Friday, August 24, 2007

   Anime Evolution 2007: Day 2
Okay, I lied yesterday; we didn't work on flags at all once we were back home. Someone else (that wasn't "Nine" or her boy) had the paint and stuff, so the flag stayed in "Nine's" boy's soon-to-be-dead car that night. Oh yeah, "Nine" left all her cosplay stuff and pajyamas and everythin' in the car too . . . oops, I guess . . . so that was how day 1 really ended . . .

How day 2 started wasn't much better . . .

So once again I was up first with the alarm clock. Came out to wake up "Pein" on the couch and "Nine" on the floor (with a sleeping bag and stuff). It was a slow process, but everyone started waking up. Now, we had to get up to the con' by 10am or so because that was when the Bleach photoshoot started; Naruto started an hour after that. "Pein" had her Yoruichi outfit and her Pein outfit . . .

. . . unfortunately for her, she accidentally put on her Pein cosplay . . . . .

We scrambled to try to get her Yoruichi on in time. But it just wasn't gonna happen; we were missing equipment, the wig wasn't holding . . . "Pein" was already far from calm . . . . . after about half an hour she eventually conceded to drop Yoruichi for this con'. I make it sound a lot quicker than anything, but she was PISSED. Not a happy convention attendee . . . and y'know, I tried to get things moving along, but she really had lost her calm so bad . . . it was a tough morning . . . . .

So she changed BACK into her Pein cosplay (still very unhappy about everything, declaring that she would never cosplay Yoruichi ever again [which she later took back once she calmed down again . . . yeah, total cosplay meltdown . . .]). I was back in my Shinpachi clothes, and "Nine" was in normal-people clothes. Lucky girl . . .

Oh yeah, we found "Icecore" around this time. Just sayin'.

Well, we hauled ass to the con and got there while the Bleach photoshoot went on. I took pictures and stuff . . . not a lot, though. There was this one kid who was cosplaying Kenpachi that was awesome, though . . . especially when next to the gigantic Kenpachi (who was also Lazlo, one of the con's premier photographers).

Here, have a picture of them.

Well, things got a little better for everyone at 11am. The Naruto photoshoot was in full force; "Pein" had her Akatsuki, an older Jiraiya cosplayer with a cool accent was calling out shots, and all in all it went well. I took a lot of pictures of the Naruto people . . . I'm actually really shocked about how many I actually took . . . oh yeah, and the "Zack" cosplayer was back in "Punk Rock Itachi" cosplay. Good times.

Here, have a picture of "Pein" and "Zack". And now have one of them making out (zomg yaoi!).

So what else happened during this late morning at the con'? I chatted with an Allen Walker cosplayer from D. Gray-Man whom I knew from last year's con' (and who was gonna be with us at the Shinsengumi shoot!), took a picture of a sign floating in the water (did I mention that there were freakin' 4chan cosplayers at the con'?!)

Well, by this point "Pein" was feeling a lot better. I guess personal charisma as well as cosplaying as the leader of Akatsuki did somethin', 'cause basically from this point in the convention onwards, she was "Leader-sama" for the Akatsuki. I kid you not, they followed her everywhere, held her things, shut up whenever she had something to say . . . it was nuts . . . cool, but nuts . . . . . heh, wait 'til day 3, it gets nuttier . . .

At noon it was time for the Walkoff. Well, since "Zack" was gonna be in it and he was dressed as Akatsuki, "Pein" felt it was important that she bring her entourage to the side of the stage to say hello. Hehe . . . don'cha know it, he saw them and lit up BIG TIME. "Zack" basically told them to not leave, that he'd need them for the stage during his walkoff match.

I have video of his walkoff which I haven't gotten online anywhere yet. But yeah, needless to say he won albeit controversially; the judge tally gave it to the other guy by a little, but since no one wanted to count they let the audience scream for the winner . . . it was about this time that people really started questioning the judging. For the most part, Saturday's walkoff was a lot better than Friday's still, and was fun to watch. But yeah . . . judging . . . . . many people felt there was some rigging going on (which I heard there was) . . . so that was the walkoff.

Here, look at the Akatsuki waiting to go help out Itachi. . . . .

At this point, "Pein" and the Akatsuki disappeared somewhere. "Icecore" and I took the opportunity to try to check out the dealers . . . but we didn't, since we instead stopped for pictures with another random Shinsengumi dude. Then we saw Academy Duello on the stage, so we had to go watch that (they're a fencing school in Vancouver; I did their workshop last year and it was really fun). So we watched swordplay on the stage . . . it was awesome. I remember that the crowd was pretty small and mostly quiet since actual swordplay isn't THAT exciting to most people . . . but as it went on and people got more used to catching kill blows and all, the crowd got more and more into it. I REALLY need to check out their school some time . . .

After that, "Icecore" and I found "Nine" and stayed at the Convocation Mall to watch the cosplay contest. Heh, we even sat in the reserved seats near the front and everything ("Nine" had connections since she had a "Guest" badge) . . . gotta say, the cosplay skits were really good. A fair amount of jamming on the Yaoi button for easy laughs (but not too much), a LARGE amount of Lucky Star and Haruhi dances (poor people near the end must've been pissed to see so many people doing the dance before them) . . . and the eventual winners of the contest: Phoenix Wright complete with sound effects and "OBJECTION!" signs! Seriously good stuff.

After the contest, I headed back to the stairs/pond to see who I could see. Sure enough, "Pein" and the Akatsuki were there . . . including "Zack" on a scooter . . . like I said, they became legends. Hell, "Pein" herself became a legend!

The Gundam Seed photoshoot was going on too, and I caught that just in time to snap some pictures for Duo' . . .

And here was where the Lacus kneeling on the left went, "Hey, it's SomeGuy!"
I figured it was someone from the forum since my picture in cosplay is my avatar. Then she went, "It's TseUq from myOtaku."

It was exciting. Quickly said hello, finally got to meet her after acting as a sort of rooming correspondent for Sakura-Con and this one (though she really didn't need my help for it). So yeah, after they were done we hugged and all. Good times.

Incidentally, the other Lacus next to TseUq is also at myOtaku. Said hi to her as well, also gave her a hug . . . it was amusing. But yeah, TseUq's a cool one. Lots of fun.

Behind us near the stairs, one of the cosplay contest groups was doing all the Haruhi and Lucky Star dances. They looked good and I'm actually a little sad I didn't jump in and join in (there was an L cosplayer who was totally just following along, though he looked hilarious doing so).

Here, look at the dancers.

It had to have been about this point when "Icecore" and I finally got around to checking out the dealer's room. Mostly inconsequential stuff, a lot of the same . . . but I still picked up volume 1 of "Peacemaker" (sans "Kurogane") and a Final Fantasy VI orchestral CD. Other than that, "Icecore" and I just walked around through the Academic Quadrangle, getting our pictures taken and all (his spear and armour really do make us stand out).

We chatted with a friend of ours from Superstore who was in Artists' Alley this year (I believe I called her "Souji" during my Sakura-Con report). She was actually also hanging out with a dude dressed in Shinsengumi clothes! We would see much more of him tomorrow, though not in that outfit (he was borrowing his friend's who was gonna wear it tomorrow). Umm . . . we'll call this guy "Chudyk" since that's his MSN screen name right now. But yeah, cool guy.

Well, it was getting later, so "Icecore" and I went to get sandwiches at the Mr. Sub. Found TseUq again, though this time in her Orihime cosplay. Short but enjoyable moment, I suppose.

Brought our food back up to the hill next to the pond to eat. We devoured our subs (real food during a con', go fig'). Afterwards we just hung out waiting for the many, many concerts to start. Found TseUq again on the stairs along with a whole bunch of other guys including the Ulquiorra cosplayer from last day (who was the REAL owner of "Chudyk's" Shinsengumi outfit), that saxophone guy who goes to all the west coast conventions . . . and a Darth Vader cosplayer who agreed to Force Choke me for a picture.

Here, gaze at the Force Choke!

Found "Pein" and the Akatsuki also at the stairs as the sun went down. "Pein" and TseUq hit it off really well, and they planned a cosplay for a future convention together . . . don'cha love it when your different worlds come together and it works? Ahh, good times . . .

Speaking of, here's a picture of TseUq and me.

We listened to the BACK-ON concert from the stairs. They were good . . . I kinda wish we were down on the floor instead . . . . . buuuuut, being me, I kept it to myself this time . . . then "Pein" felt cold so we went inside. Yeah . . . . . don't worry, I promise this doormat persona doesn't last for the rest of the night . . .

It was fun inside too, though. Chatted with some other people including "Dr. Pocky" who was just a dude who handed people Pocky (hehe . . . he gave me some Pocky in the line-up for registration when I was in my tuxedo. I held/bit it very suave-like, fancy-cigarette style, which was good for laughs). Also chatted with a Zabuza, a Kakashi, and some other random people (many of whom would later join the Akatsuki on Sunday . . .).

After the concert I called "Nine" to see when she and her boy were leaving for my place. "Pein" and I left after I finished calling. "Icecore" was nice enough to walk with us back to the parking lot.

It was during the drive back that "Pein" kinda finally got inklings that I wasn't completely happy with certain moments in the day and called me on it. My response: "Ya can't keep bustin' my chops." I then gave her a bit of a speech I had actually once given my brother regarding my picking him up from bars and stuff late at night to get him home. Basically, I'm a good friend, and if she needs something I'll do what I can to fix it. Y'know, driving out to buy new shoes, to change cosplays . . . to change OUT of cosplays . . . I'll spend the time, the gas, whatever . . . however, it's not exactly like I don't mind doing it.

Ya kinda get what I'm getting at? This is true for all of ya, I'll add. If any of you ever need my help, I'll gladly give it. But y'know, just don't . . . take me for granted, don't take advantage, and we'll be all good.

Well, "Pein" got the message and immediately felt really bad about everything. Which I believed. She still intends to make everything up to me somehow . . . we'll see how that works out . . . but in the meantime, I felt that perhaps things were heading towards slightly better nights . . .

. . . . . nope. Not the case.

"Pein" checked her e-mail and found out some absolutely horrifying news about a friend of hers overseas. Like, really bad news. She wasn't too happy rest of the night . . . and I felt really bad because there wasn't anything I could do this time around to fix it . . . well, after she stood leaning against the couch thinking about it for a long while, I eventually convinced her to go take a shower while I cleaned up the basement for "Nine" and her boy to arrive.

Well, I did get to help a little when "Pein" asked for it. Y'know, chaotic feelings and all. I told her that it was gonna hurt and that it was okay to be sad . . . and - as I've probably told a lot of you as well - that in the morning she'll feel at least a little better, whether she wants to or not . . . in any case, I put the Transformers movie back on for her to watch while she laid on the couch, under her blanket.

"Nine" and company arrived eventually, and THEN we all got to work on flags and stuff. I also showed them clips from Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress" (I had promised "Icecore" that I'd look into cool spear stances and stuff for him). I also put in a DVD of my kung-fu club's 50th anniversary performance. Whenever we weren't working on flags or watching Transformers, we were talking about and playing with swords, either their iaito or my various Chinese things . . . damn, I really wanted an iaito after that . . .

As the Transformers movie ended, "Pein" was already asleep on the couch; I was glad. Still, I wanted to keep some noise in the background for her, so I put "POTC: Dead Man's Chest" into the player and set the volume low - y'know, just so she could have something familiar to listen to while the rest of us prepared for Sunday (she would later tell me that she was wondering why she was thinking about Davy Jones and stuff that night).

Again, we stayed up later than we wanted to . . . but whatever. We were all together, we were mostly ready for the last day of the convention . . . and most of all, we were ready for the Shinsengumi photoshoot . . . . .


So here, have my Day 2 photos.

Tomorrow: Shinsengumi patrols, battle charges, and 100+ Akatsuki followers!
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