AnimeFest 2013 Highlights

AnimeFest was my third convention of August (hooray for sleep deprivation). I’d been a guest in 2011 and was excited to be asked back. AFest is probably one of the bigger cons that I’ve gotten to go to and it just so happens to be in downtown Dallas (only minutes away from mi casa). Since my last visit, the con has changed quite a bit (venue change, more staffers/volunteers/programming, etc). Other guests included: Stephanie Young, Alexis Tipton, Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Greg Wicker, and many other fantastic individuals!

Okay, so this might not exactly be a highlight of the convention itself, but it was quite funny (least for me). As I’ve mentioned more than a few times, I used to work at a music shop. Needless to say, you become familiar with brand names, especially if you spend a good chunk of time working on displays (yay, merchandising). I was more than a little surprised to see Vic Firth salt and pepper grinders in the restaurant downstairs, Vic Firth Gourmet (wonder if they have anything featuring Neil Peart). Thought former coworkers and musicians would get a kick out of that, I know I did.

So… I’ve made it no secret that I’m not a fan of Sailor Moon. I know, I know… “How could you not like Sailor Moon?!”… It just wasn’t the show for me growing up (didn’t know I liked anime until I found Ghost in the Shell), but I can see why it’s popular though. Despite my not being a fan, I was still pretty excited to be at a convention with Linda Ballantyne (Sailor Moon), Susan Roman (Sailor Jupiter), & John Stocker (Voice Director). I even got to participate in a couple of panels with them (along with Alexis & Stephanie). It was interesting to hear the differences in vocal styles, techniques, etc (according to them, they do things a bit different in Canada). Plus, Linda and I geeked out about Black Butler. That was cool.

Along with my love of cosplay, I’ve had a deep sadness related to it (yes, I’m being overdramatic)… I’m fully aware that this might come off as egotistical, but I have never seen someone cosplay as one of my characters. Thing is, I see photos of peeps all the time as Virgo in Fairy Tail, Alice in Ōkami-san & Her Seven Companions, and a few others. I’ve just never seen any of this at conventions that I’ve attended.

CUT TO:

Me: “Are you Virgo?”

Cosplayer: “I’m actually an Aries, but I’m cosplaying Virgo.”

Me: “I’m an Aries too and I actually voice Virgo!”

Success! Sweet, sweet victory! A mere two hours after my little post, I spotted a Virgo in the Dealers Room! I probably scared her when I ran up to her, but I just so excited (wonder if she follows me on Twitter). She was adorable and we both geeked out about Fairy Tail. I have no regrets about pestering her for a photo!

The dealers room was full of temptation: posters, action figures, geektastic shirts (got a Batman shirt), and much much more. Shortly after my Virgo encounter, I found RIN: Daughters of Mnemosyne playing cards… Not familiar with RIN? It’s just this awesome anime that me and my amigo, J. Michael Tatum, directed. As much as I love this show, any time I see merchandise for it I’m baffled. For those that don’t know, RIN: Daughters of Mnemosyne is about an immortal detective that tends to attract disaster and scandal (that is the best way to describe it for the time being). Totally the kind of show you need playing cards for (seriously, I regret not buying them).

I’m gonna admit this right now, I don’t remember the details exactly so forgive me if I get some of the facts wrong. During one of my autograph sessions, I met a fan of That Anime Show (always love meeting a podcast fan). This particular TAS listener let me know how much he loved the show and how much it meant to him. While he was stationed elsewhere, he used podcast episodes to stay connected to the world he knew back home. He said it helped when times were tough. The way he put it was more eloquent and it actually brought tears to my eyes. When he asked me to sign his iPod, I had to hide my face (FYI: I rarely have a cry like that). I never thought my lil’ podcast would be so important to someone and I am deeply touched.

You’ve never experienced the DJ skills of Mr. Greg Ayres? YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Seriously. Not just saying this because he’s a friend of mine. This guy is the real deal, not any ol’ schmuck armed with an iTunes playlist and crap-tastic speakers (better known as a Laptop DJ). Greg and I have done a few conventions together, so I’ve had the pleasure of going to a few of his dances. Alexis & I danced on stage for a bit, then we joined the crowd. After about 45 minutes, we admitted we were old and joined Mike McFarland at the bar.

Shout out to Courtney, Kelbie, Caleb, Kara, & Jason! These lovely folks joined me for a beverage (or three) on Sunday night and I didn’t bore them to tears! Win! SO MUCH FUN!

“What else happened, Terri?”

I don’t know… I’m sleepy.

TnT 2013 Highlights

Spent last weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That’s right, I was lucky enough to be a guest at Tokyo in Tulsa!

Day 1

I’m always nervous when trying out new panels, especially if I’m flying solo. I’ve found that walking around is better than sitting. Perhaps that’s because of my background in standup comedy. The conversation just flows easier and I love to make people laugh (shocker, I know). First panel of the con was Kind of Normal. I got to talk about hobbies and things outside the anime world (audiobooks, horror flicks, bootlegs, and so on). People seemed to enjoy what I had to say and the questions kept me on my toes (which is never a bad thing).

Right after Kind of Normal, I ran over to the panel next door to talk about acting. Acting 101 was the first group panel, all (J. Michael Tatum, Ian Sinclair, Eric Vale, & Jeremy Inman) but Brina were in attendance (her flight was delayed). The discussions were interesting because we all come from different backgrounds and do several things in the realm of acting.

Had the chance to ham it up with Peter Pixie (who I’d met at AnimeIowa in 2012) during Opening Ceremonies. The crowd was fantastic and that helped with my nerves. Yes, I get nervous. Anyone who says they don’t is lying or dead inside (… or something that I can’t immediately of). I just never know what to say when I’m bring introduced. If I can make them laugh, I consider it a win… Guess I won.

There’s a flower in my salad!

Joined my fellow guests for a Sakura Club dinner. It was an opportunity to hang out one on one with attendees and have some delicious food. All of us had our own table and people got to choose who they wanted to dine with. Several sitting at my table were new to the convention scene, but they were really nice. I was able to have a chat with one of That Anime Show’s first listeners, Donna (which was awesome). Peter Pixie and his wife (who were celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary) also graced me with their presence. All of us were able to geek out about a variety of things (not just anime).

He’s so cute!

After everyone finished up with grub, we took photos with our dinner guests and signed a few things. I unexpectedly got a gift from a wonderful woman that went through the trouble of knitting me my very own Pinhead (with actual pins in his head)! For those just tuning in, I’m huge fan of Hellraiser. I involuntarily went into my super happy, squeaky voice (yes, I was that excited). She also made Tatum a Thor (full armor and everything). I absolutely LOVE my lil’ hellraiser and I will treasure it always!

A panel called TAS Unplugged… What could that be about? I rarely get to do conventions with my That Anime Show cohost, Tatum (some of you may know him better as “OH MY GOD, IT’S J. MICHAEL TATUM!!!”), so I like to talk about our little podcast whenever we can. For those wondering why we didn’t record a live episode, we refuse to do a show without the whole crew (no Stephen, no podcast).  The panel was a great way to introduce newbies to the show. Yes, some people might have gotten offended, but that’s nothing new to us. To be fair, we did warn them at the beginning. Though it was a little awkward with a nine year old cackling in the front row (not awkward enough to stop us from telling stories).

Day 2

Eyes of Lightning for the win!

I’ve been toying around with the idea of bringing something to sign at conventions, but I never know what to bring. Erin Keyser Horn was nice enough to send me stuff for Eyes of Lightning (which is now available through Audible, ITunes, & Amazon). Shameless promotion I know, but I’m proud of what I do so I’m gonna show stuff off! Many attendees were happy that I had something to give them. Our first autograph session was pretty much the only thing I got to do with Brina before she had to hop on a plane (guess we’ll have to do another con together sometime).

Selfie time!

Spend an Afternoon with the Voice Actors (minus Brina)… Who would want to hang out with such silly people? Peter Pixie played host, asking us questions that were sent to him beforehand. We had a lot of fun with the questions, the guys (Ian, Jeremy, & Eric) decided to time how long Tatum would take to answer a question. At one point, Tatum spilled a bottle of water on me and I had no choice but to sit there for the remainder of the panel (oh, what fun). He was so embarrassed and I had fun giving him a hard time about it… What? He’s one of my best friends, it’s part of my job (seriously, read your handbook).

Historians, remember the day that I finally did a good and proper panel on ADR (seriously, remember this important day)? Talking about the technical stuff is always a risk (“What if I’m too heavy on the jargon?”), but all the attendees seemed to be following along quite well. I walked back & forth throughout the panel (again, standup is best when going solo) and talked about all that goes into the dubbing process (translations, writing, casting, directing, reviewing, etc.). As far as I’m concerned, ADR You Kidding Me?! was a complete success!

Yummy Salmon!

I love trying out local spots when I travel. James (the beautiful soul that invited me to Tokyo in Tulsa) brought several of us to Kilkenney’s. I’d heard great things about this Irish pub and it did not disappoint. The menu made it hard to choose (food or drink). I ended up trying something called a “Bruised Pear” (Guinness & Ace Pear Cider) and now it is easily one of my favorite drinks (alcoholic or otherwise). Food-wise, I eventually decided on the Cedar Forest Salmon and I have no regrets (don’t call me a foodie, call me Terri). Seriously, if you’re ever in Tulsa and looking for good grub, do yourself a favor and go to Kilkenney’s.

Day 3

Maria, her husband, their baby, & her brother-in-law.

Pinhead wasn’t the only thing I walked away with. I got some fan art during my second autograph session! Not ashamed to admit it, I shrieked when a lovely young lady handed this to me. Though I sign a lot of Black Butler stuff, I usually have to explain who I am in the show (Maria, Abberline’s fiancée, as well as other bit characters in both seasons). I can’t believe someone actually went through the trouble of making an Abberline family portrait. This is so adorable! The artist (sorry, in all the excitement I forgot to ask you what your name was) also drew Taurus (Fairy Tail) for Jeremy, which we also geeked out about. I can’t wait to add this to my little fan art collection (it’s not huge, but I love it all)!

Taurus & Virgo being social.

Sunday’s Voice Acting Q & A was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a group panel. I hate that it took me going to Oklahoma to realize how awesome Jeremy Inman is. Seriously, he’s adorable and knows how to make me laugh so hard I cry (wear waterproof mascara around him). We had a lot of great questions, not the usual “What was it like recording blah blah blah?” or “How do I become a voice actor?”… Apocalypses, supervillains, worlds made entirely of cheese… Those that weren’t there definitely missed out (you can witness some of the insanity via YouTube).

Leviathan blood and all!

The Doctor (several regenerations), Panty & Stocking, Ramona Flowers… There were some phenomenal cosplayers. That’s one of the best parts about going to a convention, seeing everyone’s cosplay. I wish I’d had the time and/or energy to take more than one photograph. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m a fan of Supernatural (shut up, the guys are pretty). I was on the fence until the character of Castiel made his first appearance. He’s awkward and a total dork a good chunk of the time, so it makes sense that I love that character. I saw this chick walking around and chased her down so I could snap a pic for Stephen (my husband). The cosplayer (if you can’t tell, I suck at getting names) had done several types of Castiel cosplay throughout the weekend (one even included angel wings).

I could go on and on (and on) about how much fun I had at Tokyo in Tulsa, but something tells me this is already pretty wordy. If you have the chance to go to TnT next year, do it!