Meeting My Maker
Attending this year's AX was Toshihiro Kawamoto, character designer for Cowboy Bebop. Obviously, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend his panel dressed up as Jet Black and later get something autographed. Before the panel, I met up with a Spike, a Faye and an Ed (one of the rare times I've been with a full main cast) and we sat together in the third row. Kawamoto started his panel with an awesome video package of everything studio Bones has worked on from its formation in 2000 to the present and then proceeded to do Q&A for the rest of the panel.
I wasn't trying to draw attention to myself but after a few questions he stopped and started talking to his interpreter and I heard him say "Jetto kosupure" in there and I realized, oh shit, he's talking about me. The interpreter then said Mr. Kawamoto wanted to know if the Jet Black cosplayer's beard was real or not. Big laughs from the crowd and I explained that it's like three different fake beards glued together. There can hardly be a better moment for a cosplayer than that, I think.
Later, I did get my volume 4 of the Bebop DVD (the one with Jet on the cover, natch) signed by him, and again he pointed at my beard and looked very amused/impressed. Too bad his interpreter wasn't there while he was signing so I could tell him how much I admired him, but still, what a great start to the weekend.
UPDATE: Here's a pic of me getting my autograph from Kawamoto.
I wasn't trying to draw attention to myself but after a few questions he stopped and started talking to his interpreter and I heard him say "Jetto kosupure" in there and I realized, oh shit, he's talking about me. The interpreter then said Mr. Kawamoto wanted to know if the Jet Black cosplayer's beard was real or not. Big laughs from the crowd and I explained that it's like three different fake beards glued together. There can hardly be a better moment for a cosplayer than that, I think.
Later, I did get my volume 4 of the Bebop DVD (the one with Jet on the cover, natch) signed by him, and again he pointed at my beard and looked very amused/impressed. Too bad his interpreter wasn't there while he was signing so I could tell him how much I admired him, but still, what a great start to the weekend.
UPDATE: Here's a pic of me getting my autograph from Kawamoto.