T5W#392-Top 5 Questions I Get Asked Most Often About Cons

If you could feel my pulse right now, you could tell within seconds how fast its going.  Why?  Because tomorrow I start the journey back to a place I haven’t been in almost 3 years: Katsucon.  Weirdly enough I’m looking forward to Katsu this year more than my big return to Otakon last year.  Do I like Katsucon better than Otakon?  Well that answer varies from year to year but both are that hard to choose between sometimes.  Speaking of, that’s also a question I get asked most often when it comes to my Con travels.  It got me thinking about others and for today’s Top 5 Wednesday, I think it’d be cool to provide some answers to you Dear Readers about my experiences in these nerd infested nirvanas I call Conventions.  If you’ve ever wondered, today you might find out.  These are the Top 5 Questions I Get Asked Most Often About Cons.

 
#5-Do I Meet Any Celebrities?

Sure but not all the time.  I don’t usually plan on meeting any big voice actors or industry insiders because I’m not too keen on standing in line for hours on end for an autograph when I could be doing other things within the con.  However, there are those rare occasions where the stars align and I get to meet my personal heroes and heroines who have localized some of my favorite Anime characters.  Steve Blum.  Johnny Yong Bosch.  Crispin Freeman.  Lisa Ortiz.  Cristina Vee.  Those are just a few I’ve had the honor to meet and speak to in person.  It’s hard not to feel like a quivering mess in the process but hey, that just makes the aftermath and awesome feels all the sweeter.

#4-How Long Do You Stay?

Typically, most Conventions are advertised as a three day experience over a single weekend. And while that is true, there’s also the day before a con that goes overlooked by most who don’t attend on a regular basis.  The Thursday before a convention is a Pre Reg day, when you can come in and get your badge and guidebooks if you’ve already registered in advance.  There are also tons of mini activities to do plus bonus of running into friends as well.  So whenever I plan to go to Otakon or Katsucon, I usually plan for a Four Day adventure…and hope I get lucky enough to be given that Monday off from work because I will usually be a depressed and very sleep deprived zombie for at least a day, maybe two.

 
#3-How Many Photos Do You Take?

Yeesh let’s say a lot but even that is selling it short.  Ever since I attended my first Otakon in 2010, I have been snapping photos by the hundreds and that number seems to go up more and more each year (occasionally there’s a drop but I try not to let that bother me even cause it doesn’t reflect a bad experience.)  To share some examples: My first Otakon I took 310 photos and 12 years later for Otakon 2022, the final tally was 3391 (my second highest after Katsucon 2020’s record shattering 3590).  How the heck do I take so many?  Simple, cause I wanna capture every itty bitty moment no matter what it is: scenery, casual , candid, and lets not forget all of the photoshoots I attend.  It’s all about sharing everything with everyone and I’ve gotten pretty good at doing just that with a camera.

#2-Do You Go With Any Friends?

A long time ago, it was the most difficult thing in the world to get anyone to want to join me for a weekend get away to Otakon, it was actually kind of depressing.  However, as the years have gone by, my community at Cons has grown exponentially.  It’s to the point where I know who I can talk to about joining up to share a room for the weekend.  And once I’m at the con, there’s a pretty high chance I know of several groups of friends who are attending and I make time for as many as I can.  I do like the chance to wander the halls like a lone wolf but finding my own weird and amazing family at these cons has gotten me very used to being in a pack.  So yeah, I go with friends and I’m happy I don’t feel as alone as I did when I first started my convention journeys.

#1-Do You Cosplay?

Ugh, this question.  Yeah, I get it and people would ask it.  After all, I am a nerd and therefore I’d want to cosplay some of my favorite characters right?  Well…mostly no.  I say mostly because I did give cosplaying a try once for a Doctor Who Group Photoshoot. However, even though it was fun, I think I’ve found more joy taking photos of cosplayers showing off their incredible talents and hard work rather than trying to craft anything of my own.  It’s a serious time commitment not just to make these works but also to show them off for hundreds of attendees wanting to snap a shot of their favorite characters, same as me.  I respect the hell out of cosplay and always encourage it amongst the community.  Even if it isn’t for me as a hobby, it’s still a very personal part of my Otaku life cause without it, I might not know the friends I’ve come to call family over the years.