The Old School Otaku Lounge

A-kon III I think (or maybe 4). I was generally up in the rooms comandeering daisy chained VHS decks.

Sakura-Con 2000, I wanted to go earlier, when it was known as Baka-Con, but parents wouldn't let me because they thought I'd be kidnapped or something, lol.

Baka!-con 98 was my first real anime convention, too! XD How funny. Before then, I had gone to small comic conventions in Seattle back when Emerald City Comic-con was TEENY!) and scoured the place for anime-related stuff (as well as comics, cuz I liked some American comics as well, still do.) I was just a kid then, though, so I was only able to go for one day. I went to 99 as well (also one day) and starting in 2000 when they changed to Sakura-con, I would go the full weekend every year. I think 08 was my last one, since I moved in 09. Now I go to A-kon as part of the volunteer staff so I can go for free. (Plus I have a lot of friends that go and are also on staff, so that's a big plus.)

Nan Desu Kan 2002. I was only there for a day, and it was kinda underwhelming to me XD It was really small, and there wasn't a ton of things to do while I was there. But there were a few things that stood out. Mari Ijima was a guest, and I got her autograph. I got to see a panel on the history of anime with Crispen Freeman which was fascinating. And I got to see a "Whose Line is it Anyway" style panel with Scott McNiel as one of the actors.

_D_ wrote:Animecon 1992:

Nice!! I have a video with Helen a few years later where we had a little party in the elevator at Anime America '95. But she has been a good friend and awesome person!

It was Otakon 94, but all I really remember is the fake palm trees.

Jen526 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:44 am

Heero wrote:I'm assuming from your comments that you're up in the NE. Have you heard about "The Sangawa Project"?

Oh, wow, no I hadn't heard of that. I'm actually in the Cleveland, OH area, so Pittsburgh is even an easy drive for me.

Thanks for the heads up! I'm definitely going to plan on going over there for a Saturday day-trip at least. *squee*

And I'm glad to see that you're doing the same thing with Ushicon down that way. We grown-ups need to take back our anime cons!

Hahaha, I use to run the Sangawa Project and Tekkoshocon video rooms for a while until I moved into another department and than left when politicians ruined the scene. Don't forget about Tekko 1/2 (became KuroKiiro Festival).