Wednesday, February 20, 2019

T5W#184-Top 5 Katsucon 2019 Moments


Katsucon 2019 has come and gone and…while it wasn’t quite as good as the game changer that was Katsucon 2018, I still had an incredibly awesome time.  Being back in National Harbor is always a treat, as is getting experience one of the best Anime gatherings ever with new friends and close family.  It’s actually a miracle I was able to pick 5 moments that stood out in a sea of many.  But here they are, what you’ve all been waiting for-Todays Top 5 Wednesday: My Top 5 Favorite Katsucon 2019 Moments.
 
#5-Meeting Sombra
When it comes to big name guests at Katsucon, im usually keeping an eye out for cosplay celebs.  This year though, I saw on the guest list that the voice of Sombra from Overwatch, Carolina Ravassa.  Those of you whove followed my blog a long time know that Sombra is my Overwatch main and I love her to death.  In a way running into Ms. Ravasa in transit between panels reminded me of how I lucked into meeting Katie Griffith (Sailor Mars from the old Sailor Moon dub).  Nervous as I was, I took a chance, asked if she really was Sombras voice actress and managed to get a quick selfie in.  I almost go tin trouble for it cause running into a guest like that could result in her getting stopped by many others.  But it was worth it, especially when she tapped my nose for Sombra’s signature “boop” before she left.
 
#4-Let it Go Billie Jean
This one requires a little backstory: im a fan of late night 18+ anime panels.  These are the panels to bring out the Hentai, the violence, the stuff that you don’t dare show to any innocent minded otaku.  I always try my best to attend at least one every night im at a con.  Saturday night was no exception and it turned out to be a sequel to Bizzare Hentai Theater 20XX from a year prior.  However…while I do have a strong stomach, even this panel was too much for me.  I can never unsee what ive seen and others agreed…a lot of people actually.  The constant returns to one particular clip resulted in massive chunks of audience members exiting the panel.  I wonder if anyone stuck with that panel til the end.

Cut to about half an hour later.  My mind was mud and I needed to regain my sanity.  So I wandered back to the Gazebo, which had become party central for the penultimate evening of Katsucon 2019.  Groups all around were chilling, dancing, drinking or a combo of all three.  In the process of wandering, I fell into a group belting out “Let it Go” from Frozen.  All of a sudden, my mind reconstructed itself and I joined in cause…well yeah I like Let it Go when it’s not on repeat 50,000,000 times.  And the energy I got off of it was incredible. The DJ behind the song choice offered me next dibs…and I decided to pull out a classic.  Turns out Billie Jean is still a solid choice to play at any dance gathering and it will get me in there to dance myself, joined by the girl who was belting Elsa lyrics prior.  It was awkward, it was stylish, it reminded me why Saturday nights at Katsu are worth staying up til almost dawn even though you def should be packing to avoid a Sunday crowd lol
 
#3-K-ON Panel hosted by the Baltimore Anime Denizens
The Baltimore Anime Denizens (B.A.D.) are a local Anime group in Baltimore comprised of long time fans who want to extend the reach of Anime to the community.  Theyre a fun crew and host regular hangouts and Anime screening series in the spring and fall.  Back at the beginning of the year, I learned they are going to be doing a panel about the history of one of my all time favorite shows, K-ON, with an emphasis on the music, at Katsucon.  I thought it was awesome to see Rob, Daryl, Adam and Jessie in the main auditorium hall and realized why that was a good idea later on.  Rob, Daryl and Jessie (who was cosplaying as series character Yui) performed two songs from the series (one from season one and one from season two).  I was sitting in the front so my eardrums were utterly destroyed…but let me tell you it was one of the best panels ive ever been too.  It reminded me of the KON Concert from Otakon 2011 which first got me introduced to the show.  Im pretty sure I was tearing up listening to Fudepen ~Ballpen being played live again.  KON has a soundtrack that screams “feel good” and its even more awesome that there are people out there who can actually play this magic live…and give a good rundown of a series I really need to finish one of these years.  Rob, Daryl, Adam, Jessie…you guys did so damn good and you should be proud.
 
#2-Cosplay Avengers
 
 

  
 
 


  

 

Katsucon has always attracted a ton of cosplay coverage, it really is one of the biggest cosplay hotspots on the East Coast.  Thanks to that, ive been able to meet so many famous cosplayers ive followed on social media for a long time.  Several of them have become good friends while I just feel honored to meet others just for a moment.  2019 brought the best experiences with cosplay so far.  Old friends like Kayley Marie Cosplay, GC-Chan Cosplay, Ghostiemuffin Cosplay and Canary Cry Cosplay all returned with stronger works than ever (especially GC Chan, I had to do a double take to see that it was her under some very impressive red make up, man shes come so far since Sailor Moon at Katsu 2015…I mean she was always good lol).  In addition, I got to meet West Coast cosplay legend Hendo Art (she does a lot of Spider themed cosplays) and up and coming cosplayer Penberly.  It was a tremendous honor to see everyone, get a selfie if I could, and give them proper praise for the work they do and the inspiration they all give to the community, even those like me who don’t cosplay.  Cosplayers are all rockstars in my book and Katsu is my Woodstock (that makes sense right?)
 
#1-That Shouldn’t Fit in There-STFU Edition
This might be a first, an actual Hentai Panel has topped my Top 5 Convention Centered list.  Unlike the one that followed the next evening, this Friday night 18+ Panel, titled That Shouldn’t Fit in There-STFU Edition, was filled with all of the best qualities one of these panels can bring to a large audience: disgusting, but tasteful, bizzare Anime clips and a hostess who knows how to keep you engaged while its all going down.  Best part absolutely goes to the Manga and digital comic segments that required audience participation.  Those champions of the 18+ Panel made history that night, becoming champs who can make the most disturbing imagery utterly hilarious.  Youre not supposed to record anything from these panels but I wish I could hear the audio from this panel.  But the thing about this panel that makes me place it at the top of this list is a more special reason: the hostess.  The hostess of this panel was the same woman who hosted my first Katsucon 18+ Panel back in 2015.  Let’s just say I wasn’t full of energy that Friday night 4 years ago.  But the second I stumbled into her panel and saw what I saw…I was reenergized. (you can actually read about that particular panel on my Top 5 Katsucon 2015 Moments here- )>  To know that this same girl who have me one of my favorite highlights from 4 years ago just gave me my all time favorite Hentai panel…im glad I got to thank her in person and hope I get to see another panel done by her at Katsucon in the future.  Cause this disturbing stuff that gets the best reactions from armies of crowds is the reason why 18+ are the best parts of coming to any Anime Convention.

No comments:

Post a Comment