What must the citizens of Baltimore think...

[MissV 0]

I wouldn't be too hostile to us Baltimore folk.

I've only ever had a person ask me what was going on once in...2001. Most of the people I talk too around the city (before or after Otakon) know what it is. I mean, just mentioning "People in costume" will make them go "OOooooohh that thing!" They've been in Baltimore on and off for at leasta decade, so hopefully most people would be used to it by now.

How are you that lucky? I can't make it past Friday morning without being asked what is going on. For some reason being in costume doesn't even stop people from asking me (I guess I'm just too darn approachable).

[CaptKenChen 0]

I normally go in costumes that can be easily removed without too much effort. My personal policy is that once I stepped out of the convention zone, I'm in regular clothing, unless if I'm in the mood to get the normal citizens' attention.

Cheers.

[PuffyPowerOtaku 0]

I normally go in costumes that can be easily removed without too much effort. My personal policy is that once I stepped out of the convention zone, I'm in regular clothing, unless if I'm in the mood to get the normal citizens' attention.

Cheers.

[evilrob 0]

Hah. Baltimore homeless folks are special. I just hope I don't run into the guy that put a dollar down my shirt last time I was there and kept running into the lobby of the Days Inn asking everyone where I was. I think when he threw the trash can in frustration was about the time I was thankful that I was hiding under people's chairs. He did offer to beat up anyone who gave me trouble over the weekend though. Thanks Goldfish!

I think the mass populace are more entertained by the sheer peculiarity of cosplayers in public though. I cosplayed Rik Heisenberg, and while in line at Phillip's, I tried to move forward with the line and couldn't, only to find out some old lady had me by the tail petting it and marveling at how soft "my tail" was. So. When the people seem scared as you walk by, stop and let them pet you, and then laugh at them and go about your way.

[Champagon 0]

I can't wait to get my cosplay finished and just hear what non-congoers will have to say. It'll be fun

[Duelistbluerose 0]

Hah. Baltimore homeless folks are special. I just hope I don't run into the guy that put a dollar down my shirt last time I was there and kept running into the lobby of the Days Inn asking everyone where I was.

[evilrob 0]

Hah. Baltimore homeless folks are special. I just hope I don't run into the guy that put a dollar down my shirt last time I was there and kept running into the lobby of the Days Inn asking everyone where I was.

whoa whats this about putting a dollar down your shirt? um, can I get some money thrown at me too?

every year that i go to the con the beggers find new and creative ways to ask me for money - and it usually includes commenting on my cosplay first. but the beggers in baltimore dont bother me or make me feel uncomfortable - mainly because i've always lived in a major city. i just think that the baltimore ones are particularly slick.

[nanagrl 0]

i just remember many of similar instances

Random Man:

Hey girls

*me + friend* : yes?

RM: so what's going on?

M+F: otakon, an anime convention

RM: Oooo...pokemon

M+F: *shrug* yeah..

RM: how much does it cost ? I wanna go ~

M+F: 60

RM: 0__0

M+F: sorry...

RM: Ooo well, just was asking. You girls look like the only normal ones.

Second...

Random Girl: Oooo and which one are you?

Me: Miwako from Paradise Kiss

RG: Miwako haaaa?

Me: Yeah....

RG: well, yours is pretty and you don't look like a slut

Me: thanks..

ooo the fun of Otakon

[Guest EosChild]

My experiences have been full of cheers and jeers like everyone else's. One deaf Yankee fan approached us and asked what were were in costume, I was able to explain in ASL what was going on (so far the most polite person who's asked, I think he was surprised that I understood him). Oddly enough we stayed on the same floor as the Yankees that year, in the lounge a few players snapped a picture of us chilling on the couches.

Best reaction moment was in the mall's woman's bathroom. One lady told me "we know you costumed people, you come every year. It's those Yankee fans we can't stand!"

[bigunner 0]

i live in baltimore right downtown to it dont matter as long as u not in da hood

[oiriot 0]

I remember one year about a week after Otakon I was on the light rail and there were some older people there talking about all the 'kids in costumes' and I said yea I went to that thing and they were kind enough to inform me, remind me since I had forgotten, about the Comic Con that was coming up. Haha so I think there are alot around that just like seeing all the different things that come up that weekend as a nice change of pace.

[Champagon 0]

hmm my most random instance..... Walking down the street cosplaying as Nicholas D.Wolfwood. heres how it happened

Champagon: what another glorious day at Otakon. I think I will go home now. **walks down the street**

Random Guy: **Spots wolfwood's Cross**

Random Guy: HEY ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE JESUS?!!!!!!!!!!!

Champagon: "No, this is actually a gun. in the shape of a cross"

Random Guy: "No Sh**?? NAWWW thats a cross, WHAT ARE YOU A BLACK JESUS?

Champagon: Nope *Power walks away*

[Duelistbluerose 0]

hmm my most random instance..... Walking down the street cosplaying as Nicholas D.Wolfwood. heres how it happened

Champagon: what another glorious day at Otakon. I think I will go home now. **walks down the street**

Random Guy: **Spots wolfwood's Cross**

Random Guy: HEY ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE JESUS?!!!!!!!!!!!

Champagon: "No, this is actually a gun. in the shape of a cross"

Random Guy: "No Sh**?? NAWWW thats a cross, WHAT ARE YOU A BLACK JESUS?

Champagon: Nope *Power walks away*

[Champagon 0]

^

That actually sounds a lot like that raptor jesus guy. he walks around with a huge wooden cross on wheels with a raptor mask on his head. I don't get the reference but he seemed like a cool guy

[Onyx 0]

My experiences have been full of cheers and jeers like everyone else's. One deaf Yankee fan approached us and asked what were were in costume, I was able to explain in ASL what was going on (so far the most polite person who's asked, I think he was surprised that I understood him). Oddly enough we stayed on the same floor as the Yankees that year, in the lounge a few players snapped a picture of us chilling on the couches.

[KoumoriSan 0]

While I and my friends were attending Otakon last year, my friend's mom went on one of those tour things, when they went past the convention center the locals said "oh great, the freaks are back".>w<

[coolerninjathanu 0]

While I and my friends were attending Otakon last year, my friend's mom went on one of those tour things, when they went past the convention center the locals said "oh great, the freaks are back".>w<

[Kibo 0]

But I've noticed the most people who do ask tend to be tourists/not from Baltimore since almost everyone I know who lives here (and has no idea what anime is) know it as "Halloween in the summer."

[JeuneFille 0]

Most of the people that have come up to me to ask about Otakon have mostly been tourists. I had a lady come up to me in a ladies room in Barnes and Noble. She just asked what was going on, and was really polite about it.- she even complimented my lolita outfit ^^. Though you do get the cat calls and random people yelling things to you as they drive by...I don't particulary appreciate that, but there's nothing you can do.

I remember I was crossing the street to get back to the BCC and it was really windy that day. So I'm waiting for the 'walk sign' and the wind blew my kimono up a little bit (just enough to show some leg) and a group of guys came speeding by yelling things and cat-calling. I was more embarassed than upset though. (This happend in 2006).

Otherwise the majority of experiences I've had while in cosplay and with the citizens of Baltimore, have been positive. They're pretty much used to it by now, like I've said...its mostly the tourists that are more likely to come up to you and ask, or sometimes (unfortunately) react negatively to cosplayers.

[KrazyNekomimi 0]

MY "Otakon High" usually starts about a month before Otakon and last a month or two after.. During those times you can occationally catch me in partial cosplay... i.e. neko-ears... wigs.... or general goth/loli...

Once while sporting a mini skirt, thigh highs, boots, shirt and ears i got heckled at BWI airport....

But i love my sub-culture and myself so the attention was awesome!!!

[SecondChild 0]

Sorry to hear about you ladies getting heckled. I don't understand that, myself. If I do see a particularly beautiful or cute cosplayer/lolita/etc, the most I would do would be maybe give them a (hopefully non-creepy... doesn't help if I'm cosplaying Gendo... heh) smile, or maybe ask for a picture and/or compliment them. I hope that kind of behaviour isn't aggravating (I could see it get annoying if it happened over and over)...

Re: Jeebus cosplayers - hilarious! My favourite I've seen thus far has been The Buddy Christ, from Dogma.

[JeuneFille 0]

Sorry to hear about you ladies getting heckled. I don't understand that, myself. If I do see a particularly beautiful or cute cosplayer/lolita/etc, the most I would do would be maybe give them a (hopefully non-creepy... doesn't help if I'm cosplaying Gendo... heh) smile, or maybe ask for a picture and/or compliment them. I hope that kind of behaviour isn't aggravating (I could see it get annoying if it happened over and over)...

Re: Jeebus cosplayers - hilarious! My favourite I've seen thus far has been The Buddy Christ, from Dogma.

Thanks . Nah, being complimented on a cosplay/ having pictures taken are always nice. I had a guy come up to me to ask what my friends and I were doing Friday evening in 2005 (we were dressed as gothic lolitas) I think he had mistaken us for something else >_<. We got into our friend's car, locked all the doors and waited until he left. This all happend while we were in our hotel's parking lot about 10 mins. away from the BCC.

Back onto topic: Usually if you're around the con area you don't get as many stares or reactions from people because there's a ton of people around you that are dressed as unusually as you are. If you go further out, you're going to have to expect some sort of reaction from tourists. (See story above). I haven't heard any horror stories, other than people getting heckled for their particular choice of cosplay. Otherwise, people don't really notice/ say anything about it.

[Orangejuice857 0]

I loooove hearing the responses of the norm's when Otakon is in town. =]]] I'm excited for this year too.

2007, I didn't really have too much fun walking outside of the convention, especially when I was at the Barnes and Nobel during the HarryPotter book release, my boyfriend almost had to punch a couple people out for making fun of me. Like they asked for my picture with them but then when they all got up next to me they were laughing and making stupid faces, I was being nice and thought they really wanted a picture >_<. Thankfully my bf yelled at them and pulled me into the store before they snapped a photo, I can only imagine that photo being spread around Myspace as a huge joke >___<;; I deff. got alot of negative responses from the teenagers at the inner harbor that weekend. (Most of them were those scene/emo kids) I wish when they were about to say something stupid about my costume I could magically throw on my normal clothes and look just like them >_^ (yeah, I dress sortof sceneish) and be all like "Huh?! What were you about to say?"

2006 I ate at Hooters with a bunch of friends and I had a waitress compliment me on my slight j-rock attire and then said I looked like Kelly Osbourn, I just laughed it off and said thank you anyway.

I did like in 06 with the baseball game, I had to ride the lightrail from Cromwell, and It made me feel pretty safe riding by myself cause it was packed full of baseball fans (mind you I was 16 at the time) =P and alot of people were really nice that year too.

I think 2005 was the year I had the homeless guy come up and asked if we could like sign something and once we did he asked for money, but when we refused he got all uptight about it. =P

But I've had the best responses at like Katsu and AnimeUSA, espeically when a group of us went and ate at Tysons 2. Oh man was that hilarious, we even got some of it on video >_<

[tstidm1 0]

Most of what we I have seen in reactions are from tourists. I haven't seen most of the reactions because I don't cosplay. I am usually the one asked what is going on around here. I just explain that it is a East Asian Culture convention (movies, animation, cosplay and other things). I get a few huhs, but some cools also.

[Champagon 0]

Those people who laugh/make fun of cosplayers are too scared to cosplay themselves. i bet some of them actually like anime !

[Duelistbluerose 0]

I loooove hearing the responses of the norm's when Otakon is in town. =]]] I'm excited for this year too.

2007, I didn't really have too much fun walking outside of the convention, especially when I was at the Barnes and Nobel during the HarryPotter book release, my boyfriend almost had to punch a couple people out for making fun of me. Like they asked for my picture with them but then when they all got up next to me they were laughing and making stupid faces, I was being nice and thought they really wanted a picture >_<. Thankfully my bf yelled at them and pulled me into the store before they snapped a photo, I can only imagine that photo being spread around Myspace as a huge joke >___<

[Champagon 0]

^

Some people lack the openness needed when they seem someone in cosplay. and thats called ignorance. to be honest if you think about it everyday life can be related to cosplay.

For example lets say your Junior High/High School has a uniform that you must wear. are you NOT in cosplay?

Or for you business Men & Women in your business attire. if no one said anything, would you still wear it?

You can even take your average "scene" goer / "day shopper" they take hours to get dressed and ready. That sounds a lot like Cosplaying to me

[MissV 0]

I don't think it's being "small minded" per say. Most people outside of the more nerdier fandoms don't know what cosplay is. Most people just call it "dressing up", since cosplay in itself is a more glorified (more or less) form of dress up. As for getting dressed and/or wearing a uniform for work/school? I don't really see that as cosplay since you have to do that on a daily basis.

[Guest Hpnotiq115]

The second year i went, some ladies stopped my brother n me when we were gettin some lunch near the convention to ask us what was going on. We told them it was an anime convention n then they asked us what anime was. it was interestin for us tryin to explain what it was n y it was soo appealing. so we just eventually said it was like a star wars convention for japanese cartoons XD.

Also one of my health teachers at skool found out i went to otakon n she told me that she worked part time at a business across the street. She was like "do u go that thing at the convention center w/ all the ppl dressed up in those strange costumes?" XD i love talkin to ppl who dont kno what it is...they look soo confused n concerned!!

[Gremlich 0]

^

For example lets say your Junior High/High School has a uniform that you must wear. are you NOT in cosplay?

Or for you business Men & Women in your business attire. if no one said anything, would you still wear it?

[ithilienne 2]

/pokes back onto topic

[Champagon 0]

^

For example lets say your Junior High/High School has a uniform that you must wear. are you NOT in cosplay?

Or for you business Men & Women in your business attire. if no one said anything, would you still wear it?

Frank Zappa is known to have said at a performance at a bar, "Everyone here is wearing a uniform, don't kid yourself."

to answer the first query, though, would be like saying the military is loaded with cosplayers because they HAVE to wear a uniform.

for number 2, it is called business casual or business professional for a reason. Show up in other that either of those, you will likely be asked to seek employment elsewhere.

Protocols. Rules. Sometimes you just have to abide by them

You CHOOSE to wear something you do not have to as a cosplayer. Not the same thing. You are making a statement because you can. Others that do not understand that, well, that's their problem, not yours.

[Blaquestarr 0]

Otakon '07 was my first con and my first time cosplaying. I got a rose from some random guy who I think thought I was a call girl (considering my Chibi Urd outfit was a bit slutty), other than that, though, no one really bothered me. You get looks, but no one approaches. At the McDonalds Saturday morning, the waitress asked my friend (duelistbluerose) what character she was and how did she make her staff. No problems.

Besides, you have to scare the grandmas every once in a while. The DC Anime Club has cosplay contests and demostrations and we often run around the city still in cosplay and tape reactions. Sometimes, we're just attention whores.

[coolerninjathanu 0]

I also remember being me yowed at by random people walking to the convention center. It just made you roll your eyes and keep walking.

I think that people last yr for the harry potter thing just didnt kno they were cosplaying. they thought they were dressing up. But pretty much it is the same thing. Oh well they got a culture shock last yr.

This yr the baseball players and the music people will have there own culture shock.

[mollay 0]

Last year I had a lot of people confusing my Sailor V cosplay.

I must've heard "Hey look! It's SAILOR MOON!!!" a dozen times.

I love walking around outside the convention center in my costume though. It's great seeing everyone's different reactions.

[MissV 0]

Last year I had a lot of people confusing my Sailor V cosplay.

I must've heard "Hey look! It's SAILOR MOON!!!" a dozen times.

I love walking around outside the convention center in my costume though. It's great seeing everyone's different reactions.