Speaking of TV and backlogs though ...

I have been making an effort to put a dent in my anime watching backlog as well (yes I have way too many backlogs).  I finished The Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat, Kimi ni Todoke and Say "I Love You".  It is really hard for me to find those romantic shows that don't frustrate the crap out of me with insanely neurotic characters.  I think Suzuka was one of my favorites in that genre.  I'm also excited because the new season of Kuroko's Basketball has started.  Yes I'm part of the minority of anime sports fans.  Of course most anime sports shows have more in common with DBZ than they do actual sports, so it's not like I'm watching for the sport, except in the case of Hikaru No Go.  I also started watching Kill La Kill.  It features the Sushio as the character designer which becomes quite obvious to anyone who watched Gurren Lagann.  After just one episode I'm roped in and awaiting the remaining episodes.  I started watching Attack on Titan a while ago, but I have stalled out on that show.  It's so soul crushingly depressing that I feel like I'm watching a british tragedy.  They lay the despair on so heavy handed that at some point I just quit giving a fuck about the characters.  I may finish it out later at some point, but currently I'm rather apathetic about the show.  I'd be interested to hear what other folks are watching.

Otakon 20, you don't want to miss it

Otakon 20 is shaping up to be one hell of an experience.  Between bringing back T.M.Revolution, getting Home Made Kazoku and what sounds like a really cool look back at past Otakons in the form of some sort of museum, this Otakon is going to be one to remember.  I certainly plan to catch the concerts this year, and I will have multiple cameras and batteries.  It will be one awesome weekend of photos, anime, music and shopping.  Strap in everyone and begin your convention prepping (you already booked your hotel room ... right???).

Otakon begins

I got checked in last night at my hotel and already the Holiday Inn kicked the crap out of the Radisson. I'll just say the Holiday Inn is better than the Radisson in a LOT of ways and leave it at that. Thursday night pre-reg badge pickup was super painless this year. Ate dinner at the Pratt Street Ale House last night to the music of a street drummer using buckets to drum on. He was actually REALLY good. He was a machine, at some points drumming for hours with no stop. I'll add video and pictures after con.

Otakon Blues

Sadly another Con has come to a close and it makes me sad already.  I love this con every year and so look forward to it (even with all the jackasses).  This morning's "Fist of the North Star" showing was ruined by all the jack asses constantly thinking they were funny for yelling "witty" things at the screen.  I say "witty" because quite frankly there were just fucktards trying to get a laugh and I would love a con without these jerks.  Regardless of these annoyances though, the Anime World Order folks did some cool panels and "The Old Timers of Anime" were entertaining as well as Frederick Schodt's panel.  I checked out a number of different anime while at the con such as: Kaze No Stigma, Murder Princess, Sgt. Frog, D Gray-man, Giant Robo (awesome classic :), Hajime No Ippo (also fanstastic) and Shigurui: Death Frenzy (weird ...very weird ... see last post).  I attended the AMV overflow this year and it was fun as usual (next year I'll make sure my ballot counts).  I'll be happy to sleep in my own bed tonight.  I think I'll start an anime section on the site after this con .... right after I get all my photos edited and posted in the convention photos section!

Update on Monday, July 20, 2009 at 10:35PM by Thaddeus

I will not be staying at the Radisson again.  They overbooked badly and then pushed people who had reserved doubles, into singles with roll away beds.  I was told that the decision came from management and that they were very sorry and that was all they could do.  I suspect the hotel knowingly overbooked figuring that people would take what they could get, given that all the other rooms in the area were also booked up with the convention.  Also the room itself was the size of a sardine can.  Strangely it had a sleep number bed, as if somehow this would make up for the other inadequacies.

One day down

On my second day of Otakon and so far it's a good con. The Vamps concert was awesome and Mell's concert was INCREDIBLE! I found some nice bargains in the dealer room on items I've been trying to get a hold of. The Otakon folks decided to guarantee every person who was in line by 11 Thursday night a badge. It was pretty cool of them since originally it was only those who'd made it inside the doors by 11. I Caught one of Daryl Surat's panels yesterday (one of the Anime World Order podcast hosts), and it was educational as well as entertaining. Also went to the Madhouse panel. Apparently there is a Trigun movie that's been made and will come out early next year I believe. Madhouse creates some very cool anime! "Shiguri: Death Frenzy" is one hell of a bizarre samurai anime. Here's some footage of usual crazy registration line