The Ai-Kon Experience

Ai-Kon: An animé convention held in Winnipeg in between the months of summer vacation.

For years, I've loyally attended this ritual, diving into an ocean of otaku, some good, some bad, and some ugly, for the sake of self-confirming my nerdiness. Each year has brought less and less to the table, or so it seemed to me, but this year was definitely something unforgettable!

This year, for the first time in Ai-Kon history, we caught ourselves some live American (well, English) VAs!!

Here's a snapshot I've finally obtained due to great buddies:

From left: Vic Mignogna, Justin, Greg Ayres, Matsuro, Whistblitz, (I forgot his name >_<), and Michelle. Yes, that's me with the Burning Eyes. Just call me Shakugan no Matsuro.

Just so you know:

Greg Ayres

and

Vic Mignogna

These guys taught me an important lesson in the fansubbing industry. Well basically, to put it into the exact words printed on Greg's shirt: Fansubbing Kills Anime. Simple as that, I suppose. This line is what kills my soul, though...

During the autograph sessions, (Y'know. Somewhere amongst the 6 they held,) Whistblitz and I bought some box sets for them to sign; us being the first in line to have Greg sign the BECK amplifier box set, thus crowning us "The BECK Crew", and having Vic sign me FMA box set!

I god was I broke!! But it was worth the $200!!!

Ironic, isn't it? That they become guest speakers against fansubbing in a convention that plays 100% fansubbed, downloaded anime?

Someone? Anyone? Well, I thought it was funny.

But besides the infomercial that is my post, there were other things going on in the convention.

-Anime: I'm just a little disappointed that they've only shown a total of 5 anime series from the Fall and Spring seasons...And with that, NO HARUHI!!! That's like attending a Disney Land and not seeing Mickey Mouse!! A world that should not be!!

-Gaming: The same old games people play for competition, Smash Melee, Wii games, DDR...Narutimate Hero 4 was a great game. Unfortunately, I only have up to 3, and haven't played it in almost a year. *Jeez, some gamers are just cheap pricks. I've had my share of horrible losses during my first attempt to play a game, Starting with Soul Calibur 2. (If I ever find that overcoat bastard....) Well, couldn't say I lost the Naruto one. The one who tried to maul me ended up getting his own ass handed to him on a silver platter…With a gold spoon.

-Cosplay: People dressed very true to the characters they were trying to represent. Too bad I'm too lazy to make a costume, yet genius enough to tell people what to do to improve certain qualities. Some people went as far as to special order sharingan / byakugan contacts, and ended up front page in the newspaper!! (You know who I'm talking about!!)

Overall, the VAs were the prime reason I've enjoyed myself so much there. I got to hang with Greg, and he even dubbed me and my friend Whistblitz 'The BECK Crew", so guess what we're gonna cosplay as next year?

(Too bad I've never seen BECK before...I have to watch it someday...