Anime Convention and Those Kind of Stuff
- Oct 10, 2017
- 4 min read
Last weekend my husband and I went to Animate Florida. I want to show him that side of world I have for such a long time. OTAKU. It is a japanese word or term for someone who is obsessed with computers or particular aspects of popular culture to the detriment of their social skills (thanks google). I am not particularly full Otaku, but yep all Otaku get crazy in an event like this which as for me not go all crazy, but rather fun and enjoyable. So, What is Animate Florida if you ask? Animate Florida is a three day festival and convention meant to celebrate Anime, Animation, Cosplay and other cool stuff that we love! That said event takes place last weekend at the Miami Airport Convention Center that include celebrity guests, industry guests, vendors, exhibitors, artists and hundreds of other events. It includes Celebrity and Industry Q&A’s / Panels, Costume Competitions, Concerts, Cosplay Contests, Game Shows, Video Game Tournaments, Gaming, Screening Rooms, Workshops and more! (Ref: http://animateflorida.com/faq/)
Now we know that let's move forward. As far as I know COMIC CON is one of the famous convention here in the US. It is very well celebrated here, hundred of thousands people in each part of the world go and join in this event, as for me it is my dream to visit one someday. That's not the only convention that people gather for this purpose. There's a lot of it. We also have this kind of conventions back in the Philippines which is embraced by many Filipinos who grew up watching animes or cartoons, have a thing with video games. Actually convention like this are not only in the US or Philippines. I research those countries (thanks wikipedia) and the list are as follows:
They held these events yearly. Conventions fall into different category, it depends what the events is aiming for. I think we have like 5-6 Conventions in the Philippines every year.
I know some other won't understand why people do this or go there. I think we find this very fun, because we all gather in one place that no one will judge you for being such a fanatic of a certain thing. It is also an attraction, an entertainment, it's a variety of everything that sums up our hobbies with cartoons, animes and games. I remember my first convention it is way back in college, but I tell you more about it in a bit. My childhood can't be as awesome than what I remember. I know I grow up watching anime making sure that I catch the exact noon time where it is only animes and I won't forget animax. Both me and my brother grew up to Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, and the list go on. Then we collect anime cards and compete with other kids, we play pretend and be the super hero. It was amazing and fun childhood.
By college my interest didn't fade away, but rather it widens, I joined an organization called Genshiken or the longer version Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyūkai (現代視覚文化研究会) in English "The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture". Which according to the people create that group it was base or inspired in an anime with the same name.
That organization covers all Modern Visual Culture including arts. Inside the organization there's a specific categories a single student can join either cosplay, games, drawing, music and dance. I enjoyed my entire college life because of them. My friendship circle got bigger! They introduce to me the world of Cosplaying and convention. Basically, I fall into the cosplay category. The organization is still up and running up until this present. We just have to embrace our inner otaku.
I'm sure there's a lot of groups like this out there, that we won't feel far or left behind.
By 2011 I started working on a Maid Cafe. I experience a 7 months of fame and of course being a guest to you already know, conventions. It was very popular back then and I think in Japan it is one of a good attraction to people who travel and want to experience being serve by a maid wearing a french maid costume. It just broaden my horizon about this world and so my anime adventures continue. I got hooked to TV series and movies, and more video games. Maid Cafe is so famous to the Otaku world juts a foot note on that.
Fast forward to the present. Now I'm married I didn't strip myself of that though my husband find it me weird watching those I'm still okay with it. We do grow up and all of this are just part of our childhood, for me? Yes but I treasure that part of my childhood which brought me to here. I embrace it and some of my friends I know love this kind of things, still do cosplay, still watch anime, play video games, they enjoyed it more than ever. My husband always tells me how of a nerd I am and he is okay with that, he is my total opposite when it comes to this. I like anime (he don't) and he likes football (I don't but completely supportive) so its a win, win situation aside from that he support and embrace me for who I am. Loved me for being such a huge nerd! That's pretty much about it!
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Comments