This past weekend, I learned how to relax again as I
returned to one of my two favorite yearly conventions and the one that started
it all for me, Otakon. And despite
cancellations from roommates, the heat of DC trying to kill us all and even a
monsoon resulting from said heat (for like 30 minutes), it was so good to be
back in the Walter E Washington Convention Center for another year of
photoshoots, Dealers Room/Artist Alley pillaging and late night 18+
schenanigans. And while next year Otakon
will be celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, this year was a major milestone for
me as it marked 10 years since I started meeting incredible people who I’ve
come to call family more than friends for Otakon, Katsucon and Beyond. So for those of you who didn’t attend and are
wondering, this is the Top 5 Wednesday you’ve been patiently waiting for, my
Top 5 Otakon 2023 Moments.
#4-A Long Expected Party
Like I said above, 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of
when I met several people at Otakon 2013 who would become the first members of
my Convention Family.
While I’ve stayed
in touch with all of them over the years, life matters and Covid have prevented
me from seeing several since even before the pandemic hit in 2020.
Well, 2023 would be the first time I’d seen
some of these friends in 4-5 years.
And
man were the reunions well worth the anticipation and wait.
Some, I was at a loss for words when only a
hug would do.
Others I literally found
myself running towards them top speed for an epic spinning embrace.
That’s not to say that the same kind of love
wasn’t shared with any other friend I ran into this weekend. It’s so crazy how
I don’t see many of these friends for over a year and yet it feels like we can
easily pick up from where we left off as if no time had passed.
And, of course, there was always the
possibility of getting into some crazy adventures, which we did, braving heat,
storms and crowds just like the old days.
Here’s hoping it doesn’t take another 4-5 years to see some of these
amazing people in my life again.
We’ve
still got a lot of trouble to get up to at Otakon.
#3-A Gift for a Sailor Moon Shipper
A couple of times this year I found myself getting gifts
for friends without thinking about it, it just turned out that way. Probably my favorite moment came when I
visited friend in Artist Alley who was a vendor and saw they had a print of
Usagi Tsukino and Seiya Kou aka Sailor Moon and Sailor Star Fighter from Sailor
Moon. While I’ll finally get around to
watching Sailor Moon Sailor Stars in the coming weeks, I know a few people who
have a particular fondness for this pairing.
One of them happens to by my friend Rizuki, who might as well be the
Queen of that Ship. On my Vendor friends
recommendation, I bought the print with one of two outcome possibilities: A.
Rizuki likes it and accepts or B. She doesn’t and I’ll gladly keep it for
myself. After the Sailor Moon photoshoot
I presented the print to Rizuki and she was shocked by how good the art was and
was happy to take it off my hands.
Seeing her face light up seeing an unexpected gift like that was such a
heck yeah moment for the weekend and I’m glad I know my friends as well as I
do. Also the artist who drew the pic was
beyond excited to hear someone loved their artwork that much, bonus.
#2-The First 50 Years of Hentai
It’s pretty much a prerequisite for any Anime Con that I
attend at least one 18+ panel after dark.
I went to four and all but one were pretty good.
The First 50 Years of Hentai Panel topped
those panels because, well after a friend of mine and I went to an 18+ panel
about trains and hoping for something raunchy…we didn’t get it but this other
one did in spades.
The Panelist walked
us through some of the earliest and most bizarre Hentai to come out of its
early existence in Japan including some very…questionable stereotypes (you’ll
never look at 1001 Arabian Knights again), some Ralph Bakshi esque influence,
and the 80s OVA scene providing some of the best looking animation in these not
for young audience features.
Best of
all, they had all the shock and gross factors I go to these panels for.
Plus I got to experience it all with a new
friend and we both agreed, this is the only place in the world where you can go
watch this kind of material and not be judged cause you’re watching it in a
room with dozens of other degenerats.
My
friend told me “I think we’re changed people after that and not for the
better”.
I just replied, “The tagline
for any 18+ Hentai Panel, “You think you’ve seen everything…you haven’t.””
#1-My Roommates
For my last few Otakons and Katsucons, I’ve roomed with a
good friend who splits them between groups of friends they know to cut down on
costs. Normally I’d room with this
friend so I wasn’t rooming with 100% total strangers. Unfortunately, the morning of Otakon, this
friend messaged us to reveal they had Covid and could no longer attend. This left me very nervous about the room
situation. Naturally, I trust this
friend and they are kind of picky when it comes to roommates, so they wouldn’t
just group people like this together without some thought. Low and behold, me and my roommates clicked
instantly and some of the best moments from the entire weekend included going
to panels with them, showing first timers around the con, visiting them in the
Artist Alley if they had a booth, or just chatting back in the room when we
should have all been sleeping. Friendships
like these are rare and even more rarely instantaneous. But my one wish by weekends end is that I get
to room with some of these people again or at least see them at future Otakons
or Katsucons. The family of friends I
build at cons just keeps getting bigger and bigger and this newest batch is
just…amazing.
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