butler," 2. The entire series of "Chobits," 3. The complete collection of "Moonphase," 4. "Rumbling Hearts," 5.  "Daphne In The Brilliant Blue, 6. "Fruit's Basket" (which I truly appreciate, because I know how much Hubby hates the series!), and 7.  The second box set of the anime "Nana!" 
 I'm going to be busy watching all that anime!  Hopefully, it will keep me satisfied until Anime USA  (November 18-20, 2011)!  Sadly, I'm already working on my Anime Wish List for that con!  I missed the premiere screening of "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya"  at Otakon 2011! It is definitely something I would have loved to have seen, because I have both seasons of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" on DVD!  Hopefully, "Disappearance" will be available in the US by the time AUSA starts!  I believe it's already out in Japan!  http://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-Haruhi-Suzumiya-Region-Japanese/dp/B0050XOCLK/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1312243121&sr=1-3
And before the question is asked, yes, I did cosplay!  Only 2/3 days though.  I cosplayed as Toad from the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise  and also as a catgirl!  (SN: I hope at least one person got a pic of me in that outfit!). 
I really didn't do much interacting with the guests this year, though I did manage to get an autograph from Peter S. Beagle. who wrote the book that inspired the movie of the same name --"The Last Unicorn!"  Perhaps the next time I see him at a con, I will be able to buy his book (Or maybe the graphic novel that came out this year)!
One good  thing that happened outside the convention center walls was another anime-related event, the premiere of the ThunderCats on Cartoon Network on July 29!  Based on all the Facebook posts my Hubby received via his Blackberry, he & I were not the only ones who left the con to go back to our hotel room to check it out!
Of course, the last day of the con was bittersweet:  checking out of the hotel, saying good-bye to new friends, making last minute purchases from the Dealer's Room, and packing up and clearing out of the Baltimore Convention Center!  Still,  I'm looking forward to cuddling with Hubby while watching some of the anime he bought for me!  As I said, I'm sure it's enough to keep me occupied until Anime USA!  And if not, there's always the Funimation Channel!

America's Greatest Otaku (Revealed)!

I'm not as far behind in my blogging as I thought I was!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!   I  watched the finale of America's Greatest Otaku today (FINALLY!)  !!!!!!!!!!  I am sad to say good-bye to the Otaku 6: Diana Hsu & Dre Jean-Jacques (Team D & D), Stephan Cho &  William Sullivan "Sully" Brown (Team S & S), and Meera Marie & Dominique Kruse (Team Mangaloids)!   (SN: Have I used too many parentheses in this blog post yet?  LOL!)   I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my Hubby, Christopher Wanamaker, was declared AMERICA'S GREATEST OTAKU, with contenders Selene Schneider & Gina Gallego coming in close!!!!!  As the winner, Chris was rewarded with a trip to Japan, where he visited such hot spots as Toei Animation Co., Ltd., creative residence to such popular anime as Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball,  & Fist Of The North Star! Another not-to-be-missed spot along his journey was the Sanrio Puroland, a Hello Kitty theme park!!!!!!!!! (Note to Chris Wanamaker: Thanks for bringing me back such great souvenirs from this spot, Honey!)   He was even lucky enough to be able to see a Sentai (known in America as the Power Rangers) Show!  Wow!  I hope he goes to Japan again for a visit someday!  (If I'm lucky enough, I'll be able to go along with him!) In the meantime, I'll be content to immerse myself in Japanese culture by attending as many anime cons as possible!  Which reminds me, Otakon will be here before I can blink!  I guess I'd better put together my Wish List for the Dealer's Room!  If it's anything like it has been in the past, it's gonna be HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (The Dealer's Room, not my Wish List!  LOL!)  Congratulations to AGO  contenders: 1. Ryan Tumaliuan, 2. Christine Choi, 3. Gina Gallego,4. Elizabet Schweizer, 5. Shireen Al-Zahawi, 6. Di-Khiem Tran, 7. Todd Haberkorn, 8.  Brianna Berry, 9. Janet Enriquez, 10. Becky Rasch, 11. Alexandra Lewis, 12. Selene Schneider, 13. Jasmine Salters, 14. Dianna Santodonato, 15. Joey Hanell, 16. Greer White, 17. Ryan Donafey (female),  and 18. Jillian Marcus!  It's too late for me to say "May the best man win!,"  because the contest is over and he already did!  Congratulations, Chris!  Wife Chan is very proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!

Nana Nana! Nana Nana! Hey, Hey, Hey! Good bye..... For Now!

I just finished watching the first box set of "Nana."  It was a little repetitive for 2 or 3 episodes, but not bad.  I can't wait until Otakon to get "Nana: Uncut Box Set, Vol. 2".  I'm not sure if I want to wait until Otakon, but I  might have enough anime to satisfy me until I do.  What's next on my watch list for today?  I have 2 DVDs of "Fruit's Basket" that a friend loaned me (Hi, MDC!).  My hubby's attitude toward the series has discouraged me from purchasing it until now.  I did check out an episode online, so now I'm going to watch some of the series to see if I want to collect the rest.  I think I'll watch "Magikano" after I finish with the 2 "Fruit's Basket" DVDs. 
Fruits Basket (called "Furuba" by fans) is the story of Tohru Honda, a high school student who has lost both of her parents. Her mother died only a year before the start of the series, and Touru misses her so much that she always carries her picture around with her. Tohru was living with her paternal grandfather until he began renovations on his home, so he asked her if she'd mind staying with some friends for awhile. Touru didn't want to impose on either of her friends, so she decided to set up a tent in the woods until the house was finished.. until one day she stumbles across the home of her classmate Yuki Sohma, and accidentally discovers his family's BIG secret - when "huggled" by someone of the opposite sex, they are cursed to turn into the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Tohru ends up moving in with the Sohma family as a housekeeper/cook in exchange for room and board, and she is introduced one-by-one to the rest of the clan (some of whom are.. VERY.. unusual).

Summary of "Magikano"
Haruo Yoshikawa always thought he was your average run-of-the-mill middle school student: Great attendance record, no real plans for the future, and three adorable, loving sisters, Maika, Chiaki and Fuyuno. Perfectly normal, right?
Wrong! What Haruo doesn’t know is that his three sneaky sisters have been keeping him in the dark about a little family secret: They’re all magic users! In the blink of an eye, Haruo’s “normal” life does a 180 degree turn into the insane with the arrival of the enchanting Ayumi, who for some reason seems very interested in turning Haruo into a “real man”…as well as awakening his dormant powers! (Wow! What a witch!) Warning! There’s supernatural slapstick, magical mayhem and great jiggling gobs of fan service galore in the most totally witching series ever: Magikano!
A great addition to any harem collection!

They both sound pretty interesting to me, but before I continue with my anime marathon, I'm going to shower and eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TTFN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Katsucon 2011: Celebrate The Spirit

 I am exhausted! I spent the majority of  President's Day Weekend 2011--Friday February 18-Sunday February 20--at the National Harbor and the Gaylord National Resort. celebrating the 17th anniversary of Katsucon, "Washington's Premiere Japanese Animation & Manga Festival,"  and the only anime con I've attended annually from 2003 (Katsucon 9) to the present.  The theme of this year's convention was "Celebrate the Spirit!"  And boy, did I celebrate!  I cosplayed all 3 days!!!!  Friday, I was dressed as comic book heroine Wonder Woman; Saturday, I costumed as Toad, Mario's mushroom pal from the Super Mario Brothers video game franchise; Sunday (today) my alter-ego was Rei Ayanami, best known for her role in "Neon Genesis Evangelion!"  Sadly, my MasterCard did not survive the weekend unscathed!  I used it to purchase several DVDs, including: boxed sets of "Nana" & "The Adventures Of Mini-Goddess," as well as the 30th anniversary release of  the "Lupin the 3rd"  television special "Episode 0: The First Contact!"  That ought to be enough to keep me occupied until I attend Otakon this summer!  Then again, time is passing so fast, the weekend of July 29-31, 2011 will be here before I can blink!  I pray that my MasterCard recovers by then!!!!  I already have some things in mind that I saw at Katsucon but could not afford to purchase! I hope that some of the vendors that were at Katsucon decide to make an appearance at Otakon!  Go, anime!!!!!!!!!!