Otakon 2012

Well, I started to write about our flight out from the west coast to the east coast, but then I got too mad and had to stop! Haha.  Let's just say there was a bunch of cancelled flights and airline jumbles along the way there, and in the end I was just glad we didn't miss the whole convention!

For our second anniversary, we went to Otakon, the second largest anime convention in the US! This was both our first time here, as well as our first time on the East Coast!

Baltimore

Friday morning, we stand in the pre-reg line.  It's super long - and outdoors in the hot hot summer sun, but it moved quick. (2 hours vs. the 6 hour Fanime line)

See the swarm of people..everywhere?!

Standin' in line, starting to miss that cold Bay Area weather!

While waiting in line, we also became familiar with the popular vocals of the ice cold water guy (heard here). His ice cold water, which is only one dollar, is guaranteed to get stuck in your head...forever!  People even remixed his song, and played it at masquerade!  This is why I'd love to continue visiting new conventions. It's not for the anime - you can see that at home.  It's for the experience!

Anyway, when we got to the front of the reg line, we got to pick our badge design. I picked the crab and Sak picked Eureka 7.  I liked that we got to pick, but for $70 a ticket, they could have at least printed our names on it. We had to write it with a sharpie! And it was just a paper ticket, bah.

Anyway, costumes, you want to see cosplay right?

Cutest Appa I've ever seen!

Bowser and Alphonse. Can you tell I have a thing for full body cosplay? The skill just astounds me!

Mech from Evangelion and FLCL

A mimic! So awesome!

Panty & Stocking. This was a popular cosplay choice at this con, and these two pulled it off well! Love Stocking's blue and pink hair.

Pony Pony Pony! Yes, creepy, I know. Go watch the Full Metal Panic Fumoffu episode on Netflix now. It's a classic.

This Portal cosplay took long fall boots quite seriously. The staff member is telling him he's too tall for standards I think? 

It was hard for me not to compare everything to Fanime - "People are more scantily clad here (it's hot, derr)!" "The San Jose Convention Center isn't as cool or big as Baltimore's!" "AMVs are better at Otakon! Masquerade is better at Fanime!" "People don't smell as much here! But it's not 24 hours like Fanime!" "Otakon needs more video rooms! But the people are nicer!" Etc. etc.

But eventually we learned to just accept each for what they are, and to just enjoy the similarities and differences! They are both super awesome conventions, no doubt about it.

Impromptu dance party!

The best part of Otakon (or any convention!) is friends! We met up with our friends J and M, and got to hang out with them mostly all day Saturday! The keron casual cosplay was a success, and a few people even asked for pictures! That's what I consider a success for casual cosplay anyway ;)

In the gaming room. I like how they put all the consoles in lock boxes! 

At masquerade! 

 massive scale of the gaming room! 

Trivia before the AMVs was a nice touch!

Masquerade was in a sporting arena.

And there was just so many great spaces for people to congregate!

Someone was selling latch hook rugs! AHHH I need to work on mine >.>"!

Giant pizza cutter?

Other highlights was watching Panda Go Panda in English, cheering along at the Aya Hirano concert (voice of Haruhi and Konata!), and getting to see at least part of the late night fan parodies. Those and AMVs are always my most favorite. I'm still bummed that we missed the Rocky Horror-esque singalong of Evangelion Re:death though. It's been a while since I've been to one!

Anyway, if I could afford the plane ticket, I'd come back every year. Though I'd get a hotel closer to the con so I could stay until the 2 am closing. And I'd find more places to eat! There were many, but it was so hot it was hard to go exploring without dying! I'm already excited about going to another big convention next year..do you have one near you? I'll come visit!