Survived yet another Otakon...
Aug. 8th, 2006 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mandolinMeant to post this yesterday, but allergies, cleanup and thunderstorms delayed it.
Otakon was fun and busy; I spent a lot of time running around the Artists' Alley trying to find artists I knew and hanging out at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jennies and indigoangelcat's table. Passed Caroline Curtis' booth five times before I found her (she was right up front, figures), and stumbled across Garth Graham with a surprised squeal of "Hey! You're here!" and got him, Aido and Mookie to sign the copy of "City Limits" I picked up.
A lot more people identified my costume this year, and I actually ran into the one other person cosplaying as Yukino Miyazawa in slumming mode (she had a Peropero!) so we had to get our picture taken together. (My camera did survive this time around, thankfully.) I also discovered that the costume could quite easily be mistaken for the teacher in Gokusen since the outfit, hair and glasses were very similar. Fortunately, the guy who told me this could read my patch and verified that I did copy the name "Miyazawa" reasonably well from my DVDs.
I went moderately nuts in the Dealers' Room - not so much as I did in 2004 but I wasn't as cheap as I was in '05. I think I wound up spending more time in the Artists' Alley than anywhere else; I only really went to three viewings (Ouran High School Host Club, the Fullmetal Alchemist movie premiere and the AMV contest).
Also, for those who are curious, the rumors are untrue - Otakon 2007 is going to be in Baltimore, on the weekend of July 20-22. That's going to be an interesting birthday, let me tell you... and maybe, just maybe it won't coincide with the worst heat wave of the year. :)
But anyway, I feel compelled to wrap this up with a list:
Things I've Learned From Going to Otakon
1) Cosplaying is good. Cosplaying in a getup with layers that can be removed (without violating public indecency laws) when you step out of the convention center and intothe sauna Baltimore is even BETTER. (2005, 2006)
2) Unless you like standing out in the heat, it's probably best to pick up your registration on Thursday night. Or wait until after 12:30 pm on Saturday to show up. (all)
3) No matter how accurate or original your costume is, you just can't compete with the guy in the corset and butterfly wings. (2005)
4) Most locals are NOT as weirded out by the convention as the city leaders think. They actually find it pretty funny. (all)
4b) This does not apply to drunken sports fans, especially later at night. Don't walk back to your hotel alone! (2005, 2006, hearsay and football fans sneaking into BCC in '05)
5) If you drive into the city, be prepared to get in early OR go on a mad parking hunt - especially on a convention weekend that coincides with consecutive Yankees-Orioles games. (2006)
6) If you don't plan to stay past midnight, the Light Rail is a very nice alternative to parking if you live nearby. (2005, 2006)
7) If your costume has huge props/wings/accessories, be prepared for people bumping into you and don't spaz out on them when they nearly lose an eye to your big paper-mache wing and apologize to you. Come on, it's Otakon, the crowds are nuts! (2006)
8) On that note, be prepared to deal with crowds GALORE. It's like high school all over again. (all)
9) If there are some things you absolutely must see, plan ahead for it so you can get to the right room early, and make sure you remember that the Dealer's Room closes at 6 on Saturday! (2006)
9b) And then make alternate plans in case the wrong schedule is distributed and you have to book it all the way from the fourth floor ballroom area to the first floor Charles Street lobby to get to the AMV contest screening. (2006)
10) If you get hungry, leave the BCC. Better to pay $8 for a full meal at Harborplace than to pay $8 for a hot dog in the convention center. (all)
11) Sometimes, you have to split off from your group to see certain things since there's just so much to see - otherwise, you'll miss out. Just designate a rendezvous point and time. (2006, all)
12) The Dealer's Room on Sunday = mob scene. Mob scene where the dealers start tossing out crazy sales, though, so if there's something you really really want it's worth it. (2004, 2006)
13) Make sure you have a comprehensive mental inventory of all the manga volumes you really have before raiding the Dealer's Room. (2006)
14) Got a camera? If your costume doesn't have pockets, MAKE SOME to safely secure the camera in. Hey, if a waist pack looks out-of-place on your costume, either change your costume or deal - it's better than having your camera stolen. In some cases, you can just turn it around for photos. (2005, 2006)
15) If you're going to pose for photos, make an attempt to get over to the wall instead of stopping dead with no warning in the middle of the corridor between the Pratt Street and Charles Street sides of the convention center. PLEASE. (all)
16) If you want to check out a video with subtitles and do not speak Japanese, unless it's in the huge Video 1 room or the fourth-floor theater, either get in early and sit in the front or stand along the wall. Otherwise, you won't be able to read the subtitles over all the people's heads. (2004, 2005, 2006)
Okay, need to finish cleaning things, company tomorrow... *runs off*
Otakon was fun and busy; I spent a lot of time running around the Artists' Alley trying to find artists I knew and hanging out at
jennies and indigoangelcat's table. Passed Caroline Curtis' booth five times before I found her (she was right up front, figures), and stumbled across Garth Graham with a surprised squeal of "Hey! You're here!" and got him, Aido and Mookie to sign the copy of "City Limits" I picked up. A lot more people identified my costume this year, and I actually ran into the one other person cosplaying as Yukino Miyazawa in slumming mode (she had a Peropero!) so we had to get our picture taken together. (My camera did survive this time around, thankfully.) I also discovered that the costume could quite easily be mistaken for the teacher in Gokusen since the outfit, hair and glasses were very similar. Fortunately, the guy who told me this could read my patch and verified that I did copy the name "Miyazawa" reasonably well from my DVDs.
I went moderately nuts in the Dealers' Room - not so much as I did in 2004 but I wasn't as cheap as I was in '05. I think I wound up spending more time in the Artists' Alley than anywhere else; I only really went to three viewings (Ouran High School Host Club, the Fullmetal Alchemist movie premiere and the AMV contest).
Also, for those who are curious, the rumors are untrue - Otakon 2007 is going to be in Baltimore, on the weekend of July 20-22. That's going to be an interesting birthday, let me tell you... and maybe, just maybe it won't coincide with the worst heat wave of the year. :)
But anyway, I feel compelled to wrap this up with a list:
Things I've Learned From Going to Otakon
1) Cosplaying is good. Cosplaying in a getup with layers that can be removed (without violating public indecency laws) when you step out of the convention center and into
2) Unless you like standing out in the heat, it's probably best to pick up your registration on Thursday night. Or wait until after 12:30 pm on Saturday to show up. (all)
3) No matter how accurate or original your costume is, you just can't compete with the guy in the corset and butterfly wings. (2005)
4) Most locals are NOT as weirded out by the convention as the city leaders think. They actually find it pretty funny. (all)
4b) This does not apply to drunken sports fans, especially later at night. Don't walk back to your hotel alone! (2005, 2006, hearsay and football fans sneaking into BCC in '05)
5) If you drive into the city, be prepared to get in early OR go on a mad parking hunt - especially on a convention weekend that coincides with consecutive Yankees-Orioles games. (2006)
6) If you don't plan to stay past midnight, the Light Rail is a very nice alternative to parking if you live nearby. (2005, 2006)
7) If your costume has huge props/wings/accessories, be prepared for people bumping into you and don't spaz out on them when they nearly lose an eye to your big paper-mache wing and apologize to you. Come on, it's Otakon, the crowds are nuts! (2006)
8) On that note, be prepared to deal with crowds GALORE. It's like high school all over again. (all)
9) If there are some things you absolutely must see, plan ahead for it so you can get to the right room early, and make sure you remember that the Dealer's Room closes at 6 on Saturday! (2006)
9b) And then make alternate plans in case the wrong schedule is distributed and you have to book it all the way from the fourth floor ballroom area to the first floor Charles Street lobby to get to the AMV contest screening. (2006)
10) If you get hungry, leave the BCC. Better to pay $8 for a full meal at Harborplace than to pay $8 for a hot dog in the convention center. (all)
11) Sometimes, you have to split off from your group to see certain things since there's just so much to see - otherwise, you'll miss out. Just designate a rendezvous point and time. (2006, all)
12) The Dealer's Room on Sunday = mob scene. Mob scene where the dealers start tossing out crazy sales, though, so if there's something you really really want it's worth it. (2004, 2006)
13) Make sure you have a comprehensive mental inventory of all the manga volumes you really have before raiding the Dealer's Room. (2006)
14) Got a camera? If your costume doesn't have pockets, MAKE SOME to safely secure the camera in. Hey, if a waist pack looks out-of-place on your costume, either change your costume or deal - it's better than having your camera stolen. In some cases, you can just turn it around for photos. (2005, 2006)
15) If you're going to pose for photos, make an attempt to get over to the wall instead of stopping dead with no warning in the middle of the corridor between the Pratt Street and Charles Street sides of the convention center. PLEASE. (all)
16) If you want to check out a video with subtitles and do not speak Japanese, unless it's in the huge Video 1 room or the fourth-floor theater, either get in early and sit in the front or stand along the wall. Otherwise, you won't be able to read the subtitles over all the people's heads. (2004, 2005, 2006)
Okay, need to finish cleaning things, company tomorrow... *runs off*
