Fanime 2013: Post-con Report
Thursday, May 23 (Day 0)
Waited for @yoshisawa to drive over to the condo in OC, then we drove up around 8am and got to nitaspitas house around 9am and headed north from there. We made a stop for lunch and another stop for gas, got up to San Jose in about 7.5 hours or so. The drive up was mostly uneventful, @yoshisawa napped in the backseat while Nita and I chatted. We arrived at Fanime around 4:30pm, and Nita and I checked in to the hotel room in Hilton. Since we got there early, we had the option of choosing a higher floor or a lower floor. We opted for higher floor. We settled into the room, then went to get our staff badges at 7pm. We met up with other staffers in our department, then went back to our room. I showered and then went to bed.
Friday, May 24 (Day 1)
Had an 8am meeting, then took our guests to Opening Ceremony at 2pm. I was assigned to 7!!(Seven Oops) and helped Nanae (vocals) review her short English introduction speech for the ceremony. After the ceremony was over, our group went to the Dealers Hall to check out the booth that was selling and advertising their goods. Maiko (drums) and Nanae wanted me to sit with them, but due to seating arrangements, I ended up sitting with some other staffers. (Girls table! XD) After dinner, most people called it a night, and I went to check out the Swap Meet for a little bit. I saw yoshikochan, dramaelf, wabisuke, and superphi. I saw a lot of older stuff, but mainly I checked out the few spaces that had Japanese video games. I didn't end up buying anything though. Also, Yoshiko sold some things for me. She said I ended up making $50~ Nice! I went back to the room afterwards, showered, and crashed.
Saturday, May 25 (Day 2)
Had an 8am meeting, then we went over to the Civic Auditorium for soundcheck. We lunched at House of Pizza after the soundcheck concluded. Following lunch, they had an autograph session in the new Hyatt hotel. At the end of the signing session, I also got in line to get their autographs, hahaha. I took my break after the autograph session and suck around in line for Omori-san and Sato-san's autograph session. At this time I met up and waited in line with irea, shiroro, hestia217, and their friend Tsubasa from AX. I got my Natsume Yuujinchou/Hotarubi no Mori e clear poster from the Comiket set signed by both guests. Autographs head, Mew and Nick all gave me looks and comments along the lines of "Why are you lining up for their autographs? LOL." I also saw fawnfawn on the way out from the Hyatt. Returning from my break, it was time for pre-MusicFest prep, so we headed over to the Civic Auditorium to get ready. ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D went first with 11 songs on their set, and then 7!! went with 9 songs on their set. During the concert, I spent the majority of it backstage, but during one song in the middle of ROOKiEZ set, a few of us went out to the main auditoriumm to check it out from the attendees' POV. It sounded a lot better there than from backstage; you could definitely feel the energy from the attendees. After the concert was over, and everyone cleared the auditorium, I stayed back until my guests were done and accompanied them back to the hotel before they went to their post-show uchiage. I had something quick for dinner before turning in for the night because now that MusicFest was over, I was extremely tired.
shiroro as Natori (Natsume Yuujinchou)
After the concert, Maiko asked me "Can I take a picture with you?" and sent me the pic via LINE afterwards.
Sunday, May 26 (Day 3)
Had 8:30am meeting, then took guests over to media interviews. I ran the lunch errand with another staffer at Smile Sushi. Why did it have to be the hottest day of the weekend, and why did I choose to wear a long-sleeved dress this day?? They had their lunch after their panel, then it was off to the Hyatt again for their second autograph session. It appears the turnout at their panel was small, but that was because most people were lined up for their autograph session! The line for their second autograph session was significantly larger than their first autograph session (about 3 times as long). After the autograph session was over, they went over to the booth in the Dealers Hall to do photoshoot with people who had bought their T-shirts. They were done after this and had to go to their airport for their next thing in New York the next day. While waiting for their ride, we were going over R and L sounds with them in English. When their ride came, we saw them off. I also found out that they'll have a live on August 13 in Kanagawa while I'm there, so I'll try to go. =) Sunday ended with me in the staff room for a little while, and then once people decided what they were doing, Nita and I called it a night after loading some stuff into my car.
Mikasa (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Phi (Zennin Shibou Desu/Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward - 999 sequel)
At the photobooth with 7!! (Michiru, Keita, Nanae and Maiko)
Monday, May 27 (Day 4)
Nita and I saw Yoshiko and Colleen in the Hilton lobby while we were going to load the car. We were up for the 9am meeting which didn't end up happening, so I went back to take a shower and load up the rest of the stuff in the car and check out. Nita went with her guests (ROOKiEZ) offsite. By the time my car was loaded, I walked over to Artist Alley in the South Hall tent and walked around. I saw charmwitch, yumizuseki, @carneaglariel, Barlee, kiwimangoodness, finnimon, vespabeewabisuke, and gem2niki and lucathia. I noticed there were a lot of Shingeki no Kyojin and FREE! (the upcoming anime about swimming) art prints. I had lunch with ensuing, a couple other staffers, and her friends at Pizza My Heart before heading back. From then, I was just waiting around until it was time to go. BUT! Then I found out that rather than just picking up Nita from offsite, I was to also bring back a few of the guests in my car to the hotel so that they could make their ride to the airport on time. That was a rush. =P Just in time! Then it was time for my car to head back down. We stopped once for a pit stop and then got back without having to fill up my gas tank in about 6 hours. =) HOME and TIRED!
Best thing I saw in the Artist Alley (Table 149)
ensuing as Maou Sadao (Hataraku Maou-sama)
Maou during lunch break caught eating at a pizza place
Pic with ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D
The Goods
I didn't really buy much and such, but I ♥ people for giving me gifts~
nitaspitas got ROOKiEZ autographs for me since I couldn't attend either of their autograph sessions. I also asked my group for their autographs at the end of their first autograph session. Maiko used the word I taught her. XD I also bought their CD at the photobooth, which came along with a signed postcard.
Omori + Sato's autographs on the clear poster from the Comiket set. This was the only con event I attended as a "regular attendee." =P
Solstoria sketchbook from charmwitch, Kuragehime pin from wabisuke, Kingdom Hearts bookmarks from yoshikochan (which she got for me from her earlier trip to Japan), and Hyouka bag from ensuing (which she got for me from her earlier trip to Japan).
---
Others' Con Reports
lucathia_rykatu → here
kiwimangoodness → here
gem2niki → Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
ensuing → here
Waited for @yoshisawa to drive over to the condo in OC, then we drove up around 8am and got to nitaspitas house around 9am and headed north from there. We made a stop for lunch and another stop for gas, got up to San Jose in about 7.5 hours or so. The drive up was mostly uneventful, @yoshisawa napped in the backseat while Nita and I chatted. We arrived at Fanime around 4:30pm, and Nita and I checked in to the hotel room in Hilton. Since we got there early, we had the option of choosing a higher floor or a lower floor. We opted for higher floor. We settled into the room, then went to get our staff badges at 7pm. We met up with other staffers in our department, then went back to our room. I showered and then went to bed.
Friday, May 24 (Day 1)
Had an 8am meeting, then took our guests to Opening Ceremony at 2pm. I was assigned to 7!!(Seven Oops) and helped Nanae (vocals) review her short English introduction speech for the ceremony. After the ceremony was over, our group went to the Dealers Hall to check out the booth that was selling and advertising their goods. Maiko (drums) and Nanae wanted me to sit with them, but due to seating arrangements, I ended up sitting with some other staffers. (Girls table! XD) After dinner, most people called it a night, and I went to check out the Swap Meet for a little bit. I saw yoshikochan, dramaelf, wabisuke, and superphi. I saw a lot of older stuff, but mainly I checked out the few spaces that had Japanese video games. I didn't end up buying anything though. Also, Yoshiko sold some things for me. She said I ended up making $50~ Nice! I went back to the room afterwards, showered, and crashed.
Saturday, May 25 (Day 2)
Had an 8am meeting, then we went over to the Civic Auditorium for soundcheck. We lunched at House of Pizza after the soundcheck concluded. Following lunch, they had an autograph session in the new Hyatt hotel. At the end of the signing session, I also got in line to get their autographs, hahaha. I took my break after the autograph session and suck around in line for Omori-san and Sato-san's autograph session. At this time I met up and waited in line with irea, shiroro, hestia217, and their friend Tsubasa from AX. I got my Natsume Yuujinchou/Hotarubi no Mori e clear poster from the Comiket set signed by both guests. Autographs head, Mew and Nick all gave me looks and comments along the lines of "Why are you lining up for their autographs? LOL." I also saw fawnfawn on the way out from the Hyatt. Returning from my break, it was time for pre-MusicFest prep, so we headed over to the Civic Auditorium to get ready. ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D went first with 11 songs on their set, and then 7!! went with 9 songs on their set. During the concert, I spent the majority of it backstage, but during one song in the middle of ROOKiEZ set, a few of us went out to the main auditoriumm to check it out from the attendees' POV. It sounded a lot better there than from backstage; you could definitely feel the energy from the attendees. After the concert was over, and everyone cleared the auditorium, I stayed back until my guests were done and accompanied them back to the hotel before they went to their post-show uchiage. I had something quick for dinner before turning in for the night because now that MusicFest was over, I was extremely tired.
shiroro as Natori (Natsume Yuujinchou)
After the concert, Maiko asked me "Can I take a picture with you?" and sent me the pic via LINE afterwards.
Sunday, May 26 (Day 3)
Had 8:30am meeting, then took guests over to media interviews. I ran the lunch errand with another staffer at Smile Sushi. Why did it have to be the hottest day of the weekend, and why did I choose to wear a long-sleeved dress this day?? They had their lunch after their panel, then it was off to the Hyatt again for their second autograph session. It appears the turnout at their panel was small, but that was because most people were lined up for their autograph session! The line for their second autograph session was significantly larger than their first autograph session (about 3 times as long). After the autograph session was over, they went over to the booth in the Dealers Hall to do photoshoot with people who had bought their T-shirts. They were done after this and had to go to their airport for their next thing in New York the next day. While waiting for their ride, we were going over R and L sounds with them in English. When their ride came, we saw them off. I also found out that they'll have a live on August 13 in Kanagawa while I'm there, so I'll try to go. =) Sunday ended with me in the staff room for a little while, and then once people decided what they were doing, Nita and I called it a night after loading some stuff into my car.
Mikasa (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Phi (Zennin Shibou Desu/Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward - 999 sequel)
At the photobooth with 7!! (Michiru, Keita, Nanae and Maiko)
Monday, May 27 (Day 4)
Nita and I saw Yoshiko and Colleen in the Hilton lobby while we were going to load the car. We were up for the 9am meeting which didn't end up happening, so I went back to take a shower and load up the rest of the stuff in the car and check out. Nita went with her guests (ROOKiEZ) offsite. By the time my car was loaded, I walked over to Artist Alley in the South Hall tent and walked around. I saw charmwitch, yumizuseki, @carneaglariel, Barlee, kiwimangoodness, finnimon, vespabeewabisuke, and gem2niki and lucathia. I noticed there were a lot of Shingeki no Kyojin and FREE! (the upcoming anime about swimming) art prints. I had lunch with ensuing, a couple other staffers, and her friends at Pizza My Heart before heading back. From then, I was just waiting around until it was time to go. BUT! Then I found out that rather than just picking up Nita from offsite, I was to also bring back a few of the guests in my car to the hotel so that they could make their ride to the airport on time. That was a rush. =P Just in time! Then it was time for my car to head back down. We stopped once for a pit stop and then got back without having to fill up my gas tank in about 6 hours. =) HOME and TIRED!
Best thing I saw in the Artist Alley (Table 149)
ensuing as Maou Sadao (Hataraku Maou-sama)
Maou during lunch break caught eating at a pizza place
Pic with ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D
The Goods
I didn't really buy much and such, but I ♥ people for giving me gifts~
nitaspitas got ROOKiEZ autographs for me since I couldn't attend either of their autograph sessions. I also asked my group for their autographs at the end of their first autograph session. Maiko used the word I taught her. XD I also bought their CD at the photobooth, which came along with a signed postcard.
Omori + Sato's autographs on the clear poster from the Comiket set. This was the only con event I attended as a "regular attendee." =P
Solstoria sketchbook from charmwitch, Kuragehime pin from wabisuke, Kingdom Hearts bookmarks from yoshikochan (which she got for me from her earlier trip to Japan), and Hyouka bag from ensuing (which she got for me from her earlier trip to Japan).
---
Others' Con Reports
lucathia_rykatu → here
kiwimangoodness → here
gem2niki → Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
ensuing → here