Katsucon 2015

I had a relatively good time at this year's Katsucon, in spite of the fact that Chris and I didn't have a hotel room and commuted daily from our apartment to the Gaylord.  And I missed my Grandmother's funeral to attend the con.   But what could I do?  Katsucon was in the works way before she passed away.  Plus, the funeral was way down in Virginia, and it would have been impossible to attend both  the funeral and the con.  Mom understood. She's the one who told me not to worry about the funeral.  Sigh!  Life goes on, I guess.    I had a pretty decent cosplay lineup this year.  2 kigurumis (Totoro & a hamster) and my new Toad (Super Mario Bros.) costume.  I didn't have much money, but Hubby bought me a few "Lupin The 3rd" DVDs and one hentai DVD.  I was also hoping that one of the merchants might have had "The Tale of Princess Kaguya," but that movie won't be released until later on this week.  Hubby said he'd buy it for me when it comes out!   I tried to attend a few panels, but between commuting and my table shifts for the DC Anime Club, I missed the majority of the panels I wanted to attend!  Mercifully, Hubby said we will be getting a hotel for Katsucon 2016.  I'm glad!  I hated going back and forth this year.  Though, it wasn't the first time.  I stayed with my whackjob cousin Pam back in 2007 and commuted back and forth from her apartment to the Omni Shoreham hotel in Washington, DC. Unfortunately, it took another 2 years to see how crazy she truly was and to completely sever all ties with  her! But, anyway..... back to Katsucon! I ran into Larry Reclusado and a few other individuals I normally only get to see at cons.  Sadly, Steve Bennett didn't show up this year.  Mercifully, after the recent drama on Facebook, I didn't run into Adam Wright, either!  All in all, it was still a good con, and I can't wait until next year's Katsucon!  In the meantime, I'm going to be attending other cons as usual this year.  T-MODE, Otakon, Anime USA, and my first West Coast convention, San Diego Comic-Con!  I can't wait!

Anime USA 2014: Ani-mazing Con!

First off, I just want to thank the AUSA staff for not following in Otakon's footsteps and making their schedule available only on SmartPhones!  The paper schedules are so much easier to work with!  That being said, I had an interesting time at Anime USA this past weekend (October 3-5, 2014).
I cosplayed, of course.  With my "Toad" (Super Mario Bros.) costume out of commission until further notice, I had to search through my cosplay wardrobe for other alternatives.  I didn't realize how many costumes I actually own!  On Friday, I was a Japanese schoolgirl.  I think I've only worn that costume maybe about 2 or 3 times.  On Saturday, I donned my Totoro Kigurumi complete with matching paw slippers, Totoro purse, Totoro earrings, and a Totoro plushie. Sunday's cosplay outfit was Rei Ayanami from "Neon Genesis Evangelion."  Honestly, I'm not really into that particular anime, but it is what it is.  I sat a few shifts at the DC Anime Club (www.dcanimeclub.org) table. (The DC Anime Club is the organization that my Hubby, Christopher Wanamaker, founded and over which he currently presides).   I also attended a few panels--"School Days!  A History of Japanese School Uniforms," "Nintendo History 101," and "AHHHH!  Video Game Cartoons" to name a few.  Sadly, I missed the screening of the live-action "Black Butler," but I'm sure that it will be released in the United States sometime in the near future!   I stated before that my "Toad" costume is unusable, so I found someone--Ginger Woods of "Gbee Fabrics" (http://gbeefabrics.com/) -- to make me a new one.  I'm hoping to have it by Summer 2015.  I've already got my cosplay outfits for Katsucon 2015 (www.katsucon.com)  planned out.  I plan to be Wonder Woman, Rainbow Brite (once I order a new wig), and to keep warm with my Hamster Kigurumi.  I guess I'm jumping the gun slightly, as I might get to attend Annapolis Comic-Con (http://annapoliscomiccon.com/)  and MAGFest (http://magfest.org/)  before Katsucon in February.  But, back to Anime USA!  Money was a little tight, so I wasn't really able to splurge on much in the Dealer's Room at Anime USA; but I did purchase one DVD, "Parade Parade" (a hentai).  I'm hoping to be able to catch up on "Fairy Tail" at Katsucon, since it occurs a few weeks after my birthday (January 28)!  My cash flow should be a lot better by then!  In the meantime, I don't mind re-watching some of the many anime DVDs in my collection: "Wolf Children," "Grave of the Fireflies," or one of the films directed by the cinematic genius Hayao Miyazaki: "Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro," or "Kiki's Delivery Service" (which is supposed to be adapted into a live-action film) to name a few.  Anime today, anime tomorrow, anime FOREVER!!!!!! 

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

Katsucon: 2 Decades of AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent yet another President's Day weekend with my Hubby Christopher Wanamaker and hundreds of fellow Otaku at Katsucon. It's the only con I've been to every year since I became interested in anime and Asian culture in general. Hubby and I roomed with another couple (Hi, Renee! Hi, Matt!) I'm kinda ticked because I left some of my essential cosplay accessories at home. I was supposed to be Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion) & Toad (Super Mario Bros. video games), but ended up wearing my Domo hoodie and my hamster Kigurumi. On top of that, I lost a few things over the weekend: a tote bag with the book I was supposed to be reading, as well as my Nintendo DS Lite and a few video games, not to mention my journal. On the up side, I saw Steve Bennett--a great artist and a good friend to both me and Chris--for the first time in quite a few years. (Hi, Steve!) I also bought a few DVDs for myself--"Wolf Children", "Fairy Tail: Phoenix Rising" (movie), and, yes, some hentai (hanging my head in shame)! I watched "Wolf Children" with Hubby when I got back Sunday evening. It was AWESOME! Hana is a 19-year-old student who falls in a "fairy-tale like" love with a "wolf man". Over the course of the 13-year story Hana gives birth to two children—older sister Yuki, and younger brother Ame, or "Snow and Rain". At first the family quietly lives in city trying to hide their wolf heritage, but when the "wolf man" suddenly dies Hana makes the decision to move to a rural town, far from their previous city life. I must be burnt out on the anime con scene. I barely attended the panels at Katsucon, and I hardly took any photos. Or maybe, I've just attended the same cons over and over again. I guess it's time for a change! Which is why I'm looking forward to attending Awesome Con for the very first time this year. That will be happening April 18-20 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Details relating to that con can be found here: http://awesomecondc.com/

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!