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Posts posted by texside
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It was great to be back at Otakon and see everyone again. This marked 10 years of Otakon for me and getting to do it meant a lot. It was also nice to just do something.
The Good
- People mostly wore their masks. I felt more or less safe -- though I'm vaccinated, don't live with anyone immunocompromised, and I had an N95 for the weekend. I thought Otakon and the WEWC staff did a good job of enforcing things. There were some times people didn't; I don't think 100% enforcement is possible, but I thought it was about as good as it could be. I am looking forward to when people don't have to treat attending an anime con as a calculated risk, though.
- The Discotek Panel was wild. My first one, and it was very memorable! That Gunbuster announcement is already a very fond memory.
- I really enjoyed the Sword Lesbians in Anime, Anime From 1991, and Retro Game Challenge by Gameshow Impossibru/Manly Battleships. Those were some very fun panels and very memorable.
- The Studio Trigger cosplay photoshoot was such fun.
- While some old standbys were gone from the Dealer's Room... the Lunar Toy Store and the Japanese import booth were both fantastic and I believe new. I found some really great things at both.
The Bad
- The line out of the Marriott. It looked scary. I didn't stay in that hotel, but coming back from a cosplay photoshoot was pretty harrowing.
- A lot of old standbys in the Dealer's Room weren't there -- I missed Kinokuniya, a video game store from New York, and then booths by Right Stuf, Nozomi, and other industry types. I was sad to see them not there at all. I realize this might be COVID in general.
- Chinatown took a hit. So many closed places. Here's hoping new ones will come along.
The Ugly
- I'm glad Wild Bill's Soda is there... in other years. Having a way for people to regularly pull their mask down for a drink -- and congregate in one area -- made me a little nervous.
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I don't think we know (yet); I am not sure if we will, as the finances may be a little hard to put a number to depending on what can be negotiated, what goes right, and what goes wrong.
But here's hoping! I donated. I'd gladly buy things if there's a fundraiser -- like an art package or anything else they can get together.
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Unison Square Garden.
...
Okay, Yoshiyuki Tomino, too.
A guy can dream.
Otakon 2021: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
in Post Otakon 2021
Posted
Yeah, that makes sense! I definitely wasn't going to this year. I like the idea, though. The sodas seemed tasty too.