AWA 2017

[DKop]

I got a sun visor for my windshield so that will help greatly if its parked out in the sun. The garage is fine since it's got shade if I can get to one.

Based on the weather, it seems I can slightly crack my windows down to let the heat out since the forecast shows no rain that weekend.

[Akage]

I have some friends, including Preston, that will be in attendance. If you get bored or hungry, look for them. They find good places to eat.

I hope you guys have fun!

[DKop]

I don't believe I ever saw him at the con, otherwise I would have said hi to him for sure.

[davemerrill]

Well, it's all over now bar the post-con-cold coughing (which I've managed to avoid so far). Great to see everybody at the show, including Dkop and Karageko! I wrote a Dreamwidth post about the show and it's here: https://davemerrill.dreamwidth.org/941572.html and it includes a few photos. The weather was really warm Thursday, cooled off Saturday, was downright autumnal on Sunday.

As always there was some behind the scenes fire-extinguishing and some inter-staff friction, but that's what happens at anime cons. Also some late night drinking and some Mexican food and helping to herd young kids through the dealers room.

Traffic, at least in the Galleria area, seems to have been dialed up two or three notches since I was last in Atlanta.

I heard a lot of compliments about the show, people in general seemed to be having a good time, the lobby was full of socializing fans Friday and Saturday night until the wee hours. I spent less time hauling junk around up and down the freight elevator this year and more time chilling out, relaxing, staying hydrated and avoiding stress, and I think that's why I came out the other side relatively healthy and with good memories.

[karageko]

I have put up my disgustingly long write-up of the weekend on my personal blog (★ CHEAP PLUG ★). If you thought my Otakon 2017 write-up was bad this one has literally more than twice the word count here to ensure no sane human being would ever actually read it (it also needs more pictures but I kept forgetting to take them at AWA).

The very short version of the write-up is that Dave and Neil's panels were great and were the highlight of the panel experience. I also had a better social experience at AWA than at Otakon; many thanks to all the people willing to chat with me. Made some new friends which is making me consider re-opening my Facebook account since one of them would prefer to keep in touch that way (sorry Rick!)

Of course, no concentration of anime maniacs can remain forever. As my plane heading back home landed in Boston, the lyrics of the song I was listening to articulated my bittersweet feelings.

SAYONARA, sweet memories
It’s goodbye
SAYONARA, don’t look back
Don’t ask why
The time to come will come
And you will go alone
Keep to your heart
SAYONARA

And so my friend
Now it must end
Now you are grown
I can’t stay on
Think of the memories we’ve known
Carefully feeling your way
You’re getting stronger each day
How can I find words to say
I’ll miss you

[davemerrill]

No matter how many panels we get, I always feel like AWA needs more old-school panel game. This year some of the regulars weren't able to make the show due to work or family considerations, so that may explain why things were a little weaker in that regard. Also, I should have thought to submit a Speed Racer panel, and I did not. Still, there's always next year!

[DKop]

Shoot I have a ton of ideas for panels I would love to do for cons, if you're ever short hit me up. I just hope they don't end up in tenative hell like it was last year, only to get a "oh yea we forgot about you, and were booked, try again next year."

But but, Black Karageko Dynamite, wut about dat awesome podcast we did togethers? https://youtu.be/_BUnNfDCVWk?t=11

You post you seemed to sum up your con much better than what we recorded/what I recorded to my co-host last night. However, my podcast is sick because I played vinyl anime songs throughout it, so take that to the trash! Other than that, I appreciate the sentiments about me, I used to be kinda shy meeting people as well, but nerds are all the same, and you'll know cool people to talk too at the con when they want you to talk to them. Working a call center job I had to get used to talking to strangers to help with phone problems, so I was able to enhance my personality that I either didn't know I had or had buried away. Listening to how Dave and Joel and AWO do their podcasts also helped me get some kinda voice or charisma. You're a good roommate since none of my stuff got stolen, and all my organs are in tact, and that's a friendship I can live with!

[labsenpai]

I have put up my disgustingly long write-up of the weekend on my personal blog (★ CHEAP PLUG ★). If you thought my Otakon 2017 write-up was bad this one has literally more than twice the word count here to ensure no sane human being would ever actually read it (it also needs more pictures but I kept forgetting to take them at AWA).

Thanks for a second blitz of con coverage. You don't see panel remarks often; most "reviews" are cosplay slideshows these days.
OT: Fine assortment of classic posters on your page. I haven't seen that BGC print. I gotta pull mine from storage and buy some IKEA frames

[karageko]

Thanks for a second blitz of con coverage. You don't see panel remarks often; most "reviews" are cosplay slideshows these days.
OT: Fine assortment of classic posters on your page. I haven't seen that BGC print. I gotta pull mine from storage and buy some IKEA frames

Thank you for reading! I'm flattered anyone cares enough to read it, seeing as it contains superfluous text of things that were on my mind that aren't necessarily related to the actual experience at AWA. I've never cared about the cosplay aspect of American anime convention culture. For the longest time I never had an interest in attending conventions because I assumed there wasn't much besides buying merchandise and people doing cosplay stuff.

When I found out fan panels were actually a thing that's when my curiosity was piqued. I am more interested in the dry background details of stuff actually related to anime, than the flashy glamour of cosplay culture (which has grown and branched far enough from anime to warrant dedicated conventions of its own). That being said, I'm sure AWA 2017 was DA BOMB for people who are super hardcore into cosplay culture seeing as how much stuff there was catering to that crowd.

Next time I need to just pencil+paper+clipboard with me or something so I can actually take down notes on interesting things at panels; one of the main reasons I'm writing up these things is so I can archive what my personal experience felt like. I don't trust my memory to retain that information . Next time I gotta go for the full four days so I can rest up Thursday night and not suffer through sleep deprivation induced headaches on Friday.

I bought the BGC poster at Anime Boston 2017 from the Asylum Anime dealers booth (which appears to have an actual website finally here), which is one of the only dealers I am aware of that sells cels and 80s/90s anime posters. I am surprised they didn't go to Otakon or AWA

[Akage]

I bought the BGC poster at Anime Boston 2017 from the Asylum Anime dealers booth (which appears to have an actual website finally here), which is one of the only dealers I am aware of that sells cels and 80s/90s anime posters. I am surprised they didn't go to Otakon or AWA

That's Kurt. Yeah, a lot of us had been bugging him about getting his website back online. He used to have some dynamite Cardcaptor Sakura cels for sale that I bought a few of (I'm a huge collector of Episode 40 artwork).

Another seller is Rick from Anime Link. His prices are pretty high, but he also sells cels and 80s/90s posters. Kurt will at least accept an offer for lower than the listed price. Rick will not, so what you see is what you're going to pay. He doesn't need to sell them because he makes a lot of cash from the shikishi auctions he runs 2x a year.