My First Otafest Aurora - Part 2

As mentioned in Part 1 of My First Otafest Aurora, it has been a few years since I attended an anime convention in Calgary. There was a lot to see and do. Unfortunately, it was impossible to see everything, so choices had to be made.

Messy Ramune at the Otafest Aurora Maid Cafe

I hooked up with my friends Poohkiez and Krimson Gray to check out the Maid Cafe at around 1:30 p.m.  Along the way, we ran into Index, so of course I (as in Misaka) had to have my picture taken with her:

Index looks so happy that Misaka is about to fire off a railgun. Photo by C. Kohl.

We sat with four people from Medicine Hat. Half of us ordered the Ramune Combo, while the other half ordered the Deluxe:

It was their first time to try Ramune. When I demonstrated how to push the marble in, I made a big mess. Perhaps I shouldn't have demonstrated with so much gusto? I still have to give my camera a deep cleaning! >_<

The desserts were delicious, however. Afterwards, we made crafts. Good times.

Later, Krimson said, "I miss the dance routine from Main but the space wasn't there." He echoed my sentiment when he said: "There should be a rule that they have at least one trap. The cross dressing maid guy just makes any Meido Café feel complete."

THWOMP Hosts 'How Do You Cover Video Game Music?'

THWOMP delved into music nerd land by discussing the evolution of video game music, as well as the process of transforming 8- and 16- bit music into a rock band arrangement. It was fascinating to hear about how the retro game composers had to get creative scoring with only four channels.

In early games, the same track that was used for percussion was also used for sound effects. That explains why the drums cut out once in a while.

Originally, video game music had to be transcribed by ear, pencil and paper. It was a time consuming process. Now, music can be transcribed with the aid of a music emulator.

On the Photo Booth and Wandering Aimlessly

I had to run to the Cosplay Pageant Awards. They were just giving out the Best Group Award when I arrived. The judges commented on how impressed they were that all entrants worked on their costumes. Not a single entry was a ready-made costume. Congrats to all the winners!

Afterwards, I wound up at the Christmas Cosplay Photo Booth. I had a delightful chat with a crossplaying loli. He had a tough time finding his swanky white boots.

There, I also met Lag from Letter Bee:

I was told that "Lag's" sister made the costume in under a month. Putting the bee insignia on the cap was the most time consuming part. Lag gave me a cute letter.

Aka Maple took the photos at the Cosplay Booth. I can't wait to see mine. The photographer informed me that everyone's photos will be posted on Otafest's Facebook Page.

The Otafest Mixer and Mingler (A.K.A. "speed dating") got off to a slow start. The room was packed with much younger folk than I, with no drinks in sight.  Hopefully, the drinks weren't too far behind. I, however, decided to keep moving.

Next stop: An Introduction to Ballroom Dancing. That was pretty popular too.

Back to THWOMP for the THWIMP Jam Session. The band took some requests and gave a sampler of group's upcoming CD. The new album will be released in the spring.

I left early to catch "How to Survive Cons", which unfortunately, was cancelled. I asked Gareth Lypka, Otafest Public Relations, about it. Either the notice was posted after I left or the information didn't get to organizers in time. Gareth explained further: "The majority of our panels are run by our fans and this sometimes they bail on us. We are usually pretty on top of making sure the schedule is updated but sometimes there are misses. It's just a part of running a event." He added, "The majority of our panelists are pretty dedicated to their craft and are very reliable."

The Otafest Aurora Gala and Eating in the Dark

Krimson and I stuck around for the Gala and bit Poohkiez good night. We made some new friends over a great discussion about various facets of otaku culture. In the dark. The lighting was extremely dim. Most of my tablemates and I took a photo of our plate to help identify where everything was on the plate.

Perhaps, had the lighting been better, we would have noticed that someone stole our Kiku's entire place setting. It was all sorted out in the end.

Dessert, tea and coffee was served in the lobby while organizers transformed the hall into a dance floor. We wound up chatting more than dancing.

Here is the video from the Otafest Aurora Cosplay Showcase by OTL Productions:

Otafest Aurora - The Verdict

Organization, for the most part, was really good. Two of my companions reported that the on-site registration was "easy". Both Krimson and I pre-registered, so it was really easy for us. My guess is that Del arrived later than the rest of us and got caught in a wave.

I liked how the events were spread out over five floors. That was done to minimize crowding issues. However, my companions and I all noted that the Vendor Room and Artists' Alley were congested throughout the day. We agreed that it would be nice to have larger area for these places in future conventions.

Poohkiez summed it up nicely: "I liked the fact that there were a variety of presentations and things to do, from anime to 'So you want to go to Japan' to the Maid Cafe to the Gala."

Perhaps Del has voiced the sentiments of several otaku: "It would be great if the convention was just a bit longer," she said. "One day conventions are a bit too short and sweet for my taste. If it were longer, it would provide more for the attendees to do and frankly, I believe it would generate more interest in the con overall."

All in all, Otafest Aurora was a great anime convention in Calgary. Short and sweet.

Part 1 of My First Otafest Aurora | My Otafest Aurora Review on Examiner.com | My Otafest Aurora Photo Album

Getting Excited for Otafest Aurora 2013

It's been a couple of years since I've attended an anime convention in Alberta (life gets in the way of serious geeking out, sometimes). So I was quite excited to hear about some of the events planned for Otafest Aurora 2013 (formerly "Otafest Lite"), which takes place on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at the University of Calgary's downtown campus.

For instance, I don't recall there ever being a gala at this Calgary anime convention, complete with dinner and entertainment. With it costing $40 for the Otafest Aurora Gala, I have a feeling that there will be a good chance of geeking out with my contemporaries. The Otafest Mixer and Mingler and an Introduction to Ballroom Dancing are other new-to-me events.

Special guests Andrea Libman (My Little Pony, DragonTales, The New Adventures of Madeline) and Tabitha St. Germain (My Little Pony, Death Note, Barbie Thumelina) will be hosting a session on voice acting and will be available for autographs. My pals from the Nintendo cover band THWOMP will be performing and hosting a panel. The timing is wonderful, seeing as they are currently recording their latest album and will have new music and experiences to share.

There are also staple events for Otafest, Otafest Aurora and other anime conventions, such as the cosplay contest, AMV's, the vendor room, improv, video games and Otafest Idol. Then of course, there are anime viewings.

Tickets for this one-day Calgary anime convention are $20 festival admission and $60 for festival admission plus Gala pass.  For Otafest Aurora's complete schedule, map and tickets, head to Otafest's website. I'll be reviewing this Calgary event on Examiner.com. それを楽しみにしてください!

An Otaku's Guide to Buying Japanese Pop Culture Merchandise

A sampling of places otaku can buy apparel, Jpop, Jrock, geta, bento boxes, plushies, anime figures and other Japanese entertainment merchandise.

For some otaku, anime and manga are just the beginning of their fascination-obsession with Japanese pop culture. Whether it's Glico Pocky or Japanese ear cleaners, there is a plethora of Japanese merchandise that otaku can purchase locally or online. This is a selection of what I have tracked down in my searches as well as places I have shopped at.

Shopping for Japanese Entertainment Merchandise in North America

Chain bookstores such as Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble and Powell's Bookstore stock a variety of manga and graphic novels. These stores carry most of the popular titles, including Bleach, Chobits and Naruto.Larger city centers also have independent comic and hobby stores that sell anime, manga, figures and other toys. The following are some anime-related stores in North America:

1. Kinokuniya Bookstores are found in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand,Taiwan and the USA (California, New York, Oregon and Washington). Kinokuniya carries CD's and videos by popular Japanese artists and bands such as Arashi, Yui and Rie Fu.

2. Shirokiya (Honolulu, HI) is a Japanese department store in Ala Moana Center. Otaku can find a wide variety of merchandise, including kimonos, geta, Jpop and Jrock CD's, sake sets and food.

3. Konbiniya Japan Centre (Vancouver, BC) carries a wide selection of Japanese products, including Japanese DVDs, drinks, food, karaoke, kitchenware, manga and snacks.

4. Broadcast Entertainment and Fantasia (Markham, ON) carries anime DVD's, CD's, key chains, bags and other knick-knacks. There is a wide assortment of Helly Kitty merchandise, such as pencil cases and wallets.

Buy Anime, Manga and Video Game Merchandise at Anime Conventions

The Dealer Room, also referred to as the Vendor Room or Exhibitors' Hall, is a mecca for anime fangirls and fanboys. Large anime cons can draw hundreds of exhibitors. For instance, Anime North (Toronto, ON) had over 200 tables of merchandise at its 2010 convention, while Sakura Con (Seattle, WA) had more than 100 vendor booths.At anime and comic conventions, enthusiasts can purchase everything from cosplay accessories, anime DVD's, Jpop CD's, video games, plushies, bags, manga, light novels and figures. The Artists' Alley sells anime-themed posters, bookmarks, comics and buttons drawn by emerging and established artists. Popular series such as Bleach, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist and Hetalia Axis Powers are popular sellers.

Shopping Online for Japanese Apparel, Music, DVD's, Manga and More

This is a short list of reputable online stores that sell legal anime-related and Japanese entertainment merchandise:

1. Animenation (Tampa, FL): Founded in 1995, Animenation has over 8,000 products and gets 15 million page views per month. Bestsellers include Bleach manga and DVD's, Soul Eater DVD's, Samurai Champloo action figures and the Appleseed EX Machina figure. Ships worldwide.

2. CDJapan (Tokyo, Japan): Founded in 1997, CDJapan, sells a wide selection of the hottest Jpop and Jrock by artists such as GACKT, BoA, Do as Infinity and Kanon. CDJapan also sells anime OST music and singles from popular anime such as Macross Frontier and Soul Eater, as well as apparel, books, magazine, figures, collectibles and games. Ships worldwide.

3. J-List (Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan): Founded in 1996, J-List now serves 200,000 customers worldwide. J-List also has a North American office in San Diego, CA. Thousands of products are available, from magazines to cosplay, calendars to t-shirts and more. Popular items include the Saori Hara Special DVD Box Set, Tsumugi Kotobuki Figma Action Figure from K-ON!, and Shirokuma Ice Cream Drops. J-List has a separate area for adult material. J-Box is a special section for shoppers under the age of 18.

4. Right Stuf Inc. (Grimes, IA): Founded in 1997, Right Stuf is an online anime superstore which sells a wide selection of anime merchandise anime DVD's, manga, games, bags, plushies, wall scrolls and other collectibles. Popular sellers include the Ouran High School Host Club Hunny's Rabbit Plush Bag, Tsundere Tribute Japanese t-shirt and the Tsubasa Necklace: Sakura Feather

5. Yesasia (Hong Kong, Japan, Korea): Founded in 1998, Yesasia has been ranked in the Top 50 and Top 500 Lists for Top Retailer Websites. Yesasia sells anime, movies, plushies, models, electronics and models from popular anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and the Gundam series.

When shopping online, shoppers should buy from retailers with a solid reputation, good customer service and a satisfactory returns policy. For more information about online shopping, read the Consumer Guide to Internet Shopping.

Otaku Customer Reflections

In my pursuit of otaku goodies, I have shopped at anime conventions, at local stores and online. If you have a chance to go to Shirokiya in Hawaii, you won't be disappointed. Three floors of Japanese culture. I could have spent hours in there!

As for the online stores, I have shopped at CD Japan, Animenation and JList. All three have a wide selection of anime, cosplay and manga products. Orders are quickly filled and the quality of the products are high.

From hoodies to Gundam models and from Hiragana flash cards to cosplay caps, there are numerous places for anime, manga, gamers and geeks to get their "Japanese fix". Local bookstores, anime conventions and Internet retailers offer countless items to suit otaku of all ages and interests. References:

J!-ENT: Sakura Con 2010 was Another Huge Success.

The Asunaro Club's Guide to Japanese Music: Where to Buy Japanese Music.