HavoK's eye-view of Anime-Next!
Ok, here's how it all went down this weekend for one of the biggest Anime get togethers of the year, Anime-Next. After FINALLY meeting up with Melissa and T.J. (who sucks :P) at port athority, we get to N.J. (which stinks just as much as I remember it) and after the run around by the good people of the holiday inn, we get our room and drop our stuff and get into the thick of things. The good part about the holiday inn and staying there was the animes were being shown there on the second floor, along with the gaming room, DDR machine for 25 cents, and the CCG room for those who prefer to attack with cards rather than controlling a plumber who can throw fireballs or Voldo's spikey crotch of doom. The Expocenter had the biggest room, well, because that how it was built and it had the dealer's room in it with all sorts of neat stuff for sale. But the only thing that caught my eye was the selling of the replica of Sora's necklace from Kingdom Hearts. For $20 it seemed right, but if you read my last few posts, you would know like myself, I was not getting it....and I didn't :( Saturday came and it was the biggest day of the 3 day con. With all sorts of tournaments in both video gaming and Yugioh, the Masqarade skits and the Rave at the end of the night, all seemed going well....until fate had something else in mind for me. Someone brought to the con a replica of TV's Batmobile and it stole a lot of attention from what was going on inside the expo. It was at this time I met Wayne Grayson up close and personal. (For those not keeping track) He does the voices of Joey Wheeler in yugioh and Syrus and Prof. Banner in YGX. Earlier in the day, I attended a panel on how to break into voice acting and he was one of the guest speakers. After following him and his friends back to the Holiday inn, (yes the very same I we were staying at....one floor below us) I spoke to the guy who was helping him, I guess security, around the con. I was hoping to speak to Wayne himself, I chose after the autograph signing he was going to be at on sunday. Yugioh tournament came and went as I went farther than the other guys that I knew (Kevin,yuri,nate....he got screwed from what he told me and I believe him and Kevin played a real tough opponet) got to the 4th round and I collapsed....the lack of AC in that room of the embassy hotel played a factor in my opinion. anyways, sunday came and we had to check out of our room that we did not want to leave. The funniest was watching the Cosplay Chess game, good and funny stuff. I got Mr. Grayson to sign my Jinzo, Red Eyes, Scapegoat, all my roid machine cards, Power Bond, and Time Wizard (NO SKULL BABY!) I asked him if I could borrow a few mintues to talk to him and he agreed. What a nice man! I spoke to him about it's been years since I've cared about a cartoon/anime and everything that happens to it's characters in years. I'm talking orginal Transformers and the Bionic 6 here people. I asked him for more personal advice and he led me in the right direction and gave me sagely advice. After that, we hopped on the bus going into NY and we went our separate ways from there. Me and Melissa ate at Tad's steaks and got on the train bound for home. The only thinkg I regret not doing was watching Kenny's skit "Aqua Teen Naruto Force" which I heard was hysterical. Good stuff and good times were had by all, well....except for big nate who I heard broke his ankle while at said con. Here's to him getting well soon! I just got home yesterday, but we're all talking about next year's con and who we want to cosplay as. Who knows, but you never know what will happen a year from now. I hope everyone who went this year goes next year, with the addition of one special person added to our ranks. You guys made it fun for me and I wanna go back!!!!! We have 363 days to plan....so....START PLANNING!