Otakon '04

Azurel · The Bringer of Levels Gender: Joined: 24 Sep 2002

Today marks the second day of Otakon 2004, held in baltimore. Today marks the day of my first convention. Today marks the day when I get shot for carrying a wooden sword in the ghetto.

I'm running around right now getting everything ready for Otakon. I leave at 9:30 so we can get there around 10. Then, it's 11 hours of convention. We'd stay longer, but baltimore is such a bad area that my mom doesn't feel safe driving around there late or having us be there after dark.

Last night, I had a fight with my suedo-girlfriend and I feel no moral obligation to stay truthful right now, hello Otakon ladies.

I'll try and get some pictures in, but I have to buy a camera, bleh. I didn't get a lot of extra spending money for the trip, and Paul got even less. We each have enough for our tickets and then, collectively, we have $48.63 (we dug around for change).

And of course I will write down most things that happen. See you later tonight (though I may be at a party which would be a great wind-down).

Doot · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:11 am Post subject:

We expect a full report mister!

Azurel · The Bringer of Levels Gender: Joined: 24 Sep 2002

I'll see how much I can write in an hour.

Ok, first off, we got there. We = my friend Paul and I. Well, we got there and tried to orchestrate a meeting between all of the people that were supposed to get there at relatively the same time. The problem was that nobody answered their cells, so we didn't even get ahold of them. So we shrug it off and try to have a good time by ourselves.

The line for the tickets was immense (for my first time at a convention I suppose). It spanned two streets in the sun. Well it was Paul and I behind this group of six people, who we became friends with almost instantly. C.J., Thomas, Amy, Corry (guy), Jen, and Nick. Amy and I hit it off real well, we spent an hour doing nothing but flirting while the rest of our group talked freely about random things.

So we get in, get all of our registrations done (I picked the badge that had the anime chick with the least clothing on as available) and only C.J. really knew what he was doing, he was a convention-goer. So the rest of us were basically just following him all day. None of us were dressed up at all, save for my bokken. We shopped around, I bought a really kick ass gundam model that I'm going to work on tomorrow. The two girls bought various kawaii plushies and buttons (heh, Amy had me put a button on her and I poked her nipple, that was embarassing but we all laughed).

Then we ran around, jumping from video station to video station. We watched the AMV contest, which was alright because I was sat between the two girls. But then the "Upbeat section" came on and the AMVs actually started getting good. We didn't even vote, which C.J. felt guilty about. Then we left that booth and walked around for a bit.

(gotta go now, I'll write more when I get back)

Daijaga · Chosen of Luck Gender: Joined: 17 Dec 2003

Sounds like your having a good time. I'm glad your first con experience is working out ot be really fun for you. Meeting people is always one of those neat things that you don't go to the con for directly (AWA not withstanding), but happens all on its own. Fun stuff.

Azurel · The Bringer of Levels Gender: Joined: 24 Sep 2002

Where was I?

Oh right, the walking. We ate at the Otakafe or whatever they called it. We saw a couple kids from both of our schools and formed a large eating group. Then we split up because we wanted to see different videos. Our original group of five, thanks to me, wanted to watch Gundam F91 or something like that. I love Gundam, it's like crack to me. But when we got there, there was a huge ass, winding line that none of us felt like staying in. So we started getting kind of bored.

We hung out, talked amongst ourselves as well as other people. Everyone had signs saying shit like "Free hugs" and "Otaku needs to get 2000 hugs before con is over." so I made a sign that said "Free kisses," and the best part is that it worked. I got around 18, mostly pecks, I got like two serious, make-out type kisses. And, although Amy was the first one to kiss me, she was starting to get jealous, I didn't know I made that kind of impression on her, so I stopped and crumpled up the sign. I hate it when girls are mad with me.

So we were really getting bored, no good videos were on, so we went down to the gaming and artist booths. Some of the art was extremely well done, better than the originals.

(ok, I'll finish later, I gotta mess with my comp)

Zane · Otaku Knight Gender: Joined: 21 Apr 2003

Uh, reading this makes me want to go to a convention. I've never been to one since I dont have any friends that'd want to go with me, since I have no friends that like anime. Sounds like you had a real good time.

Daijaga · Chosen of Luck Gender: Joined: 17 Dec 2003

A con is a completly new experience. Everything is so busy and confused, theres so much goign on you can never do it all, theres long lines for everything but you usually meet cool people waiting in them, and the whole time there is this overwhelming since of comradere' that pervades nearly everything you do. The guy behind you, he an anime fan. The three chicks cosplaying as sailor scouts: anime fans. Those two inuyashas in the corner admiring each other's costuems, anime fans. From one end of the lobby to the other is packed with people who, cosplaying or not, have experienced the same emotions and feelings in watching anime that have stirred your own emotions.

That and theres a bunch of skimpy costumes and pocky. >_< A winning combonation in any book.