Kumori 2005 Con Report
Just got back from Kumori Con last night. Even after sleeping in till noon, I'm still tired, but fortunately I've got that con "buzz" keeping me awake. Anyway, here's my report of all the excitement and drama that went down this weekend.
Technically the story begins sometime this past spring, when I started working on my costumes. For those who don't know, I went as Chichiri (Fushigi Yuugi), Xellos (Slayers) and Blue (Wolf's Rain). I finally finished all of them at about 1am on the night before the con, in typical Maura fashion (I've never been known to do anything that wasn't completed at the last second).
My sister lucrezia03 came as well; she cosplayed as Mitsukake (Fushigi Yuugi), Zelgadis (Slayers) and Hige (Wolf's Rain). We live out in Battle Ground, Washington, about an hour from Portland, so we got up at 7am on Saturday and left around eight to meet up with my friend Teal who was rooming with us. Teal's costumes were Gabrielle and the Mad Hatter (Angel Sanctuary) and Sanzo (Saiyuki). We got to the con around 9, where my sister, Rose, and I who, like well-prepared con-goers who had pre-registered, had to wait in line for about thirty minutes while Teal zipped through the ridiculously short line for people who hadn't bothered with the pre-reg nonsense.
My friend Nick was there as well, cosplaying as Kenshin (although he spent most of the day wandering around stabbing people). (Follow the link and scroll down a little ways to find him).
We attended a number of panels the first day, including Elizabeth Dean's Cosplay tips, which was helpful and gave us the inspiration to actually participate in the Cosplay Contest (but more on that later). Joshua Seth's Comedy Hypnosis show was that night, and it was absolutely hilarious. Seth brought a number of audience members up on stage, including Chris of Bakazoku and Greg Dean from Real Life Comics, and proceeded to hypnotize them. I for one will NEVER get the Six Flags song, or the image of Chris dancing to it, out of mind. Ever.
So we spent that night and most of Sunday preparing for the Cosplay contest. We decided to perform a skit, which we collaborated on (although I did most of the writing), called a "Year of Cosplay". It basically was a re-enactment of some of the really horrible things that happened to us as cosplayers; such as a thread snapping when you've almost finished hand-sewing something, having to spend outrageous amounts of money at Jo-ann's and going into a panic because it's the night before the con and your wig still hasn't arrived.
There was a mix up with the actual contest though; we had been late getting to the Cosplay pre-meet that morning, and as a result had missed out on hearing about the rules. We thought we were supposed to wait in the room where the cosplay contest was taking place before we performed ourselves, which is actually against the rules. We found out later that we were supposed to be in the green room the entire time, and ended up getting disqualified. Elizabeth Dean and some of the other judges told us later that we were up for getting the Best of Show award, and they actually didn't give the award out to anyone because the couldn't pick anyone else.
So really, despite all the drama, it was fun just participating, and I feel good knowing that the judges liked our costumes and skit so much. It would be nice if the Cosplay rules and expectations could be handed out to anyone who enters in the contest, so as to avoid any situations like ours in the future, though.
Anyway, once again the Bakazoku guys where the heart and soul of the con; it was impossible to go anywhere in the con without hearing the word "Butternut" or encounter someone humming that six flags song. Their panel was hilarious, and I'm glad they plan on coming back again next year. The Dating Game was a lot of fun also, as was the dance.
So after everything that went on Sunday, Monday was wonderfully laid-back by comparison. We did our own mini photo shoot in the park and over at the Lloyd Center Mall, and finished up our con-going experience by going out to dinner at Koji's (which has fantastic food).
All in all, it was a great convention, and hopefully I'll be able to attend next year as well (although I may be in Japan by then). If not, there's always 2008; but attending Kumori Con is quickly becoming a tradition that I look forward to every year.
Thanks!
-Nimue/Maura
Technically the story begins sometime this past spring, when I started working on my costumes. For those who don't know, I went as Chichiri (Fushigi Yuugi), Xellos (Slayers) and Blue (Wolf's Rain). I finally finished all of them at about 1am on the night before the con, in typical Maura fashion (I've never been known to do anything that wasn't completed at the last second).
My sister lucrezia03 came as well; she cosplayed as Mitsukake (Fushigi Yuugi), Zelgadis (Slayers) and Hige (Wolf's Rain). We live out in Battle Ground, Washington, about an hour from Portland, so we got up at 7am on Saturday and left around eight to meet up with my friend Teal who was rooming with us. Teal's costumes were Gabrielle and the Mad Hatter (Angel Sanctuary) and Sanzo (Saiyuki). We got to the con around 9, where my sister, Rose, and I who, like well-prepared con-goers who had pre-registered, had to wait in line for about thirty minutes while Teal zipped through the ridiculously short line for people who hadn't bothered with the pre-reg nonsense.
My friend Nick was there as well, cosplaying as Kenshin (although he spent most of the day wandering around stabbing people). (Follow the link and scroll down a little ways to find him).
We attended a number of panels the first day, including Elizabeth Dean's Cosplay tips, which was helpful and gave us the inspiration to actually participate in the Cosplay Contest (but more on that later). Joshua Seth's Comedy Hypnosis show was that night, and it was absolutely hilarious. Seth brought a number of audience members up on stage, including Chris of Bakazoku and Greg Dean from Real Life Comics, and proceeded to hypnotize them. I for one will NEVER get the Six Flags song, or the image of Chris dancing to it, out of mind. Ever.
So we spent that night and most of Sunday preparing for the Cosplay contest. We decided to perform a skit, which we collaborated on (although I did most of the writing), called a "Year of Cosplay". It basically was a re-enactment of some of the really horrible things that happened to us as cosplayers; such as a thread snapping when you've almost finished hand-sewing something, having to spend outrageous amounts of money at Jo-ann's and going into a panic because it's the night before the con and your wig still hasn't arrived.
There was a mix up with the actual contest though; we had been late getting to the Cosplay pre-meet that morning, and as a result had missed out on hearing about the rules. We thought we were supposed to wait in the room where the cosplay contest was taking place before we performed ourselves, which is actually against the rules. We found out later that we were supposed to be in the green room the entire time, and ended up getting disqualified. Elizabeth Dean and some of the other judges told us later that we were up for getting the Best of Show award, and they actually didn't give the award out to anyone because the couldn't pick anyone else.
So really, despite all the drama, it was fun just participating, and I feel good knowing that the judges liked our costumes and skit so much. It would be nice if the Cosplay rules and expectations could be handed out to anyone who enters in the contest, so as to avoid any situations like ours in the future, though.
Anyway, once again the Bakazoku guys where the heart and soul of the con; it was impossible to go anywhere in the con without hearing the word "Butternut" or encounter someone humming that six flags song. Their panel was hilarious, and I'm glad they plan on coming back again next year. The Dating Game was a lot of fun also, as was the dance.
So after everything that went on Sunday, Monday was wonderfully laid-back by comparison. We did our own mini photo shoot in the park and over at the Lloyd Center Mall, and finished up our con-going experience by going out to dinner at Koji's (which has fantastic food).
All in all, it was a great convention, and hopefully I'll be able to attend next year as well (although I may be in Japan by then). If not, there's always 2008; but attending Kumori Con is quickly becoming a tradition that I look forward to every year.
Thanks!
-Nimue/Maura