Otakuthon 2018 thread

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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So I'm back from Otakuthon 2018 guys



Anyway I'm here to talk about the fun time I had with my buddies at the con. First day was probably the best, not too many people, had some of the best panels of the convention, and I got to look at the poor saps who decided not to spend the 10$ on shipping convention passes (this year they added that option, was great, took me 5 minutes to get my convention bag, and that would have been shorter but they had to get more boxes brought out because they'd been giving them out too fast). Though I think the attack in Toronto had people spooked, since this year we didn't just have the convention centre's security at all entrances and on patrol, but also police cadets as well.

The convention also had better handling this year, they added a new check in system at all 3 entrances where you just tap your badge when entering/leaving, was a much better handling then previous years. They also had premium badges that came with a few pieces of merchandise, a priority line for signatures/concerts, and a ticket for each of the concerts during the event. Wasn't worth 200$ to me since I don't go to the concerts, but if you're into them it's worth the cost.

Was also nice that I went the whole weekend without leaving the building outside of my car. The convention centre has an underground parking and the whole event is in a single building, and there's a cafe on the 7th floor, so I never had to leave the nice, AC's building once.





God I ate too much pork curry and caramel pudding. Only real downside was they where not service Korokke this year and the bubble tea tasted off.

I think I may have spent more money on food then swag this year, had my smallest swag haul form any convention I've ever been too (granted it was in significant part due to the dreaded words "cash only", but still).



2 Fakku books: 50$
1 imported doujinshi: 25$
1 Rem bean plush: 50$
2 card holding neck things: 0$ (one came with my Fakku purchases, other came from asking a question at a Funimation pannel)
Both seasons of AJin on BluRay: 0$ (HiDive was giving away 24 bluray sets for the first 24 people to show up at their booth who either started a free trial on their service or had an account already. As someone who has an active subscription to them, I got this. Wasn't what I was hoping I'd get, but at least it's one I didn't already have)

Total haul: 125$, a full 350$ less then the least I've ever spent at a convention on this type of stuff

The convention overall was pretty fun. Went to about a dozen panels, watched some good AMVs and parodies in the big screening room (the largest screening room has enough seats for about a thousand people, during the peak of the AMV contest it becomes standing room only), the hard core hentai screening was funny as always (same room, a good 600-800 people are always there when it starts, it's quite the experience, from the rape chants to the aplaud and cheers when a climax is reached, it's something you can't understand unless you've been there). Plus the games in the gaming room where fun as always, only real letdown was that there where so few VAs who did work on stuff I own, only got about a dozen shows/movies signed as a result.

The whole convention was a blast as always, and I got to see plenty of people I rarely get to meet up with irl these days.

Also this guy had the best cosplay.



Yes, that's a functioning Sega Daytona 500 arcade machine cosplay, and the guy was letting people play it. So did anyone else go? Anyone else go to another convention during the weekend? Gencon was on after all (though unfortunately some soiboi wannabe tough guy attacked Jeremy for no reason, which kind of sours the mood).
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
 

Marik2

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Nov 10, 2009
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Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
What's the most autistic con you've ever been to?
 

Samtemdo8_v1legacy

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Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
What's the most autistic con you've ever been to?
 

Zeraki

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I think the last anime convention I went to was Otakon in 2004(I was 18 at the time... gods I feel old).

One of the things I remember in particular was they had an MST3K style show where they were riffing on an anime movie the name of which escapes me. All I remember was a line where someone said "So we're watching people watch TV". To which the other guy said "Well how do you think the audience feels"? Which got a pretty big laugh from the audience.

I actually almost bought a PSX copy of Grandia there(at the time I had only played the second game), but it was the Japanese version so I just passed on it.
 

Marik2

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Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
Did you cosplay?
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Samtemdo8 said:
50$ fucking dollars for PORN BOOKS?!

Fuck that shit :p
50$ Canadian, for 2.

Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
What's the most autistic con you've ever been to?
There's only 3 conventions I've gone to and only 2 of them regularly (Anime North and Otakuthon regularly, G-Anime once). If I had to answer I'd say that Otakuthon has more autism, but Anime North has it more concentrated in one location. Otakuthon all happens in a single building, while Anime North has its concerts and big shows in one building, the exhibition hall, autographs and tabletop area in another, the panels and screenings in a hotel across the street from them, video gaming in a hotel a half mile away (that has a shuttle bus constantly going back and forth between them), and the yaoithon and yurithon contained in another hotel next to that one.

The different subgroups are kept apart at Anime North while at Otakuthon we all need to go through the same 3 entrances.
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
Did you cosplay?
Yes I did, cosplayed on Saturday and that's all you're getting out of me because I'm not letting anyone get information that'll allow them to figure out what my face looks like.
 

Marik2

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Nov 10, 2009
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Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
Did you cosplay?
Yes I did, cosplayed on Saturday and that's all you're getting out of me because I'm not letting anyone get information that'll allow them to figure out what my face looks like.
That's a shame. Anyways, I'm at 4chan and half are speaking in French and the other half are complaining.
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
Did you cosplay?
Yes I did, cosplayed on Saturday and that's all you're getting out of me because I'm not letting anyone get information that'll allow them to figure out what my face looks like.
That's a shame. Anyways, I'm at 4chan and half are speaking in French and the other half are complaining.
Well Quebec is 80% francophone so that's to be expected. Quite a few panels tend to be in French, and about half the screenings have french subs rather then English ones. On /cgl/ it has always punched below its weight due to being predominately French attendees. The handlers for the VIPs often have to act as translators, and hell even I had to repeat myself a few times since despite being a native English speaker, Texans tend to have trouble with the Anglo Quebecois accent.
 

Marik2

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Nov 10, 2009
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Samtemdo8 said:
Marik2 said:
Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
How autistic was the place?
Not too bad, I only spent about an hour in the tabletop area and that's where they tend to gravitate towards, and that area has always been cornered off in one way or another (in years past it was on the 7th floor next to the concert area, last year was on the 2nd floor between the autograph area and the concert area, this year was sandwiched between the exhibition hall and concert area)
What's the most autistic con you've ever been to?
There should be more riots at cons.
 

Silentpony_v1legacy

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Jun 5, 2013
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Cons are still a thing?!? It hasn't been 2009 in at least a few years...jeez, what's left for people to become fans of?! Avatar? Whatever the fuck Dragon Ball is doing these days? God help us, Game of thrones?!
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Silentpony said:
Cons are still a thing?!? It hasn't been 2009 in at least a few years...jeez, what's left for people to become fans of?! Avatar? Whatever the fuck Dragon Ball is doing these days? God help us, Game of thrones?!
Oh yeah, the great recession kulled a lot of conventions, but those that survived have been thriving. Anime Expo has surpassed 100,000 attendees, and Anime North has around 30k.
 

Marik2

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Silentpony said:
Cons are still a thing?!? It hasn't been 2009 in at least a few years...jeez, what's left for people to become fans of?! Avatar? Whatever the fuck Dragon Ball is doing these days? God help us, Game of thrones?!
They've always been a thing. They're used as a Halloween party, social gathering, and to sell nerd merchandise.
 

meiam

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How packed was it? Keep thinking about going but I don't really feel like paying 25$ to be squeezed between a bunch of people to maybe buy some stuff that I don't really need (plus I'm pretty sure I'll bankrupt myself buying gunpla).
 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Marik2 said:
Silentpony said:
Cons are still a thing?!? It hasn't been 2009 in at least a few years...jeez, what's left for people to become fans of?! Avatar? Whatever the fuck Dragon Ball is doing these days? God help us, Game of thrones?!
They've always been a thing. They're used as a Halloween party, social gathering, and to sell nerd merchandise.
They do sell some nerd merchandise, but a lot of it is funkopops, lots and lots of funkopops. Fuck funkopops,they're a fucking cancer that is killing nerdom. They look garish, they're a ripoff for what they are, they all look the same and I'm pretty sure 80% of the reason people even buy them is because they're the beanie babies of our time.

nendoroids by all right should be the bottom tier of figurines, but no, funkopops make even them look good by comparison.

 

Zontar

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Feb 18, 2013
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Meiam said:
How packed was it? Keep thinking about going but I don't really feel like paying 25$ to be squeezed between a bunch of people to maybe buy some stuff that I don't really need (plus I'm pretty sure I'll bankrupt myself buying gunpla).
It's not that packed, it's only about 3 years ago they even got to the point of renting out the entire building (before that about a third to half the exhibition hall was rented by another event). Montreal ComicCon had around 60,000 people this year, by comparison Otakuthon had only around 22,000 people in the same building. The lobby on the 2nd floor gets pretty packed on Saturday due to all the cosplayers and people taking pictures, but otherwise it isn't that crowded. Though if you're going to go, trust me, the 10$ for badge mailout is well worth it. Thursday, Friday morning and Saturday morning is guaranteed to set you back at least an hour or two if you preregister and wait in line. The at-the-door registration line is next to nothing, but the difference in cost between prereg and at the door is about 10$, so may as well secure your badge and only have to wait in the line for a bag at the end.

Also bring plenty of money for gunpla, there are a lot of very good quality sets being sold.

Edit: so preregistration is 55$ for the 3 days, while 1 day passes are only available at the door. 40$ for Friday or Sunday, 50$ for Saturday. Sounds bad but the cheapest option for a 3 day pass to Montreal comic con is 90$ unless you're between ages 6 to 12 (which is only 20$). I assume 5 and under are free (not that anyone should bring kids that young to a convention, but they do, they always do)
 

Saelune

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Zontar said:
Marik2 said:
Silentpony said:
Cons are still a thing?!? It hasn't been 2009 in at least a few years...jeez, what's left for people to become fans of?! Avatar? Whatever the fuck Dragon Ball is doing these days? God help us, Game of thrones?!
They've always been a thing. They're used as a Halloween party, social gathering, and to sell nerd merchandise.
They do sell some nerd merchandise, but a lot of it is funkopops, lots and lots of funkopops. Fuck funkopops,they're a fucking cancer that is killing nerdom. They look garish, they're a ripoff for what they are, they all look the same and I'm pretty sure 80% of the reason people even buy them is because they're the beanie babies of our time.

nendoroids by all right should be the bottom tier of figurines, but no, funkopops make even them look good by comparison.

Throw that on the tiny pile of things we agree on.


I really want that Nendroid of N from Pok?mon Black/White.