AnimeNext 2013
This convention in Somerset, NJ was truly an experience. And when I say experience, I am legit not kidding. It was experience of unforeseen events of misfortune every single day. Lord above, I felt like I was being tested by the otaku gods of how much I could take! But, all in all, it was an awesome time had by all. I'm going to break up the convention into three separate entries, one for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Let us begin with Friday, June 7.
My bestie Lauren (it was her bday weekend and she came up from DC) and I hopped in the Chinchilla (yes, that's the name of my car) and began the trek to Northern NJ. I live in the Philadelphia area, so it was to be a hour drive. It was smooth sailing on the way up, until ominous storm clouds gathered. When we reached the Hotel Somerset, it had begun to rain. We weren't really too worried about this as our hotel was a short five minute walk to the Garden State Exhibit Center and we had an umbrella. No biggie. Ha ha ha. It was too early for check in, so we parked the car, got our cosplays, wigs, and make up out and went into the hotel bathroom to get ready. Lauren was dressed as Captain Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach and I was Hiyori Sarugaki the Vizard from the same series. We walked out into the entryway and opened our one umbrella (baka move on my part) and walked to the con. The rain wasn't too bad, it was the type where ya just wanna get to where ya gotta go. It was getting steadier by the time we walked in the doors.
We picked up our badges at the pre-registration which did not have a long line and lotsssss of volunteers, yatta, and went on our merry way. The Garden State Exhibit Center was a nice place. There were two buildings there were connected to each other by a covered walk way (thank GOD, and you will find out later) one being the hotel section.
The first building you walk into is home to the dealer's room and artist's alley. It is also where the rave was and any concert or big event being held (Cosplay chess was held there).
We hit the artist's alley first to get a feel for it and see what caught our eye...literally, all the things were great----the artists were so kind and passionate about their craft. After the artist's alley, which did take up a handful of time staring at all the goodness and getting pictures taken, I noticed the time for hotel check in had come. We left the con, made the walk back (it was still raining le sigh) and checked in.
Now here is where the first incident happened. I pulled the Chinchilla around under the overhang of the hotel and Lauren grabbed a luggage trolley. We had SO MUCH STUFF. Not only my things, Lauren's, but also the kareshi's luggage. He couldn't get out of work until 5 and was taking a train up to the area. I was to pick him up from the train station at 6:42PM. This factors in later, ugh! SO, all the luggage is on the trolley. I tell Lauren to wait while I park the Chinchilla. I get primo parking right by the entrance and hop out of the car and...my car alarm goes off. No big! I click the clicker. Nothing. The alarm is whoop whoop whooping away while I stand there staring at the clicker. It is not dead, because the red light comes on, stays on, and flickers. Weird. The alarm stops and I go back into the hotel to tell Lauren and to call my dad, the car expert. Lauren, angel that she is, says she will take the luggage trolley up to the room while I figure out this situation. Long story short, I call my dad who tries to troubleshoot while I stand in the rain setting off the alarm repeatedly. I even had a hotel clerk look at the clicker who suggested the button was jammed down. My God. So, Dad suggests getting a new battery. Now, this hotel is not walking distance from anywhere where you can get a little battery. Dad suggests calling triple A. They tell me they'd have to tow the car because they don't deal with alarm systems T_____T Here are my problems:
1. How the heck do I get the kareshi? I have to pick him up from the train station!
2. How do I get a new battery for the clicker with no way of getting there?
3. OH YEAH, BTW, I have to leave to sing at a wedding ceremony on Saturday. It's at 2PM, so I need to leave by 12:30. I'll be back around 5...hey, it's my job, I get paid, it is worth it.
So, I trudge up to the hotel room, I take off my Hiyori wig (miraculously intact thanks to the glorious power of Freeze Spray, kiddies) and whimper to Lauren of the circumstances. We cannot abandon the kareshi AND we need a battery, so next best thing is to hire a cab. We call the front desk, ask for a cab at 6PM, end scene.
We have some time to kill, so we decide to head back over to the con so I can be surrounded by cosplay and crazy fun otaku etc. With my crappy umbrella we run over to the con. We stop in the bathroom really quick to wipe down my Hollow Mask and ourselves with some paper towels. This was only the beginning of drying off the rain....
I look like a crazy woman with my contacts but look how gorgeous Lauren is! She is legit an amazing Yoruichi! I loved doing her make up...check out the purple eyebrows! And her fabulous pre-con manicure is from http://www.tierramiaorganicnailspa.com/Mi_Cumbia/WELCOME.html. That place is ah-mazing.
And me, as Hiyori with the Hollow Mask. The katana sword was souped up by the kareshi to be a direct imitation of the one in the anime.
YEA, so after that short time of trying to distract myself, it was now time to hop in the cab and get the kareshi and the clicker battery. We bravely went in cosplay into the world of Muggles. (Lauren and I fondly call bystanders that stare at cosplayers and ask a million questions Muggles) I took off my wig. Lauren did not. Brave girl. The cab was not a yellow taxi but a town car...that was pretty sweet. Lauren and I commented it was like the Kardashians in Cosplay. OK OK OK, enough, after picking up the kareshi, getting the battery it came to $36. It was an emergency whatever. OH, and after all that...the battery DOES NOT WORK. It did NOTHING. I called my parents and wept big rolling tears like Sen in Spirited Away. How can you not say this was stressful? It was psychotic. My ah-mazing parents told me to have fun and not to worry. They'd be up tomorrow with the other clicker and figure out what the problem was and get me to sing at the wedding on time.
WELL, after that, it was time to have fun. I felt relieved and was itching to go back to the con. The kareshi changed into Captain Shunsui Kyouraku and I changed into Nanao Ise (Nanao-chaaa~aaan). Lauren remained in Captain Yoruichi. We grabbed the umbrella, went to the entrance of the Somerset...and...
Ok, so it wasn't exactly like this. But this torrential downpour was unbelievable. Keep in mind we are in full Cosplay with wigs and the whole nine yards. And one lame umbrella. If you are familiar with Bleach, the Captain's outfits are topped off with a beautiful haori (cloak). Captain Kyouraku not only has a haori but a pink kimono with sakkat straw hat with flower design on it. He is legit peacock next to the Shinigami sparrows. We decided to make a run for it. I sacrificed my umbrella to the two captains and we booked. The kareshi and I were wearing the traditional straw sandals aka waraji. He had no tabi (split toe socks) while I did. Lauren was wearing flats. By the time we got there, it looked like we jumped in a swimming pool. Our waraji were soaked through and the kareshi began getting blisters by the end of the night because of the wet sandal. We went into the bathroom, dried ourselves off the best we could, and got the kareshi's pre-reg. Oh, forgot to add the miracle of the sakkat hat staying in mint condition. We were petrified the flower design that was painted on would run. It didn't! The kareshi managed to keep it under his kimono. Huzzah!
We walked by the pub where Lauren and I had gotten a drink earlier and saw a DJ. No one on the dance floor. Everyone was at the bar, lol. So, what better way to continue to dry off by dancing Shinigami Style and spinning around, etc?
Spin and dry it out, Captain Yoruichi!
I love this pic of Lauren...she looks so happy!
Nanao-chan (yours truly) holding Captain Kyouraku's kimono. For some reason, I like to dance with it, lol.
Silly Shinigami!
I'm proud to say that when we left the dance floor, an Otaku dance party had begun. These three Shinigami started it, holler! The three of us left the pub and met a few cosplayers and had some pics taken of us. Any cosplayer must admit, it's the best feeling when you get your picture taken ^___^ Here are some of the cosplayers we ran into Friday evening:
Ryoga from Ranma 1/2
We ended the night by going to a Yaoi showing(what girl otaku doesn't like a yaoi, c'mon!). Yes. We dragged the kareshi into a yaoi movie. There were a lot of guys in there though. When it started out, it looked like it was gonna be ah "good" I guess you could say. Everyone was heckling and we were laughing so hard. But srsly. Nothing happened. It was the strangest thing I ever saw. I am not asking to see graphic yaoi but we queued for this damn thing and it was a disappointment. I FELL ASLEEP. What. The. Hell. So, that gives you an idea. We booked outta there and went back to the hotel. And mercifully, the rain had turned to a light shower.
That's it for Day One of AnimeNext 2013. I apologize for it being so long, but I'd like to share our experience with those who couldn't be there.
Next up, is Day Two. And remember what I said about the plentiful incidents, as we shall call them. The monsoon and the car situation were the first to happen...what will happen next?!?
