Daijoubu

I got up very early to head to New Jersey for Anime Next, so if I’m not coherent, its because I’m very tired. I arrived at the Meadowlands Exposition Center to discover a moderately long line for Pre-Reg and a shorter line for Non-Pre-Reg (I got in the second line). The wait was not bad at all and I was amused by a guy behind me who was really talkative (in a loud voice) who kept asking everyone he met, whether they were in costume or not, who they were supposed to be. I don’t think he’d seen much anime, because he couldn’t correctly identify any costumes (LOL) and kept pointing and asking, “Are you a Pokemon trainer?” (RFLMAO). So how did the day go? Please read on for some more info and pics…

After getting my badge I was ready to move into my hotel room and eat something. The con was pretty dead at that point, except for cosplayers, and the Dealers Room didn’t open until 1:00 PM. Next (surprise surprise) I met up with Hinano & JP (they are very interesting people who have blogs and, perhaps even more important these days, play Pangya and RO). They told me there was already a huge line for the Dealers Room that started in the basement (where the Artists Alley was also placed this year, deep in a cavernous dungeon). I followed them to lunch (like a Poring cute pet following its master in Ragnarok Online, although my cute pet is actually a Drops named Dango, but more on that later) and then back to the con, where we could now easily enter and explore the dealers room.

The dealers had the usual stuff. I was particularly interested in figures of Kyou and Nagisa from Clannad, but held off for the moment. I did notice an increase in the number and variety of Haruhi related figures.

But something else got me very excited. Hinano’s quick eye spotted two amazing finds for Korean online game addicts. First, a collection of plushies of monsters from RO (I got the Drops, which doubles as a screen wipe thinggy) to match my pet in the game (named Dango, as mentioned above). Next she spotted some Pangya keychanes! I got the one of Kooh with Papel. What amazing findz!!

We wondered around to a few lame panels, marveled at some screaming Narutards with yaoi paddles, ate dinner and went to a Reborn cosplay meeting (where I took pictures of the group with her expensive super cell phone camera thing that I held like a precious treasure; if she posts these pictures, you may marvel at the amazing skill of an expert cosplay photographer!) After that, JP and Hinano left for their bus and I ran back to the Dealers room to get the Kyou figure I wanted (and a Haruhi one thrown in for good measure). And that was basically it. Not the most amazing con experience, but whatever. So look at some more pics!!!

In what may be a sad commentary on anime cons and fandom in general, I leave you with this image of crushed pocky on the con’s concrete floor…