Anime USA Mid-Con Report

Today was so exciting. I got a new camera. It takes pretty pictures.

D'awwww

Yup, I'm updating at 2:00AM so I can show you my kitty cats. End of post. Job well done.

The real reason I'm excited about my camera is that it came just in time for me to take it to Anime USA. Day one of the con is still up and running over in Arlington. Items are on the schedule straight through 8:30AM, when tomorrow's events pick up. Registration is open tomorrow from 9:00AM to 8:00PM.

Taking time to be loyal to my own fandom, I headed straight for the My Little Brony panel. I was a bit sad at first that it wasn't a meet-up, but the barely contained excitement quickly devolved from panel to discussion format. Attendees took turns telling stories about converting haters to the herd and we ended by singing "Winter Wrap Up." And you know what? There were more than 70 attendees packed to standing room only, and almost all of them male. Take that, heteronormativity!

I did my usual con meandering (i.e. trying in vain to learn my way around) as I waited for the Blood concert to start. After an evening of rooms without cell reception, fellow DC Geek Roberto managed to find me, presumably by dowsing or some newly emerged mutant ability. We slipped in to the press photography pit just as the pre-concert announcements were wrapping up.

So, I have a confession: I'd never heard of Blood. I thought, "I remember what J-pop sounds like. That's what these guys are, right? J-pop?" So with my shiny press pass (Thank you, Lauren Orsini!) I steadied my camera and played around with the focus.

"Oh! No one's sitting in front of that low speaker there! What a perfect place to take close ups. I wonder why no one........"

I couldn't hear the band start playing, but I noticed that my pants legs were flapping around wildly. Thankfully, the speaker was turned down to just below the setting that would have ripped off clothing. Sadly without a flash, and between the headbanging and strobe lights, only a few photos came out.

I'm considering today a camera test run.

Tomorrow kicks off the big events of the weekend: the Pirate vs. Ninja dance off, the Masquerade, the AMV contest, and My Little Parody: YouTube is Magic. If you weren't booked up this weekend, you should be now. I'll keep the top hat with the DC Geeks logo on because it makes me look taller. Oh, and because it makes me easier to find. Come say hi.