Acen 2008 Part 2
| 14 July 2008
Morning of the second day hurt…bad. I had really wanted to check out the Jason David Frank martial arts demo at 9:00 am, but it was too early after the plane ride and late night. Damnit, why not a couple hours later? Still, had to get up…had to go to work. My obsession drives me to do things no sane man would…certainly I was in the right place for that sort of behavior.
Started off the day as The Dark Priest, my dark lord alter ego who is constantly used as minion fodder. I mean, c’mon, look what I go through! It’s not my fault they’re cute and cuddly and oglable…right? Yeah…. Anyway, I didn’t stay in the outfit all day, considering it IS actual wool, and even in a moderately cool environment like Chicago, that outfit can get very hot. However, I did hang out for awhile in it to take some pics and even visit the dealer’s hall in it.
First set of pics was a Sailor Moon gathering (start at the bottom of the page and work your way to the next page, ending at the first pic on the page after that) that started on the top of the escalator and eventually worked its way down into the convention grounds outside. While on my way over, I was distracted by the Nintendo gathering (goes on to page 13) and stuck around for awhile to photograph them. One in particular impressed me quite a bit; this was Shadow Zelda. I’d really like to know how she did some of the armor or solid pieces of her costume; it was most impressive.
Headed in to the dealer’s hall where I looked again at all the stuff I wasn’t going to be able to buy due to the fact I had to fit it in my carrying case, and checked out the artist’s alley for all sorts of the usual fun stuff. One place in particular in the dealer’s hall had these cute and awesome super huggable plushies, and I really wanted to get either a frog or a penguin. The day before, Moonie had acquired a turtle from these guys. I wish I could remember who they were. When I find out, I’ll be sure to include this info; they were massively adorable.
There was a Naruto photo shoot gathering happening this day that Cap’n Moonie and the other room mates were going to take part in. Before that happened we had to eat something, and wound up at the little diner attached to the convention center. The food was absolutely abysmal, but it would keep you alive assuming you didn’t get food poisoning. Still, probably a C rated establishment at best…school food is better. Then it was off to the shoot, though we stopped by the room quickly to change…I’ll need to find a colder climate con for that costume.
The Naruto gathering was enormous, but this was to be expected (continues on to page 18). I will need to get another lens it seems for these super wide shots with large amounts of people, but it’s a scary prospect when most of those high end lenses run about the same price as the camera itself. Typically I avoid anime like Naruto and the gatherings of cosplayers, but this was actually a lot of fun overall. At the very least it did educate me as to the limitations of my camera that I will need to address sooner or later.
On the way back we passed by the hall where the main events took place and one of the P-Lander Z guys came out screaming, “We still have room in this place! Come see our concert!” before darting back in. I hope they had lots of fans in there, because those guys were totally insane, but in a cool way…which means they fit in perfectly. As far as quality of music goes, I really couldn’t say, as I’ve not taken the time to listen to their stuff. Usually bands like that are semi goofy if not downright comedic in their stuff, but also they typically rock as hard as Lordi, so I probably should check it out eventually, being a fan of hard rock.
Also ran into the lady who cosplayed Mikuru the day previous. Her new costume was Naga the White Serpent from Slayers (yes, I know...I posted her in Part 1; I just really like this costume). Like I said, completely fearless, and an even better cosplay in this situation, owing as much to the complexity of the outfit as to her resemblance to the character as she wore it.
This point was a bit of a lull in the convention for me, and a welcome break overall. Sure, I was going around taking pics of various cosplayers, but that was it. I wasn’t in any hurry to get anywhere, and wasn’t too interested in going to any of the panels or even shopping in the dealer’s hall. Pretty much, the only thing I was looking forward to was the Masquerade, and the logistics of that I took the opportunity to go over in my head as I wandered.
The time for that arrived soon enough, though. I had to go and get my video camera gear from upstairs, which was always a fun trek. I’d taken to traveling up the stairs as the down going elevators were always filled with people who got on after getting tired of an elevator going up. Thus the elevator was always full, even at ground level and did not empty. So who says you don’t get much of a workout at these things? Try going up ten floors of stairs a few times a day…you’ll get all you need, guaranteed. Still, I managed to get my stuff well ahead of time, and as before, the convention staff just let me in, bless them all.
Inside I was pulled aside by one of the cosplayers getting ready for her skit. She was in a different outfit this time, but before she was one of the Sailor Saturn’s I had photographed at the Sailor Moon gathering. She wished to inquire if I was up for an out and out photo shoot of her…and to be sure, I was certainly up for that. We set the time tentatively for midday the following day, and we parted ways so we could each get ready for the Masquerade.
I was directed to a spot up in front, and poor Vic was livid…with good reason. They had only allotted a small spot at massively extreme angles for the Press to photograph and film cosplayers on either side of the stage. There were three or four of us that had filming equipment, which could not work very well there. As far as the photographers went, there was no way in Hell they could get a clear shot where they were. Still he took care of us as much as he could. While there was no way we could use the power strips that had been set up due to where we’d have to be placed, myself and another filmographer were set up nearly in front of one of the main Masquerade cameras located on the left side. It was close enough to the center to be good enough for filming…the only rule was that it couldn’t get in his way or the way of the people behind us. I cranked my tripod, and he, his monopod, as far up as we dared and went at it. The guy beside me doing his filming had actually just been hired to help produce a documentary about ACEN, and it was rather humorous to see him marveling at well…everything. Also, he did not know songs from Transformers the Movie (’86 version) and was thus, a borderline heretic, but I think he might be more interested in the whole fandom now having experienced what he has.
The second the Masquerade started, the photographers scattered to take pics where they could find the room to do so. For the most part they kept pretty mobile. This really wasn’t supposed to be how it worked, but it did work, and no one really got in their faces about it that I could see either. Still, I’d really like to know whose good idea it was to put the press at such an oblique angle right up next to the stage where there was no way in Hell to get a decent pic…or any pic at all from my perspective. I mean honestly folks, that’s not even token effort; that’s outright sabotage.
The Masquerade itself was the smoothest running piece of machinery I’d seen at any convention. Granted, I have only Anime Expo and Fanime to draw experience from, but considering how everything was organized how easily portions of it flowed from one section to the other and one skit to the other, I can at least say it ran quite well in any event. The Masquerade began with the announcement of the MC picking his replacement as this was his last ACEN. I’m not sure if he meant his last as a staff member or his last ACEN, period. The way he’d handled other events, I can tell he’d be missed; he’s a natural showman, and he got everyone to have a ton of fun.
The first twenty or so skits were walk-ons, which were just people who had a kick ass costume and wanted to get their pics taken by everyone. This idea of sectioning off such the types of cosplay for the Masquerade is something both Fanime and Anime Expo could learn from. Then came the full on shorts…whose theme this year had me retreating into the dark recesses of my own soul…yaoi. Yup, the entire Masquerade, and especially the skits were obsessed with yaoi. So much of that stuff…I found myself trying not to scream in horror while forcing myself to keep the camera on the action. Would a little bit of yuri had been too much to ask? Or perhaps one that made me throw my teeth at the stage, like the Fate – Stay/Night one of this past AX? Nope…this year was all for the fangirls and yaoi fanboys. Hope you’re happy adding to my mental scarring! I’ll find a way to get you all back…somehow. Maybe get a massive love-love skit with a bunch of hot Ikkitousen cosplay girls! Yeah, that’ll teach ya!
As the judges retired to determine the awards, the four finalists of the ACEN Idol contest went up on stage, all of them girls, to sing so the audience could decide who the winner would be. This was determined via the tried and true, yet mostly discredited, method of audience screaming…there was an AMV that protested against this method (and won via the amount of booing it got). Ah well despite the yaoi and applause metering, overall a decent set of singers and coplayers to be had this year at this Masquerade. Should anyone want to see the whole thing, There’s always the torrent we’ve made available for download. If there are no seeders, please drop us a line and we’ll see about seeding it again.
The final event of the night was Soap Bubble, which required the removal of all the seats from the main events hall and the clearing out of everyone in this venue as this is where it was to be held. I was a little bit boggled at the idea that the rave was going to require this much room (even Anime Expo’s dance hall isn’t this big), but after I put my stuff up in the room and came down to look at the line…I did not wonder any more.
Shortly before I put my stuff up, as I was catching cosplayers and taking their pics after the Masquerade, a person collapsed right in the worst place they could. It was right at the foot of the escalators in the main thoroughfare of the Hyatt. From what I saw, the IRT team of volunteers and staff reacted very quickly and professionally to cordon off a small area around the person, perform minor first aid, and redirect traffic around the area while they waited for the ambulance. This was good on them, and I just felt the need to note that. On the subject of collapsing, people…eat real food (at least twice a day), drink water (and lots of it) and get SOME sleep or this sort of thing really can happen to you. Anime is true to life in this regard at least.
It actually sprinkled a bit outside in line for Soap Bubble. Not enough to really be a problem, but enough to make people a little annoyed. It certainly whetted their appetite for blowing off steam at the upcoming rave. Getting in actually didn’t take as long as any of us thought; when the line started moving, it moved at a good clip. Wound up singing some of “The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny” in line with Cap’n Moonie and co. as I looked up at the full moon after the sky cleared a bit and recalled the line about the heavens and Chuck Norris. Little things like that to keep one good and insane.
The rave was indeed every bit as massive as the line indicated it would be. The sound system was more than adequate to blow your ear drums out even at the furthest back corners. The lightshow was suitably entertaining, and in the center were these two round tiered platforms where people could dance on top of them. At many places in this living thing of gyrating bodies you could not move. Somehow though, human snakes managed to make their way through the whole thing, even those spots, picking up and dropping off people along the way. The only real problem I had was that even in this mass of pure energy, people weren’t…connecting. Everyone was dancing towards the stage and not with each other (except those that had a partner of some sort). I dunno, maybe becoming part of the mass was the connection, or maybe it was just me, but it all seemed so…impersonal everyone turned towards the stage or inward and not to each other. I only spent an hour or so there before I found myself running out of steam and wanting to crash. It was to be the final day of the convention, and I didn’t want to miss any of it due to exhaustion after all.
The final day of con was interesting to say the least. Like most, the first order of business was getting our stuff down into the parking lot and checking out. This turned out to be a little more problematic than originally anticipated due to the fact that Cap’n Moonie’s battery had been completely discharged. This required that we get the valet’s battery charger so we could get the thing running. Wound up having to place my stuff in the other vehicle in any event as (and I take responsibility for this, I should have thought of it) Moonie turned the vehicle off after only five minutes of charging…needless to say this wasn’t enough, and we couldn’t get the window up. Before we left, we wound up having to get the valet with his charger again.
After all was said and done; everything was loaded and locked up as much as possible, we went to check out the final hours of the convention. I hung out with Moonie for most of this, taking some last minute pics, checking out Artist’s Alley, and shopping for last minute deals. Have to admit, my shopping was, for the most part, nonexistent with the exception of a dealer who had a Dragon Warrior Slime Knight for $15. As these things typically go for $45, I had to grab it. I was happy for awhile…then I saw the King Slimes…*sigh*. It was during this sojourn I came across an adorable Shinku cosplayer. This one sticks out in my head because she was so SHY. If she ever reads this, it’d probably embarrass her to death, but honestly, she was quite adorable and had no reason to worry. I recall asking to take her picture and I got a very fleeting, very soft, “…um…yes.” She was fidgeting a bit during the pic, and I was actually afraid she was going to bolt. I almost didn’t get to give her my card. I dunno, things like this stick out in my mind. Hopefully I don’t sound too creepy when I note it’s probably because situations like that activate the whole moe thing to which I’m dreadfully susceptible to. I told this story to a Hina Ichigo and a Suiseiseki who found it cute and went off to try and get a picture with her. I hope they met with success.
Today was also the day I was to do a photoshoot with the young lady who was cosplaying the Sailor Saturn from yesterday whom I found out goes by the nick: Kasemei. She had the full outfit this time around (with the boots and everything), and I took several pics in differing locations, lighting, poses, and points of view. I had a lot of fun, and she had quite a bit too. This also afforded me an opportunity I rarely have, in that with this being a photoshoot, I can add some creative edits to the pics, which is, along with some of the regular shots, what you’ll find on the section of TFA cosplay, in a subsection of ACEN, that I’ve reserved for some of Kasemei's photos. I hope everyone enjoys them as much as we did taking them.
Went into the convention center to locate Moonie as it was getting to be about that time. Found her in one of the video rooms watching Azumanga Daioh. This particular episode was Chiyo-chan’s Day, the very one that Ms. Torez performed at AX Idol a few years back and nearly killed us all with diabetic shock. So we watched a bit of that, before we all caravanned up to parking garage (making sure to grab the valet again to jump Moonie’s car again) got in and headed to the airport so I could head back.
Like I said, this was the best convention I’ve gone to. The events themselves were run fantastically well, despite some glitches. There was also that massive DDOS attack on the registration system which hurt the entire convention pretty badly; I hope they find those shitbags and make them cry for mommy. They did as best as could be expected there, regardless. Everyone was friendly, there were no fun or line nazi’s that ruined everyone’s good time and convention security was fairly transparent. This convention marked the first time I’d been press at an event and I must say it started off as a resounding success. The biggest highlight had been meeting Moonie for the first time in real life, and I’m hoping I can bring friends with me next year so they can meet her too. There are things you just don’t know about someone ‘til you meet them…for example (and I'm probably going to get in trouble for this one), she can sing very well, and I’d have never known that unless I’d met her.
All in all, it was a good time, I recommend it highly. I’m doing it again next year, assuming I’m still employed.
