Anime Fest Twenty-Twelve

Because "two-thousand and twelve" sounds kind dumb to me. I mean, World War One didn't start in nineteen-hundred-fourteen. I mean, it did, but "nineteen-fourteen" is just easier to say and we need to get a naming convention down as soon as possible.

Also, five in the A.M. might not be the best time to post something, but I'm going to do it.



AnimeFest this year is where A-Kon was this year, so everyone's moving up! I'd not really thought about it before, but--for the most part--they are totally different groups. Seeing both cons in the same setting really drove that home.

The excitement of a new hotel might be better summed up over on Twitter.

Also, the new badges are HUGE and included a bar code, your real name, a QR code, and an RFID. The dealer's room security had pads that would scan the RFID, which caused a little bit of a bottleneck. As Kris over at White Lightning Productions called it, "a solution in search of a problem."

Saturday night was amusing due to a Michigan\Alabama football game, with many of the fans staying at the Sheraton. Both sides were commiserating\celebrating with room parties. If you wanted in on that, you were going to have to deal with a lot of football talk. At least, that's how it was reported to me by A\Very.

Because it's a smaller con than A-Kon, there were no massive lines to get to elevators and, unlike how things were at the Hyatt, no one was checking for room-keys or wrist-bands to use those elevators. I'm sure, in time, that will change.

One thing I found wonderful was the rave was being held on the second floor instead of next to us. We didn't have to fight with extra noise the way we usually do with A-Kon. I don't know what the set-up will be at the Anatole next year, so we'll see.

Our room, Panel Room 6, was about the same square-footage as the A-Kon show, but longer. This meant I really had to pull back to hit the back row with candy. I'd considered taping some candy under the seats on the back and pulling an Oprah, but I forgot the tape and we didn't have the time.

We had a loooong table and plenty of mics, so there was enough room for Kris, myself, Danno, Bruce, Katie, and A\Very. Looking back on it*, we should have moved our chairs around to face the screen.

First contest was the Camay Walk and I threw out some bars of soap. I know I should have thrown some Camay, and I will next time, but I'd just inherited a hoard of Grandpa's Pine Tar, so that's what got thrown. Use it in health, kids. That stuff is very good for your skin.

Second contest was a new one that Katie developed about 'shipping. I do like that our winners were Link and Barf and I wish them many happy adventures in the future.

Third was the Hard-Gay pose-off and I'm pretty sure that's the one that will hit the Yube first.

Finally, we did a "Big Jack Attack" and asked the kids to imitate Jack Rebney (language!). Our winner on this was none other than Greggo, to such a point it was hardly a contest. We love you, Greggo.

For those who stayed till the end, we promised you a link to the "Cautious Twins" comic. Here it is.

Now, the sad news. It looks like Sushi World either changed their hours or are in the process of shutting down. I had tried calling them earlier in the week to warn them we were coming, but the phone was never answered. Their domain is up for sale. We wound up at the stupid Denny's during bar-rush.

Luckily, we made no plans there. Nothing planned in a Denny's goes well. I speak from MUCH experience on this front.



*It's very hard to look back on things right now, as my neck hurts.