COSPLAYERS UNITE! - a hangout for cosplayers and con-goers! Come in, say "hi!" OTAKON IN AUGUST: I'm going, are you?
 

So, I guess I'll start off by relating a con experience I had once.

Picture this: Katsucon 2010. It's the end of con, and I had just run out of cigarettes.(Please don't judge.)I was waiting for my friend to get out of work so we could go grab some eats and I could crash at his place for the night before heading home the following day. I didn't want to get smokes from the con hotel(at $9.50 a pack? NO WAY. And this was the year before the CVS opened in National Harbor), and I just needed one, so I went to see if I could bum one from somebody.

So I see this guy sitting on one of the benches outside the lobby of the Gaylord National(I'll give you a few seconds to get over the name), and he's taking a cigarette out of a pack. He's got Newports, which are totally NOT my brans, but at that point, I was turning into Silent Bob hooting like a chimpanzee, that's how bad my nicotine fit was. So I ask the guy on the bench if he can spare one. He basically says, "I would, but I've only got a few to last me until I get home." Which is cool with me, I'm not going to try and be THAT desperate. So, we're all outside, chit-chatting, and at this point, he's got a smallish crowd around him. And then he starts talking about his brother's heart problems...

...and two and two equal four...

...and it hits me: I'm talking with Chris Ayres. I TRIED TO BUM A CIGARETTE OFF OF CHRIS AYRES. O_o

And now, the epilogue: Katsucon 2011: I had recently gotten through a rough patch(it's not something I want to get into), and I wasn't sure I would have been able to go. Luckily, it all got resolved, and I was able to go(albeit at the last minute, almost). So I managed to get a room in the con hotel, and I'm coming back from a CVS run for snacks and smokes, and who's sitting outside, on the EXACT SAME BENCH? Chris Ayres. So I go up to say "hi"; he looks up, sees me, and immediately holds out his pack of cigarettes. I tell him, basically, "Thanks, but I'm good", and show him my pack. We actually bumped into each other several times that weekend, and I learned quite a few things about life in general from him.

And that's my story of one of the most memorable con experiences I've had. [:)]

So, those of us who go to conventions -- what's your next one? I have Otakon in the works; I plan on putting in for pre-registration once I get paid again. I still need to get the rest of the stuff I'll need for the new head screw prop for my Stein cosplay, though.

I live in Northern Michigan, where there isn't a lot to attend. If I go down south a little, there are a few small town cons. The biggest in the state are Jafax, Youmacon & Shutocon. All of which are quite far for little me by myself. I was really excited to learn that there is one in the city I moved to, called NMAcon (Northern Michigan Anime Con). I attended that in...2011. It was a blast! I couldn't make it last year, but I'd really love to go this year!

I've heard Youmacon is pretty good, and it's one of the ones I'd like to hit up someday.

My usual retinue: Katsucon in February, Otakon in July/August, and Nekocon in November. But I'm unsure if I want to go to Otakon for a while after this year, as registration prices are getting a bit high for my blood. I might do Animazement or Anime Mid-Atlantic next year; or maybe Anime Next or Anime Weekend Atlanta if I can swing it. I definitely plan on doing ROFCon next year, since it's so close to home, and I can fit it into my usual two days off of work each week -- even though the con itself is a couple weeks after Katsu. ^_^;

I've heard good things about all three xD Which makes me jealous of the attendees. Whereabouts in the US are you? I'm unfamiliar with those cons *doesn't really know a lot of the bigger ones by name* Cons are so fun! I met SO many hilarious people, and it's wonderful to get to interact with people that have similar interests. I know one other person offline that likes anything Asian, and she's really into Anime- whereas I'm really into Asian music (which kinda ties into Anime, with all the OTs and ETs, etc). I spents hours just chatting with different people about things.

Well, I'm in Virginia, so I'm reasonably close to a good portion of the East Coast cons. I think I've met a lot of my current friends at cons, lol.

I was born in Virginia! Parents moved the family up here about 16 years ago~
They're a great place to make memories; I've only been to one, and I have tons!
I'd love to go in full costume one year! Brainstorm up a good cosplay, and do it [cool]

You can do it! [:)] I basically threw together my first cosplay with stuff I already had in my closet.

I just realized the thread still needs work; I need to add a few "hint" links, and a few other links, too. But it's an ongoing process...

Hey! I got it! If you see a link that should be added -- cosplay or convention related -- post it in the thread, and I'll add it to the front page! Simple, no? [:)] I might not get to it very, very soon, though(I'm going into work early every day this week, and tomorrow I close, so the only time I'll really be able to work would be Wednesday evening after work), but rest assured -- I'll get to it! [:)]

ehehe, thanks. [:)]

Time to work on adding a couple little somethings for the thread!

HIM saw the word cosplay.

You can never have enough! XD

I need to work on this a bit more tonight after work. [:)]

Doing a bit of work. Added one new link. Because I can.

Okay, so let's try and get some discussion going, here. What is the BEST cosplay you've ever seen? I like this one, because:

1) She put a BOATLOAD of effort into it
2) It's totally obscure
3) It's from one of my all-time favorite games

So, ladies and gentlemen of Menewsha who peruse this thread, I present to you... Recette cosplay! [:)]

This guy was epic.

Not only did he destory a guitar making it unplayable purely for cosplays.

But he also let us play with his head when he took it off.

http://i42.tinypic.com/2nu3wn5.jpg

Well, it wasn't me(being male, I'd probably look HORRID in that getup), but she put a lot of effort into that outfit, and it came out great. [:)]

(edit: there IS, I think, a picture of me as Stein from Soul Eater a friend took over on the picture thread over in General Discussion -- you might have to search a bit for it, though...)

@HIM_ROCK - Oh, wow. That's awesome. [:)]

Well, I made Stein, for the most part. ^^;

That's the wonderful thing about cosplay: if you're talented enough, you can make your own. If not, and you have the cash, you can commission someone to make it for you... or get it via an online store. Just don't expect to enter any cosplay contests with it; if I remember right, they tend to frown on stuff like that.