Anime Conventionality

Obviously you are reading this website because you are a hardcore gamer.  Congratulations.  Knowledge of this site alone is a badge of honour that no number of gamer points can outrank. But there are places where the world of games touches the edges of other worlds that have hardcore followers just as devoted as the readers of Ready Up. If you’re a fan of Japanese gaming, then you are probably already aware of the awesome power of anime – but perhaps you haven’t delved fully into its hyper frenetic, colourful and bouncing cleavage-y world.

Are you having major London MCM Expo withdrawal, or couldn’t make it to the Expo this May, like me? Like me, are you lacking in opportunities to wear PVC hoop skirts and silver spandex zentai suits or papier-mâché bras? If like me, you prefer not to be twatted round the head by a ’14 year old who’s high on those Pocky biscuit sticks’ Cloud Buster Sword, then it’s a good thing that there are events that cater for the older (though not necessarily mature-r cosplayer) and convention goer… like me! It’s also a friendly and relatively ‘hug me’ sign free way to learn about the finer nuances of the anime world.

On June 26th there is an event called London Anime Convention and it is hosted by those lovely chaps over at Anime League. It really does seem like a geek’s heaven. You can watch Anime, play Video Games, draw artwork, be part of various Cosplayer events, buy Anime, Manga and other shizzle, play in DDR Tournaments and learn about Japanese Culture. Then, in the evening, you too can party and act like that crazy 14 year old Cloud on Pocky I mentioned in the previous paragraph!  But he and his little pocky eating friends won’t be at this event, because the best part about London Anime Convention is that it’s over 18’s only (luckily that doesn’t include mental age or nobody would be allowed in).

There are a lot of gaming tournaments being held, not that I ever enter any as I become stupidly competitive and start to break things. For those of you with self control there’s gonna be retro-gaming, DDRing, Guitar Hero and the DS London guys are gonna be there as well doing their DS shiz. So far I have forgotten to bring my DS to any of the few DS London meets I’ve been to, and I doubt I will remember it again (it’s probably for the best seeing as Frans tend to get Frangry and DS’s are very aerodynamic but not at all robust when hitting a floor – do you need to start worrying when you start to refer to youself in the multiple third person and name emotions after youself? Fran-kly no.).

So far, so normal – so where is the stuff that you wouldn’t see at a gaming convention? This event has a major cosplay presence which is the main reason I am going (that, and to show those other cosplayers how it’s done properly). There will be professional photoshoots and a Cosplay garden where you can chill out with your fellow costume creators – or if you aren’t like me, you can talk to people dressed in awesome costumes. Talk to them about the wonders of sculpty, funky foam and electrical tape and try not to stare at their cleavages too much (another benefit of this being an all adult event is you don’t accidentally start eyeing up well developed 13 year olds).

There is a masquerade (a parade of costumes), group cosplay competitions and also a cosplay ball in the evening.  Another event, know as the cosplay showdown frankly concerns me. You get a team of cosplayers, who are full of whatever the cheapest booze the venue has to offer, and they have to do a series of comedy (using the word loosely) skits for everyone to watch. Now I have been to different events in the past where the cheap Vodka has often taken over the brain and the mouth of the cosplayers and words involving tentacle violation often come out – fortunately no tentacles. But, of course, it’s all good fun, unless you are the one being violated, well your ears will be violated… by bad comedy… not by tentacles… unless the costumes are really good… and disturbing.

I should be going to London Anime Convention dressed in my new Commander Shepard outfit. You know, the formal black and white Cerberus one that female Shepard wears around the Normandy in Mass Effect 2. Armed with red face paint for scars and some red contact lenses, if my costume is ready in time, then I will possibly (definitely) re-enact the part where I got my renegade Commander Shepard totally hammered on crazy blue mystery drinks, or in my case Blue WKD (trust me, the flavour of a Blue WKD is still a mystery to me). The nice thing about the Anime league and cosplayers in general is that they will welcome with open arms anyone who takes the time and patience to look as cool (or as silly) as they do – so don’t feel like you can’t dress up if you want to.

Anime League have events across the country from anime meet ups to cosplay picnics. So, if you can’t make this event, there are plenty more listed on the Anime League website. But if you are in London on the 26th of June, come join me at London Anime Convention at the Rocket Complex, Holloway Road for a cheeky Blue WKD or to just enter the bar with me, stand behind me saying nothing and doing nothing, whilst I drink blue and green concoctions out of test tubes until I pass out on the floor, true Shepard styleeeee! And learn a thing or two about the parallel worlds just nestled against gaming in this time space continuum.