Well Otakon 2025 has been done for a couple of days now. As I dread heading back to work in a couple
of days after a long deserved break, it’s time once again for our usual Post
Otakon Top 5 Wednesday. This year marked
the 15th since my first Otakon and it ended up being a pretty
emotional but incredibly fun one, filled with moments that made me cry, cheer
and remember why I love coming to this convention and being around who I
continue to hang around. Dealers Room,
Photoshoots, late night munchies, tons of depraved Hentai, all the goodness I
love during this time of year was in full bloom with nary a disappointment. But what 5 moments stood above all? You know what time it is, it’s my Top 5
Otakon 2025 Moments.
I’m not sure why Otakon a front corner of the Convention
Center dedicated to Mecha Panels, screenings and mech but I’m also not
complaining about it either.
The best
part of this little setup was off to the side, a little shop called Gundam Planet
and all of the Gunpla (and other collectibles) anyone want outside of the
Dealers Room.
Yep these guys had the
largest selection of Gunpla of any Vendor at Otakon this year and they were all
pretty affordable.
Of the record 7 I
bought this weekend, 4 came from this spot and I hope to do more business with
them whether its online or back at Otakon again.
Also the staff were super friendly and fun
people, helps to work with people who love what they sell.
#4-My First Official Solo Otakon Photoshoot
This was an totally unplanned event but a new friend I
made over the weekend, CubCosplay99, was looking for a photographer to snap
some photos of her Lucifer from Hazbin Hotel Cosplay but she had no money for a
professional.
I’m still trying my hand
at doing more cosplay photography and offered my services free of charge.
CC took the lead and chose our location, many
of the positions and postures and I lent suggestions where I could but I was
totally ok with her running the shoot and guiding me to getting the shots she
wanted.
It was a fun hour outside the Convention
and even having to work alongside 2-3 other shoots going on alongside us, the
results were well worth it.
#3-Lending a Hand to the Evangelion Photoshoot
I kinda ended up at the Evangelion Photoshoot on a whim
just after my shoot with CubCosplay99.
While the turn out wasn’t huge, the overall experience ended up being
the best official photoshoot of the entire weekend.
Part of that came from me sort of lending my
voice to announcing characters and scenes for the pair running the photoshoot
because the Microphone Speaker system wasn’t the greatest.
They liked me stepping in to help though and
it carried on through the whole thing.
I
even got to help coordinate some fun requests like Eva Unit 01 vs. Kwaoru and,
my personal favorite: Gendo telling Shinji to get into the Giant Robot.
This was a fun group to work with and it was
a freaking blast.
#2-DJ Koheisings
The Otakon Matsuri is an outdoor event held on Thursdays
to give people more to do than just get their badges and check into the
hotel.
There are mini game tables, food
and most importantly, concerts.
I haven’t
gone to one since before Otakon left Baltimore but man am I glad I wandered
over to this one.
You couldn’t help but
be drawn over by the hyperactive and always excited voice of the last act of
the evening, DJ Koheisings.
This dude,
wow, he knew how to hype up a crowd, how to energize, excite and inspire them,
urging them to sing their favorite songs from the heart.
This led to an amazing selection of Anime
themes from Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer and Soul Eater mixed with callbacks
to late 90s/early 2000s hits that made Kohei a fan of Western music like the
Backstreet Boys and Linkin Park.
This
got you pumped and he ended the set in ridiculously awesome fashion with PSY’s
Gahgham Style, what a way to bring that back.
The selfie I got was just a bonus.
If you weren’t hyped for Otakon after this concert, what the hell was
wrong with you?
#1-Late Night Munchies with Friends
Sometimes the best moments at a con aren’t the panels,
the merch or even the celebs you meet.
Sometimes it’s the smaller, simpler moments with the people you choose
to call your convention family.
Case in
point, after an amazing Hentai panel, I found my way back to the Marriott where
I joined my friends for some perusing of the still very active food trucks
outside the hotel and convention center.
Not sure if these guys usually stay out later than 1am but they did for
Otakon.
Chicken Tenders, Wraps, Ice
Cream, we just got what we were all craving and had some fun chatting about the
weekend both outside and just relaxing back in the Marriott Lobby after we got
our food.
Just being around these amazing
people with the thrill of the still hyped up crowd around the entire Marriott
Lobby, it’s the perfect exemplification of my favorite line from Martian
Successor Nadesico, “Those unforgettable days.
For them I Live.”
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