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***LavaIce*** · 08-11-2008, 11:56 PM

Well this years Otakon felt like it went much smoother and I was able to enjoy myself a lot more. I even managed to get to explore some of the Baltimore Harbor area which was great. Taking off Friday and Monday is a definite minimum. So far it seems like the biggest issue with the convention really wasn't with the convention at all. It was mostly the convenience of getting there, having to wait for two people that need sleep and can't stay up and have fun just sucks.

Friday, Stopchick and I rocked and rolled with photos and had a real blast which seemed to have caught up with us on Saturday as he ended up down being sick and my feet where is such pain as I couldn't do much. Although the Saturday night was saved when we made some new friend out cosplaying to promote their manga. Also, the taking photos outside of the convention center I think was a great addition. Saturday night's dinner was also a blast, TomTom, Stopchick and I had an absolute blast at Uno's for dinner. We had the best waitress, Angela. Sunday things picked back up unfortunately it also ended quickly as we had to pack up just after 3pm having only gotten there at 11am due to aforementioned issues. After tear down we got a group of about 12 people over to TomTom's local sushi restaurant and had a celebration dinner before parting ways.

All in all I had an absolute blast at the convention once again spending more money then I had planned on; Otakon merchandise, rare DVDs and most of all food. Was it worth it, damn straight but only because of old and new friends alike. Otakon really needs to have something bigger going on.

***JDStopchick*** · 08-12-2008, 10:02 AM

Wow,

That sums it up quite well. I have to say the Monday off definitely saved me. I'll save most of what I have to say for the review however!

RetardedRaven · 08-12-2008, 09:12 PM

I found one of your business cards on a table.... It was funny.

Con was kinda bleah to me and I will not be going next year.

Mostly cux they banned my costume. No not swords the whole costume. I was like an hour from getting reg and they got staff to come down and tell me I couldn't wear it.

Apparently metal armor was banned this year due to chairs being destroyed last year. I can't actually sit down in the armor (in a chair) yet they said I couldn't because of other people being like well why can he wear it.

Bored and angsty I decided to take the black t shirts i had and use masking tape to write they banned my costume. That shirt was banned noon on Saturday due to it being a sign.

So yeah. I got some really sweet Gurren Lagann Stuff though and I can be glad for that.

***Florence.Wojcik*** · 08-12-2008, 11:40 PM

eww... sorry about that Raven,
it really turned out to be a dud for you I guess,
and your outfit is so cool.

Keiichisaotome · 08-14-2008, 11:24 AM

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG *dies*

sorry to hear about your troubles raven but if you will please please please let me print that on a shirt we can all wear it at a con.

A shirt saying "They banned my costume" it won't be a sign if it's printed on a shirt.

Keiichisaotome · 08-14-2008, 11:25 AM

LavaIce Wrote:Well this years Otakon felt like it went much smoother and I was able to enjoy myself a lot more. I even managed to get to explore some of the Baltimore Harbor area which was great. Taking off Friday and Monday is a definite minimum. So far it seems like the biggest issue with the convention really wasn't with the convention at all. It was mostly the convenience of getting there, having to wait for two people that need sleep and can't stay up and have fun just sucks.

Friday, Stopchick and I rocked and rolled with photos and had a real blast which seemed to have caught up with us on Saturday as he ended up down being sick and my feet where is such pain as I couldn't do much. Although the Saturday night was saved when we made some new friend out cosplaying to promote their manga. Also, the taking photos outside of the convention center I think was a great addition. Saturday night's dinner was also a blast, TomTom, Stopchick and I had an absolute blast at Uno's for dinner. We had the best waitress, Angela. Sunday things picked back up unfortunately it also ended quickly as we had to pack up just after 3pm having only gotten there at 11am due to aforementioned issues. After tear down we got a group of about 12 people over to TomTom's local sushi restaurant and had a celebration dinner before parting ways.

All in all I had an absolute blast at the convention once again spending more money then I had planned on; Otakon merchandise, rare DVDs and most of all food. Was it worth it, damn straight but only because of old and new friends alike. Otakon really needs to have something bigger going on.

Wow well said... I don't believe anyone could have said it any better. reaffirming that unfortunately the hanging of friends and making of new ones are really the only two good reasons for going to a con anymore. Unless it's like a first year con or the con really has something to offer which this year otakon itself really didn't.

RetardedRaven · 08-14-2008, 05:36 PM

That be sweet. the first day the shirt said
Front: "Otakon Banned my Costume"
Back: "Sorry No Soda Can Chainmail"

And Saturday.
Front: "Otakon Can Ban My Costume"
Back: "But they can't ban my freedom"

Which they can ban now. I wonder if that be allowed. See the whole sign policy has me confused if it's meant to stop a sign then why was masking tape on a shirt so bad I mean there are shirts that even look like masking tape. Is it simply because it can be read because that blankets over alot of shirts.

***Florence.Wojcik*** · 08-14-2008, 05:55 PM

Banning all signs in general is quite dumb,
I could understand if the sign said something rude, profane or suggested something inappropriate, but it is dumb o ban all signs
I want a shirt!

***LavaIce*** · 08-14-2008, 06:01 PM

Wow no wonder we didn't see you... you didn't have your armor. And honestly if they are going to be that picky about things that are generally accepted at all other conventions and not have anything to offer to make it worth going there other than friends then they are going to tank sooner rather than later. It's suppose to be about having fun, meeting, seeing and doing things that you generally don't get to do anywhere else. Without that what's the point in wasting money when you can throw a drunken anime viewing with a projector at someone's house.

Keiichisaotome · 08-14-2008, 06:23 PM

i had a nice post going earlier however the site for some reason wouldn't work and i couldn't post it. I can't really remember what the first part of the post said however the last part which was the important part says something like:

Otakon is no longer about the fans. Honestly and simply otakon was started by fans for fans and it has since changed. the people that started otakon has either let go or gotten too old. They no longer remember the days when you had to wait an entire year to see the next DBZ movie at a friends house because he was the only one that had friends in Japan and he was the only one that even spoke Japanese and could understand it. They just think that hey these fans we can get money from. They now just want money. Otakon has nothing going for it. If it wasn't for the fact that people come for the iconic "biggest anime con on the east coast" and i can meet cool new people and old friends alike I would have stopped attending otakon last year.

We will work on it. We will not rest until otakon stops their extortion of money from fans or changes where fans again matter.