Belated Fangasm
I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it, but I managed to get in on a group trip to Youmacon last weekend! (Man, that already feels like months ago, it's been another tough week here at OSU.) It's in Detroit, so only a few hours away, but it was my first con outside of Ohio, and I was really excited to go, and share a suite with friends at the hotel and everything. At Ohayocon, it's much less intense, since I just go back and forth between the con and my dorm to shower and sleep every night. Here, I really lived the con for three days straight, you know?
Anyway.
On Friday, a friend and I both had Japanese class getting in our way, so we had to do that, but once that was over, we were packed up and on our way. We got to the Renaissance Center in Detroit around 6 pm, and it was packed with people. The building is huge, sprawling, full of shops and skyways and etc, so it has this winding, spacey look inside and outside. Only problem is, their main elevators were right in the middle of the main part of the con, so there were people already dressed for the con just using the elevators to get to the next two floors or so, and then there were people like us with all their luggage trying to get up to the 67th floor. It took a long time to finally get up to our suite.
The suite had two beds, two sofa beds, two bathrooms, a tiny kitchen-like area, and a great view of the city from wall-to-wall windows. (I could see Canada from my room, guys!) It's designed for 8 people, but we had more like 12 or 13 people sleeping there, and when we got there, almost everyone was already there, so the room was a mess. Clothes, food, luggage, wigs, makeup, whatever, EVERYWHERE. And when several people were in there at once, getting changed, it felt kindof like being backstage of a traveling theater group or something. XD I never got much sleep, at least not as much as I'm used to, but it was great fun.
That night, I decided to just wear my frilly Tokyo dress--so, fun, but not any specific cosplay, and walked around with a friend to get a feel for the place. We didn't think we'd get our badges, since the line was so long, but a friend told us a few hours in that the line was suddenly really short, so we got our badges, like, just before admissions closed, and we got our three-day passes just in time to go see the Team 4 Star Panel!!! (Team 4 Star, for those who don't know, make the Dragonball Z Abridged Series, which is hilarious even if you're not familiar with DBZ. Check it out!!) It was 18+, so there was lots of naughty stuff in store. After everyone introduced themselves (Little Kuriboh was there too!), Lanipator got up, whipped off his bathrobe and revealed a bustier, garters and stockings underneath, and started singing "Sweet Transvestite"! (I guess with Halloween and the Rocky Horror Glee Show on everyone's minds, it was perfect timing.) For the rest of the panel he strutted about in the outfit. XD There were some great questions, some of which the guys answered in character voices, and some new videos for us to watch. It was a great way for me to begin the con.
On Saturday, I squeezed into my Lenalee costume. Since I cut my hair, I couldn't do the pigtails version, and wore my short green wig instead. It was good that way too, but I think I like pigtails version Lenalee better on me. A few people recognized me, especially fellow DGM cosplayers (apparently I missed the photo shoot, but oh well, I went to one last time, so I probably didn't miss anything new.), who usually asked for hugs rather than pictures, which is a change from last time. I noticed a lot more people with "Free Hugs" signs this year than in previous years, which was interesting. (I usually oblige, since Japan I've really been missing the love.) I did most of my shopping in the morning. My proudest purchases were probably a Ronin Warriors artbook (I want the DVDs so bad, but they're out of print!!! T_T), and an Aeris action figure. I bought a lot of stuff from Artists' Alley this time, a few posters, some pillows with anime character (Sailor Moon and the Ouran cast) silhouettes on them, a bookmark, a Zero (from the Megaman X game series, my very first fangirl crush) button, and some posters. I found one FF9 doujinshi, but as usual, no merchandise. I'm thinking of asking an artist for a commission Kuja picture at Ohayocon this year, because I really want something of him, and I just can't find anything official.
I took some pictures, I went to the AMV Wars event (which was mostly a waste of time, but then, I hadn't anything else planned.) and then waited in line for the Masquerade. The skits... well, the MC was kinda funny, and a few of the skits were good, but mostly because they involved song/music/dance. A group did an original song called "Exciting New Con" which satired some of the sillier parts about going to anime conventions, and it actually had harmonies and stuff, so not only was it funny, but musically quite good. There was a Black Butler violinist who was very good, and even played "Waltz for the Moon" from FF8 (which only I seemed to recognize or care about, sadly...) and there was a great dance routine between two girls... I don't remember who though. I also liked one that involved a dance-off between characters, and they did part of "Bad Romance." The ones that were just supposed to be funny, well... weren't. Some of them were literally someone getting on stage, posing, or saying one or two things, and then going off. Others were just big fart jokes, seriously. So that was disappointing.
The cosplay showcase was pretty good. My favorites were a (mother/daughter?) Queen Serenity and ChibiUsa, a Lulu with a baby in a Moogle suit, and a giant-sized Zero.
On Sunday, I saw a Potter Puppet Pals show, which had a cute Halloween theme, and then a Q&A. None of my pictures turned out though. T_T
Then, I got right in line for the Little Kuriboh/Yugioh Abridged panel. It was awesome! The Team 4 Star folks and some others joined him, and they started out with a rap, and then a "Patty Cake Championship," which actually turned into more like an all-out brawl between Lanipator and Takahata. XD We did the Q&A, watched some brand-new videos (episode 50, baby! it was fantastic) and listened to some very emotional speeches. LK literally had to stop and compose himself a few times to get through it, and I was starting to get teary-eyed as everyone else on the panel came up and gave him a hug, it was the sweetest thing. They all made the friendship sign on their hands (you know, the smiley face from the beginning of Yugioh?) and at the end they all sang a song together, parts of which were in the character voices. And right after that, it was already quite later than we had wanted to leave Detroit, so we left right away.
It felt more like Halloween every other day but Sunday, but I guess that's okay. I got home kindof late, and immediately had unpacking and homework to do, so I put in Spirited Away as a distraction and scrambled to finish my homework on time. It was hectic getting back in the swing of things, but it was totally worth it. I'm so glad my friends made some room for me in the suite (and in their car!) for me to go with them. I didn't take as many pictures for this one as I have in previous years, but pictures of the con and my dorm room after putting all my figures up, are all on Facebook right now.
Youmacon was a great way to whet my appetite for Ohayocon. I can't wait! But first I have to survive this quarter and finish my Garnet cosplay.