Team Sonic Dominates Akiba Fest Cosplay Contest!
This past Wednesday was Anime FX’s “Anime Event” Akiba Fest. Team Sonic decended upon Akiba Fest and picked up first prize in the group cosplay. Great job, NiceGai, Blondie, Lycoris and Paul! You all seriously made this night. I will have many pictures to share, as I’m sure many of you are dying to see more of me in my Amy Cosplay.
Event Recap:
I don’t think I’ll be attending many more Anime FX events. At least, that is, not as a cosplayer. There was a great bit of disconnect in the organization of Akiba Fest which was disappointing.
- Sign in: Running the desk were two teenagers. At one point one of them yelled “Have your drivers license ready!! You aren’t getting in without a driver’s license” to which understandly the entire line freaked out. Women in full cosplay rummaging through their purses, people complaining they left their wallets in their car. What tweedle-dee meant to say was “If you don’t have your pass, have your drivers license ready.”
- Release Forms: All cosplayers were required to sign a release form since they were being taped. This is standard practice. However, otherwise professional looking release form was riddled with egregious spelling errors. I’m not talking “were” as opposed to “where.” I mean they FUCKING MISPELLED “APPEARANCE!” Glad I made an “aprearnance” at Akiba Fest. I later found out the footage was to be used in some capacity by the discovery channel. That’s a bit of “acceptable” deception. See, the release form was for Ten Bu productions, an Anime FX company. It authorizes the use of sound, likeness, image for anything they deem and are not legally required to list all or any of the intended purposes of the video. But if you want to come to an event like this, you pretty much have to sign it.
- Scheduling Disaster: Their sound guy was late, happens to the best of us. I’ve worked many events were things like that happened. I watched as staff scurried trying to mitigate their loss of time but generally freaking out. It kicked the entire schedule out of order, which wouldn’t have been too much of a problem if I wasn’t required to stand in a stuffy backroom in my Amy Suit for 3 hours. Our 2 minute sketch was cut down 30 seconds. That would have been O.K. too if someone had informed us sooner than when we stepped out onto stage.
- Pimping Scions? This I honestly don’t get. Such ugly cars. What do Scions have to do with Anime? How about some corporate sponsors we give a damn about?
Overall the event was not anything super exciting or special. It felt like a big commercial for Anime FX and Ten Bu productions.
How’d you guys enjoy it? Was the food any good? I was too busy sweating my ass in costume to try any.
JAN. 1. 2007 EDIT:
Cosplay.com forums thread about akibafest
http://forums.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=97779&page=3
Feedback about the event starts at page 3. It seems I was not the only one disatisfied with the event.
-Ataru
There wasn’t enough food. I waited in a long line to find just a few pieces of food left with a whole line of people behind me. I felt guity taking any, but hadn’t had time to eat and was under the impression they’d have enough food for everyone. …it smelled good, even if I didn’t really get to eat any.
Other than that- not sure if it was worth the money or if I’d do it again, but definitely had fun hanging out with everyone!
Comment by lycoris — December 28, 2006 @ 1:32 pm
I agree at the scion thing.. Box on wheels looking piece of crap.. At any rate, sorry that event wasn’t as great as you’d hoped.. Stick with cons. XD
Comment by Professor Hojo — December 29, 2006 @ 10:02 pm
Yeah, I was a bit dissapointed on how the event was run. The food tables were stampeded by overweight otaku time and time again. Food included was a nice gesture but not very plausible with the people in attendance. The cosplay contest (if you could call it that) was very dissapointing. Rules were not layed out properly and many (including myself) were displeased with the results. I heard I missed the highlight of the event ( the second half of the Unicorn Table concert)when my friend and myself were fed up and she went of to drink at the bar attatched to the hotel. All in all, It was nice being with my friends and seeing familiar con faces, but besides this, the event will need guaranteed improvement to had attendance stay as high as its opening year.
—- Spell check needed probably >>
Comment by Yale — December 30, 2006 @ 1:39 am
You really should join in on the cosplay.com forums and bitch.
Myself and Kiba Rob have givin our veiws. If it wasnt for us winning the contest it woulda been a waste of time. I personally had more fun BSing with people in hallways and afterthe con at Ihop then at the con itself. I really wish you staied for the rest of the cons BS…cause after you left it just got way more amazing.
Comment by Paul (Element/Pimp Mustang) — January 1, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
I did see the thread at cosplay.com and I’ve updated my post with a link to the forums. Looks like it’s degenrated into a bit of a flame war.
I’ve aired my grievances here. This was a poorly organized and executed event. PERIOD.
Though there were some positive aspects they are wholly overshadowed by poor planning and implementation.
That’s not to say this event or ones like it can’t work. AkibaFest missed the mark.
Comment by Ataru — January 1, 2007 @ 5:58 pm