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Akon 2000! (Project A-kon 11)
Now onto the con coverage. Wait the sched's first... Day 1 Front
The con took place over 3 days and has since come under criticism for being "less great than last year". I dunno... my feelings about last year are of tension due to the con having just moved to the location and potentially someone could upset the hotel... so if there was any aura of -Ewww this con sucks- I didn't really pick up on it... it was relaxing... even enervating in that Con way... and fun. I talked to the opinionated and the layback and just decided to have fun. Much like my views on Anime itself. Me:"Bring on the anime!" "Is this a dub?" Me:"Bring on the anime!" "Is this a sub?" Me:"I said bring on the anime!!" Now that I have pushed my dogma of "Just enjoy it dangit!" Onto the review... *pulls out his handy dandy sched's* Day One.
5 Hour car trips aren't all that fun... and driving down an I-45 darker than it was in the Movie Pitch Black had it's humorous moments. The one drawback is that we had to deliver a dog for Airedale Rescue -any mail about this will get forwarded to someone who cares... which is NOT ME... I do not like them and I've seen a fair amount of them- but she was okay with the trip. Dog delivered and Dallas's
... passed us we tried to check in... policies have changed at the hotel I think... last year check out was 10am... this year checkout was 3pm... so many hadn't left rooms yet. At 12:30 we had rooms and that was out of the way. The only problem is we parked at the wrong tower but C'est la vie. Beta Centauri (Beta Video Room -the Centauri part is MY name for it) had a swap with Alpha Centauri... and both started a teensy bit late... Bewitching Nozomi 1 and 2. A Curious tale about a Boy with a gift for Boxing... and a Girl who's lost her brother -seemingly to it hard to say. I found the story viable even though the kid was picking up tricks really fast... and saying that really fast pros of boxing looked slow due to his ability to keep track of fast things. It was very cute and light. Some light p3rversion... but that's it ^-^ The guy sometimes catches a p-shot. Nadesico Volume 1. Should I say I bought it in the dealers room to profess my instant like of it? I think I should. *does so* ^.~ I don't know what can be say about Nadesico that hasn't been said before... guess I'll just quote CDS Productions's Koko Wa Otaku : "... Nadesico? I mean why not it's got action and a cute girl in it who goes Baka Baka all the time." The rest is your imagination... though if you are a Gekiganger fan you might -or might not- like "Gai". Who is a fanboy to the exclusion of sanity. But hey... so what? Yurika's constant "Akito Akito!" is kawaii... and according to the guy I was talking to at the time: "Yuriko... she's a fanboy's wet dream." I tie her mentally to Nuku Nuku -of course having only seen tape one...
of both so far... can you blame me?-... who I think would get along well
^.^;;;; Gotta love the "airheads" at times though... things get dicey they
don't recall failure well enough to not persevere and somehow get you through
it.
Lunch, the trek between room (2326?) and car, and the Dealers room kept us from -I wanted to see it at least- Tokimeki Memorial... Then came Lunar (the FanVideo room) where CDS Productions -you might not have heard of them but I'll bet you've seen one of their Music Videos...- was showing off Roadbusted (Riding Bean/Roadbuster Footage... with some Totoro since it shows the entirety of My Love Slave Totoro in the Police viewing the ransom tape shot), and Terminator 3 and 4. All hilarious as usual... and they were handing out DEMO TAPES!!! I got Roadbusted and my friend got Koko Wa Otaku!! Then it was a second trip to the dealers room -I think this was when we hit it second...- and then up to the room to drop stuff off Spoils of "War" before I forget... Me: Nadesico 1 and 2 -they didn't have BGC 2040 2 and 3 dubbed so I had to get something ^-~ - and 2 Utena ARTBOOKS!!! Charles: Cool Devices !@#DVD#@! Boxed Set -so he got this later and not right now... oh well he hit the room 3 times...- because his tapes were overwatched already, and something else of video/dvd, and a Golden Tachi... beautiful... maybe when he's back I'll take piccies of it for this page ^-^ [No hunting for piccie-chans now... I haven't hit a photomat or anything yet ;.;]. Then for me it was Mahou Tsuki Tai episode 1 (since they were only showing 3 ep-chans I didn't wanna get cliffhung on tape 2 or 3 or something so 1 was enough... kawaii ^-^) And then something I didn't know WHAT the heck it was... Initial D. It's about Road Racers... and it was well done... the cars were done in CG... which was a bit of a let down... but I guess not as much of one when you consider shows which flip flop between drawn and CG causing fans to divide like Moses parting the Red Sea. Very accurate with enough jargon to please an enthusiast I think. Very like watching a Grand Turisimo anime ^-^ (I may have even learned a trick or two for GT ^.~). Wel only caught the 1-4 that was showing at this time... didn't make 5-8(sat) or 9-12(sun)... just couldn't catch it. It was good enough to not watch him trounce the bad guy driver... it would have been frustrating to watch someone freak out *eye rolling* after feeling the build up to it in ep 4. The hero is better than you... deal man... sheesh."I wasn't in top form the other day!" and you are now? Can it... che!! After Initial D... was the Card Captor Sakura movie! KAWAII!! And like most MAhou Shoujo-Magical Girl-anime... if you think it's nothing but cuteness and fluff... well you might not be paying attention. Felt like when I watched tape... 5? Of Magical Project S ("Magical Girl" Pretty Sammy TV Series) where true seriousness -to me anyway- slid in like in many of the Tenchi Muyo multiverse stories. When you aren't a crier and you are almost in tears... that says something. CCS Movie has that... ;.; Loved Tomoyo-chan and the video camera too... Back to the rooms we went... he was spent for the night... all the driving -I can't (won't get into why here either)- and then the Dark Kingdom plot called stealing con goers' energy was too much for him. I had "dinner" -yet more junk food- and then after catching Dennis Miller -damnit I miss HBO ;.; - I went down for Variable Geo. I was just expecting a no plot fluff piece. Some of the jaded would say that's just what I got. I loved it... His Lordship Chaos of "Curse of the Fanboys!" fame has some untapped potential here... maybe I'll make a crossover. Rather than being truly h3nt4i it was more just lemony... with some gratuity tossed into the fighting game level action. I wish I could have seen more than ep 1 and 2. ;.; I now was spent -I'm refering to exhaustion due to the con itself not anything p3rverted here- and went up the the room and my waiting blanket -you may want to gring your own bed linen. I don't care for the fact they have almost WINTER GRADE blankets in the rooms... and then there's the winter blanket tossed between 2 layers of sheets... blargh @.@ Wish I'd gone ahead and brought my pillows too... I'm used to more height of skull than the beds 2 pillows provided. Day Two A brisk junk food breakfast -sorry but about all you can buy at Target is junk food... and I needed CON money... room's not paid for yet after all...(I have a target card if you are wondering)- and some Batman Beyond -Charles is a junkie... can't blame him ^.~ - and then down for Blue Submarine No. 6. SUGOI!!! Though I do wish it was more than episode 1. ;.; There's another Anime I need ^.^;;; Charles Saw Silent Mobius 1 and 2... and from the fact he could hardly speak to describe it -he'll make an A-kon page also I think ^-^ - it must have been breath taking. I on the other hand went and saw Rachel Lillis's "Press Conference". W~~~~~~~~AI! and Kawaii too <3.<3 very charismatic and lovely. I just wish most of what she'd said wasn't just filled under the "You'll need to know this like an instinct" cause I can't describe things I feel like that. I got alot of pictures of her too ^-^ Being Jessie and Misty is a bit of a challenge it seems... as they are opposites... and often talk at almost the same time. Why is it VA pictures never seem to do justice? I swear Lisa Ortiz's pics make her look 20 pounds heavier... I say this because she was right after Lady Rachel. Lady Lisa's family are fans too ^-^ and love her work. I think it's great they are behind her like that ^-^|/ More industry information that is more integral than describable. Memorable part here is her description of Crispin Freeman... how he gets into his characters physically by how he holds his body... a change of stance is a change of how to think and act. Interesting. Well that's how he does it. Also Lady Lisa did the Dragon Slave... which she's nearly absolutely memorized -the fanpeople of course noted her one error... but that's not bad... one error for a spot impression... sugoi ^-^|/ Also it's hard to not hear a character's voice in their VA's... save the obvious vocal change to be say Utena or Lina Inverse... both Lady Rachel and Lady Lisa sound like their characters... Lady Rachel sounds almost exactly like Utena... well how she does Utena anyway -put down the weapons- and Lady Lisa must bring alot of herself to Lina Inverse... They are the 2 first times I've not minded knowing how the VA and the character are related. I stess VA and not Seiyuu here... I think Ai Orikasa and Chisa Yokohama are kakkoi... but other leave me dead... especially when they sound like human resource management persons not people enthused by their work and their fans. Nothing like watching a VA or a Seiyuu talk and seeing money in their eyes... kowai >.< I didn't get to Nadesico Volume 2 -after all I'd bought it ^-^ - and so I tried to get Lady Rachel and Lady Lisa's autographs... sadly the line was long and both had pressing issues -Lady Lisa had the Anime Match Game... which had to have it's day and time changed ^.^;;; and Rachel-sama had to pick up her sister. But Tiffany Grant said she would stay for the line! And So She who is the VA for Asuka Langley Sohryu signed the front of my Con Guide -just like Asuka would... and I prefered it that way too ^-^ Asuka is a front of the book kind of signer to me ^-^ Then I had to rush to Lunar for Koko wa Otaku 2! Which fortunately I didn't miss as they played 1 over again to prepare the audience. ^.^|/ It was cooler than the first one. Go CDS go ^.^|/ !! Then I went to wait for Lady Amanda Winn Lee's Voice Acting Class. Got to see someone win big at the Match Game ... neat neat neat. Then Lady Amanda was found after the MAtch game ended a bit earlier than planned -oh well. If ever you have the HONOR to see her talk on this subject... sit down shut up and listen like it's ... it's... well I don't know but listen! Insights into the industry... how to act on stage... the how to focus. It was like a How to guide. All of which is locked in my heart not necessarily my fingertips... 1) Take acting lessons "Even Dustin Hoffman takes refresher courses."
If the character is a millionaire playboy... think of how good it would be to win the lottery and have people beg to be your friend... you have to be the role. And the people she chose for demo roles... su-goi! One girl was very impressive... so impressive Lady Amanda reccomended she get lessons and join the industry... And boy was she good you could close your eyes and see a face... see it change and care about everything it said. Like really good voice actors can. Not bad for a novice ^-^ And everyone did fine too... one guy did fine in the way of "What not to do" he was a little too embarassed but he got his character down eventually. All and all entertaining and informative. Made up for the fact I missed Initial D but so what... something like this doesn't happen very often. It's not like she's my nextdoor neighbor. Charles really wanted to get to Beta Centauri to get seated for THE Utena MOVIE! But I had to get Lady Amanda's Autograph... and that I did... in a place where Rei would have signed... on the autographs page of the con guide. Oh and before I got there was this one guy who had 2 rei posters... hehehehe one was Rei coming out of her clothing... and Lady Amanda made a little thought bubble for Rei "I wonder what Mike looks like Naked..." -or the name was Mark but I know it's one or the other...- which was really neato... don't expect that everyday. She signed my con guide -I have to hit Kinkos to scan that... I don't have a FLATBED scanner... I have a sheet feeder... ;.; and a black and white sheet feeder at that.- and then to my flabbergasted-ness... I found the courage to use my last picture on her... "Lady Amanda, may I have the honor of a picture?" I don't recall what she said ;.; but it was an agreement and that's what counts... fanboy memory lapse I suppose. ANYWAY... she was done... and I lifted the camera... and she said something to the effect of "No let's take this together." My mind is racing and I know I got it wrong... shimatta ;.; but I handed the camera over... and she leaned into me *checks his pulse* and I didn't freeze up! *cheers* and I when she started posing "weird"-ly for the picture -I think she was making a kissy face *gulp* *checks pulse* I remembered to act myself and I turned my head and looked at her funny. That picture had SO better come out ;.; there should have been more
than enough light... and I was using an Advantix... I know other shots
I took might have died... but if that one and the pressroom shots of Ladies
Lisa and Rachel come out I'll be one happy fanboy! *resists urge to run
out RIGHT NOW to get the pictures into the processing system- of course
it could be a week before I get them back ;.;*
I mean... I GOT A PICTURE OF *ME* and AMANDA WINN LEE!!! Must... calm... down...
The Adolescence of Utena: An Experience truly... the event to beat all events... Charles and Myself got some okay... if nasty seats -we should have stood in retrospect- and soon after some great music videos to fill the gap between the last event and this one... the movie started. It was basically letter boxed... and the guy asked if we wanted it raised a little higher. Too bad we the audience didn't say "YES!" due to being nearly letterboxed... the subber had room at the bottom... which meant EVERYONE sitting in a seat with all the tall people up front >.< had to weave their heads left and right CONSTANTLY. This wasn't my complaint. I don't mind a little neck exercise... and the beauty offsets the need. Not to mention I will buy a copy of the fansub -and maybe even the RAW DVD 100 bucks or not <3.<3 Needless to say if CPM does the Movie... I will buy it from them too... I'm a fanboy and a collective packrat... the fansub will sit right next to the commercial... What can I say I'm weird. What was my complaint? The Fans... who seemed one minute to be congenial... quiet... going to not say a word during the show... didn't. I could have dropped a meteor on the hotel I was so pissed. Utena pops up and loud clapping and cheering ensue... Touga... Anthy... Chu chu... anyone and everyone. I had a right adorable headache after that. I would have tried to take on DBZ Saiyan/Gundam Deathscythe/Akio... and not cared about the consequences I was so kill everything. I mean here is my current usenet signature file. Which isn't changing
anytime soon.
--
"If the the audience doesn't shut up, it can't ever truly enjoy the
movie.
I mean I wanted to bring a meteor down to get everyone to scatter and flee so that the movie which would have still been playing -delusions do not take reality into account- would have remained playing and I could have enjoyed it. Escapism and movie experiences are fairly sacrosanct with me... I usually don't even make noise at say sporting events or even rock concerts -though I know the Rockers need to hear the noise now... it's like thanking them or something- but this was not a rock concert... it wasn't KISS's farewell tour. Silence was latinum... And they smashed it like a stained glass window. At least the movie could still be enjoyed... but man... I did NOT enjoy the doritos and anger induced headache afterwards... I looked like a Vampire ready to paint the con red... of course vacant and angry are my two common expressions to judge from mirrors. I'm just not normally thinking about anything. Probably why no one ever talked to me save to ask where the LARP was being held -something I didn't know... I may look it but I don't play RPG's at cons. I'm there for the con. Maybe at a VTM con I'd be there for the RP/LARP. Of course the girl asking was kawaii in her Gally (Gunnm/Gun Dream/Battle
Angel Alita) outfit.
As for pictures I think I caught a fellow AFSM poster on film... couldn't talk to him was in the Autograph line... and 2 shots of this kawaii Utena and Anthy pair... And these two Sailormoon charas... but I was really shy with the camera... probably the fear someone would see some p3rvert aura about me and tell me no. Back to the events... Alright I stayed in the room for "Brain Powerd"
I have a copy of the opening -probably second or 3rd or something- and
figured I was in for something bizarre and plotful. Wrong. It was pointless.
I've never said that before... and I might give it another chance at a
later date... but I'll have to skip tape one... it was horible.
But I got to wash the taste out of my mouth!!! The Nadesico movie! Over to Proxima Centauri(Video Room 1/Enterprise 5-6) I went! -Side Note... they SHOULD have showed Utena in here... MUCH more room... and a screen everyone can see ^-^ - Now normally I don't like seeing things out of order. Due to plot stuff being too confusing... but everything was to a degree explained, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was about as cool as I had been HOPING Brain Powerd was going to be. My friend was going to watch Sol Bianca Legacy... but he watched Nadesico
instead... Legacy didn't catch his eye like he'd hoped it would. He was
very happy he did.
I was considering the hentai fest but with the headache reaching epic
proportions... I couldn't take anymore and after many abortive tries to
fall asleep I finally found dreamland -too bad I can't recall if and what
my dreams were ;.;
DAY 3 There wasn't much going to happen... we... let me change that... I planned on the repeat of the Fan Music Video Awards, and Bewitching Nozomi 3... and Our original plan was to then catch some hyper police until Intial D 9-12... but with no desire to see something we'd skipped alot of... there was really nothing left. Charles wanted to hit the dealer room again... and so at basically 6 am we packed up the car and checked out of the room... we'd leave at like 11:30. Legend of Galactic Heros was playing in Beta Centauri -I spent alot of time back there o.0- and we watched some of that before the Vid Awards Repeat... Charles soon decided he'd had enough con... and we left befoe Nozomi... and even the end of the Awards. I was a bit put out... but I realized it wouldn't be HALF as put out as Charles was going to be... right after this big weekend trip he had to jet off to Washington D.C.... on something business related... he'd have only whatever time was left to pack -again!- and rest for that trip. We hit Texas Burger in Fairfield on the way back... I don't think I've
ever had a better burger in my life. ^-^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and it was
only 4 bucks... not some 6 dollar Chili's or Becks burger... I was shocked
^-^
That night I made a compilation tape of Roadbusted and Koko Wa Otaku...
I've never seen Roadbusted so much @.@ "*BOOM* Man these guys really hate
Lenin... get away from the statue hurry hurry!" "*boom* There much be a
statue around here we haven't seen yet!" @.@
THE PICTURES!!!
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