: A-Kon Twenty! The Kon is almost old enough to drink... and that's a scary thought.
All in all, A-kon does seem to get worse every year, as a con in general goes. They are always disorganized. People are always idiots, forcing con security to crack down on absolutely everyone in the most ridiculous of ways. And no matter how good a plan is, nothing ever goes according to it.
There was the good. There was the bad. And there were a few moments where I certainly turned into Mello... but I'll just stick those in the 'bad' section.
The Costumes:
Friday: Post-Explosion Mello.
And when I say 'post-explosion' I mean so post-explosion, the burns haven't even scarred over yet. Surprisingly, not many people knew who I was. Even though I was standing next to a Matt. I love this costume a lot. I love the fresh burn look so much, I even got fan art done of it again!
Saturday AM: Prison!Mello.
Surprisingly, people actually got this, as opposed to the reaction at Sakura-Con. Those who didn't get it could at least laugh at the fact that security made me check the handcuffs as a weapon.
Saturday PM: Ryuk.
Awesome costume. Absolutely the most awesome costume I've ever made. Unfortunately, there were a few malfunctions at the absolute worst of times. More on that later... But I plan on wearing this as many times as humanly possible. (I just have to have an assistant to get me in and out of it) Because so many people wanted their picture taken with me. And they complimented the hard work that went into it, and they just LOVED it as much as I did. The judges didn't, but the con-goers did. And that's all that really matters! Oh, and I have concluded that I have about 4 hours of good breathable air in there. Then I really need a break.
Saturday even later PM: Mello
Really, this was just a costume thrown on because I wanted to get out my frustrations and just get out of the room after a few bad events. But it was still a separate costume. I had a lot of fun in it, and art happened while I was in it!
Sunday: White Wizard Bakura.
I needed a good attitude on Sunday, and that costume had it. Plus, there was a Yugioh photo shoot happening that day, and I wanted to be a part of it. I even carried around my big kuribo pillow, which was well-loved by all! But it's hard not to love a kuribo.
The Good:
- Lines.
For the first time in the history of a con, we waited for less than two minutes in the pre-registration line. We were all so completely dumbfounded that we spent the next couple of hours wandering aimlessly because we didn't know what to do with ourselves.
In fact, I hardly stood in lines for anything, now that I think about it. There was plenty of waiting. But not really in lines.
- Videos.
I had two videos make it into the final rounds in their respective categories this year. One of them didn't place, but the other got Runner Up: Best in Show! I got second place in the Fanworks division! And what I lost to, I will say, was an honor to lose to. It was a brilliant piece of work. (I'll post both of my pieces up to You Tube this week.)
What made me the happiest, though, was how the head of the contest introduced my award. He complimented me, said I'd been in this division since it's very first year, that I always come up with something truly original, that he really appreciated my work. I was really thinking of throwing in the towel on the video contests, but after hearing someone truly appreciate it... it makes me want to make more! I just need to start a lot sooner!! And I already have a few ideas.
- Art.
I certainly got my share of art this con. And since I brought food to make and eat, I could afford to spend more money on said art!
On Friday, I got a commission done of my costume. It's a beautiful picture of my burned and bandaged Mello crawling on the ground. It looks really nice. And I sent a lot of people back to that boy's booth since he did such a good job on it.
The next piece of art I got on Saturday night (or maybe Sunday morning technically...) After such a bad evening, I happened to run into my favorite artist ever - Dogmatix! And she drew a picture for me. She put all my frustrations into it, and I felt like all my bad emotions just ran into the art and were out of me. Consequentially, the Mello in the picture looks like he was beaten with a lead pipe, and he somehow had his right leg severed. ... it looks so good.
Then I drew a picture of a chibi-her doodling on a big piece of paper. She loved it as much as I loved mine!!
- Swords.
On Sunday, I tried my hand in a swordfighting tournament. I was the only girl that entered, and I was beaten in the first round. But I gave it a shot anyway. My opponent was someone that does swordplay for a hobby, for quite some time. The best part was that after we finished, I heard him go over to his friend and say, 'woah... she was GOOD!'
After I got my shoes back on, I went over and congratulated him on a good match, and said he fought well. And he said he totally underestimated me. He specified, whether he meant this or not, not because I was a girl, but because of my costume... Yes, as a white wizard, I was acting all cute and fluffy. He thought it would be an easy fight. And it wasn't.
My kendo skills are improving!
Oh, and I managed to convince myself that I didn't need a $100 Klingon Batleth. A $5 swordfighting tournament and a compliment were awesome enough.
- Seven Deadly Sins
This is the ultimate con game. And the two rounds we played at the con were filled with hilarity. Being called Fatass until the end of the game. "You're going to Fist City!!" Going through someone's wallet. Taking a break in the middle when idiots outside are yelling penis at the top of their lungs, only to open a door and shout, 'Vagina!!' at the top of yours.
That, and while dressed as Mello, I missed a question about chocolate. About M&M's specifically. And never got to live it down. I was teased about it all weekend, and will probably be teased about it until the next con too.
Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to play Death Note Clue. I'll have to bring that and do it another time.
- Swag Report.
Yup, it's not a con without swag. My second place video earned me a big set of Star Wars miniatures. Not sure what I'll do with them yet, though.
In the dealers' room, I nabbed a copy of Death Note II (which I had been wanting to buy for so long online and never quite got around to it), a doujinshi that featured L as a nurse, a homemaker and a schoolteacher, and had a great panel with Mello jump spinning crescent kicking a hostage across the face. Pretty neat! And of course, I bought some Pocky and some gummy candy.
In Artist Alley, I found an adorable Ryou head sticker. And I couldn't pass it up. Especially when there was a Malik one for one of my friends to get, and we bought them together!
The art I got was still my favorite con-goodie, though!
The Bad:
- The Cosplay Contest.
The wings worked perfectly in the hotel room on my various tests.
The wings jammed on stage during rehearsal. So I went to the sidelines, fixed the problem, and tested them again... multiple times.
Five minutes before I went on stage, I had no one to assist me, so I directed a stage ninja to change batteries for me. Apparently she ripped one of the wires out, and I didn't even know it.
I went on stage. The wings shot out from the manual release, but the robotics part was dead. I stumbled, I froze. I sucked.
I walked off stage, and one wing completely fell out right in front of the judges table.
It couldn't have gone WORSE... except that it did.
Oh yeah, I lost. And Best in Show... went to another Ryuk.
- After-Cosplay Drama.
Really, the cosplay itself didn't piss me off as much as the fact that a certain roommate of mine left me down there, in a costume that I was physically unable to take off by myself, physically unable to see to get myself to a place where I could get out of it, for so long that I completely ran out of breathable air and nearly needed the con medics to haul my soon-to-be-fainted body upstairs. I don't care what the reason was, leaving someone in those conditions is rude, insensitive and irresponsible.
I knew my friends didn't want to be tied to me for all that time. I didn't make them go to rehearsal with me. That would be selfish. I just asked to be walked down, for someone to film my act (I was number 10, so it didn't take very long at all) and for one to meet after the show to get the mask off. Instead, she went to watch karaoke. She completely left me, believing somehow that I would meet her back up at the room when I was done getting pictures taken after the show... despite the fact that she had my room key, my phone, my wallet... It took 2 people to get me downstairs. How was I going to get back up without help?!
I finally did find them, probably causing more of an embarrassing scene than I should have, but by then, I was as livid as Mello could ever be. She's still angry that she missed our other friend's song. And I spent the rest of the evening in the con suite getting some much needed food and water. Even they could tell I looked like I was about to need the medic staff. They even gave me a blanket, got me water, rubbed my shoulders, and made sure I wasn't going to pass out before letting me go back to the con.
(note, anything I say about this con being disorganized does not apply to the wonderful people that ran the con suite. They were the most kind, considerate, helpful people I have met at a con. They took care of me when I needed care. And they'd do it for anyone.)
- The pain of cosplay.
Let's just say my Prison!Mello handcuffs were great, until I managed to trip so badly that I managed to rip the chain from the cuffs, completely tighten the cuff around my ankle, and cut it up.
My back hurt a lot too from the wing mount. Not quite sure why, though. But I did get a wonderful massage on Sunday morning from the professional masseuse. Ten minutes. Ten Dollars well spent. Oh god, yes. And I really wish I had another one right now.
All in all, I'm not sure whether I'm going to go to Akon next year. I look so forward to it, and it usually gets worse every year. And yet, then again, somehow, something always reminds me of why I enjoy it, and why I go back every time.
So, I may decide to just go one day. I may decide to commute, or just go in for a little while. I'm getting tired of the stupidity of competition. (Well, not the video competition anymore. Not after what the contest organizer said about me on stage!) But the cosplay show does leave something to be desired. Standing in one spot for two hours having pictures taken of me is so much more fun.
I think I'd rather put my funds toward another out of town convention in a different place in the country, and explore a new location.
Can't wait for animefest, though. It'll be wonderful for sure! It always is!
Current COSTUME: White Wizard Bakura!
All in all, A-kon does seem to get worse every year, as a con in general goes. They are always disorganized. People are always idiots, forcing con security to crack down on absolutely everyone in the most ridiculous of ways. And no matter how good a plan is, nothing ever goes according to it.
There was the good. There was the bad. And there were a few moments where I certainly turned into Mello... but I'll just stick those in the 'bad' section.
The Costumes:
Friday: Post-Explosion Mello.
And when I say 'post-explosion' I mean so post-explosion, the burns haven't even scarred over yet. Surprisingly, not many people knew who I was. Even though I was standing next to a Matt. I love this costume a lot. I love the fresh burn look so much, I even got fan art done of it again!
Saturday AM: Prison!Mello.
Surprisingly, people actually got this, as opposed to the reaction at Sakura-Con. Those who didn't get it could at least laugh at the fact that security made me check the handcuffs as a weapon.
Saturday PM: Ryuk.
Awesome costume. Absolutely the most awesome costume I've ever made. Unfortunately, there were a few malfunctions at the absolute worst of times. More on that later... But I plan on wearing this as many times as humanly possible. (I just have to have an assistant to get me in and out of it) Because so many people wanted their picture taken with me. And they complimented the hard work that went into it, and they just LOVED it as much as I did. The judges didn't, but the con-goers did. And that's all that really matters! Oh, and I have concluded that I have about 4 hours of good breathable air in there. Then I really need a break.
Saturday even later PM: Mello
Really, this was just a costume thrown on because I wanted to get out my frustrations and just get out of the room after a few bad events. But it was still a separate costume. I had a lot of fun in it, and art happened while I was in it!
Sunday: White Wizard Bakura.
I needed a good attitude on Sunday, and that costume had it. Plus, there was a Yugioh photo shoot happening that day, and I wanted to be a part of it. I even carried around my big kuribo pillow, which was well-loved by all! But it's hard not to love a kuribo.
The Good:
- Lines.
For the first time in the history of a con, we waited for less than two minutes in the pre-registration line. We were all so completely dumbfounded that we spent the next couple of hours wandering aimlessly because we didn't know what to do with ourselves.
In fact, I hardly stood in lines for anything, now that I think about it. There was plenty of waiting. But not really in lines.
- Videos.
I had two videos make it into the final rounds in their respective categories this year. One of them didn't place, but the other got Runner Up: Best in Show! I got second place in the Fanworks division! And what I lost to, I will say, was an honor to lose to. It was a brilliant piece of work. (I'll post both of my pieces up to You Tube this week.)
What made me the happiest, though, was how the head of the contest introduced my award. He complimented me, said I'd been in this division since it's very first year, that I always come up with something truly original, that he really appreciated my work. I was really thinking of throwing in the towel on the video contests, but after hearing someone truly appreciate it... it makes me want to make more! I just need to start a lot sooner!! And I already have a few ideas.
- Art.
I certainly got my share of art this con. And since I brought food to make and eat, I could afford to spend more money on said art!
On Friday, I got a commission done of my costume. It's a beautiful picture of my burned and bandaged Mello crawling on the ground. It looks really nice. And I sent a lot of people back to that boy's booth since he did such a good job on it.
The next piece of art I got on Saturday night (or maybe Sunday morning technically...) After such a bad evening, I happened to run into my favorite artist ever - Dogmatix! And she drew a picture for me. She put all my frustrations into it, and I felt like all my bad emotions just ran into the art and were out of me. Consequentially, the Mello in the picture looks like he was beaten with a lead pipe, and he somehow had his right leg severed. ... it looks so good.
Then I drew a picture of a chibi-her doodling on a big piece of paper. She loved it as much as I loved mine!!
- Swords.
On Sunday, I tried my hand in a swordfighting tournament. I was the only girl that entered, and I was beaten in the first round. But I gave it a shot anyway. My opponent was someone that does swordplay for a hobby, for quite some time. The best part was that after we finished, I heard him go over to his friend and say, 'woah... she was GOOD!'
After I got my shoes back on, I went over and congratulated him on a good match, and said he fought well. And he said he totally underestimated me. He specified, whether he meant this or not, not because I was a girl, but because of my costume... Yes, as a white wizard, I was acting all cute and fluffy. He thought it would be an easy fight. And it wasn't.
My kendo skills are improving!
Oh, and I managed to convince myself that I didn't need a $100 Klingon Batleth. A $5 swordfighting tournament and a compliment were awesome enough.
- Seven Deadly Sins
This is the ultimate con game. And the two rounds we played at the con were filled with hilarity. Being called Fatass until the end of the game. "You're going to Fist City!!" Going through someone's wallet. Taking a break in the middle when idiots outside are yelling penis at the top of their lungs, only to open a door and shout, 'Vagina!!' at the top of yours.
That, and while dressed as Mello, I missed a question about chocolate. About M&M's specifically. And never got to live it down. I was teased about it all weekend, and will probably be teased about it until the next con too.
Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to play Death Note Clue. I'll have to bring that and do it another time.
- Swag Report.
Yup, it's not a con without swag. My second place video earned me a big set of Star Wars miniatures. Not sure what I'll do with them yet, though.
In the dealers' room, I nabbed a copy of Death Note II (which I had been wanting to buy for so long online and never quite got around to it), a doujinshi that featured L as a nurse, a homemaker and a schoolteacher, and had a great panel with Mello jump spinning crescent kicking a hostage across the face. Pretty neat! And of course, I bought some Pocky and some gummy candy.
In Artist Alley, I found an adorable Ryou head sticker. And I couldn't pass it up. Especially when there was a Malik one for one of my friends to get, and we bought them together!
The art I got was still my favorite con-goodie, though!
The Bad:
- The Cosplay Contest.
The wings worked perfectly in the hotel room on my various tests.
The wings jammed on stage during rehearsal. So I went to the sidelines, fixed the problem, and tested them again... multiple times.
Five minutes before I went on stage, I had no one to assist me, so I directed a stage ninja to change batteries for me. Apparently she ripped one of the wires out, and I didn't even know it.
I went on stage. The wings shot out from the manual release, but the robotics part was dead. I stumbled, I froze. I sucked.
I walked off stage, and one wing completely fell out right in front of the judges table.
It couldn't have gone WORSE... except that it did.
Oh yeah, I lost. And Best in Show... went to another Ryuk.
- After-Cosplay Drama.
Really, the cosplay itself didn't piss me off as much as the fact that a certain roommate of mine left me down there, in a costume that I was physically unable to take off by myself, physically unable to see to get myself to a place where I could get out of it, for so long that I completely ran out of breathable air and nearly needed the con medics to haul my soon-to-be-fainted body upstairs. I don't care what the reason was, leaving someone in those conditions is rude, insensitive and irresponsible.
I knew my friends didn't want to be tied to me for all that time. I didn't make them go to rehearsal with me. That would be selfish. I just asked to be walked down, for someone to film my act (I was number 10, so it didn't take very long at all) and for one to meet after the show to get the mask off. Instead, she went to watch karaoke. She completely left me, believing somehow that I would meet her back up at the room when I was done getting pictures taken after the show... despite the fact that she had my room key, my phone, my wallet... It took 2 people to get me downstairs. How was I going to get back up without help?!
I finally did find them, probably causing more of an embarrassing scene than I should have, but by then, I was as livid as Mello could ever be. She's still angry that she missed our other friend's song. And I spent the rest of the evening in the con suite getting some much needed food and water. Even they could tell I looked like I was about to need the medic staff. They even gave me a blanket, got me water, rubbed my shoulders, and made sure I wasn't going to pass out before letting me go back to the con.
(note, anything I say about this con being disorganized does not apply to the wonderful people that ran the con suite. They were the most kind, considerate, helpful people I have met at a con. They took care of me when I needed care. And they'd do it for anyone.)
- The pain of cosplay.
Let's just say my Prison!Mello handcuffs were great, until I managed to trip so badly that I managed to rip the chain from the cuffs, completely tighten the cuff around my ankle, and cut it up.
My back hurt a lot too from the wing mount. Not quite sure why, though. But I did get a wonderful massage on Sunday morning from the professional masseuse. Ten minutes. Ten Dollars well spent. Oh god, yes. And I really wish I had another one right now.
All in all, I'm not sure whether I'm going to go to Akon next year. I look so forward to it, and it usually gets worse every year. And yet, then again, somehow, something always reminds me of why I enjoy it, and why I go back every time.
So, I may decide to just go one day. I may decide to commute, or just go in for a little while. I'm getting tired of the stupidity of competition. (Well, not the video competition anymore. Not after what the contest organizer said about me on stage!) But the cosplay show does leave something to be desired. Standing in one spot for two hours having pictures taken of me is so much more fun.
I think I'd rather put my funds toward another out of town convention in a different place in the country, and explore a new location.
Can't wait for animefest, though. It'll be wonderful for sure! It always is!
Current COSTUME: White Wizard Bakura!
Current Mood: 
awake
awake