Getting Ready for Anime Expo

Today is Anime Expo. I've always classified myself as a geek and a nerd and I'm sure I've sprinkled in hints of that through my various conversations and posts. But I think this will be the first time when I've fully come out as one by doing this write-up. Regardless, the point is that I'm going and I am super stoked. It's been about five years since the last time I've gone and I can't wait to see how things have changed or stayed the same.

The last time I went, during the mid 2000's, people carried paddles with "Yaoi" and "Yuri" (words that, roughly, mean erotica between same sexes) embossed in the wood and they were used to spank people in public. Glomps were also a thing. I got glomped a lot during my last stay there. Luckily, glomp was just another word for hug.

I looked at the schedule this year and I've mostly filled out my 4-day itinerary. I didn't think I'd be interested in a lot of stuff at AX because of my age, but the world always finds a way to surprise me. Here are a few notable ones:

How to Survive Your First Convention (Day 1, 11AM) 

I've been to a lot of conventions, and everything I've learned about going to them has been through friends that I went with and on my own. I am interested to see what a panel can teach me

Nerd Courting (Day 1, 9PM)

This is essentially a "how to get a date panel" catered to nerds. The schedule says 18+ probably due to frank talks about relationships and sex. I want to go because there will be full of people who have this passion for their interest, but have no clue how to express that to someone that they like.  The panel is bound to have discussions about isolation and its remedies, much like a support group would. I'm sure I would go to this panel even if I was in a committed relationship as being around so many compassionate people gives me a lot of emotional energy. 

This one is around the same time as the Anime Music Video competition, so I still haven't penned this in as a sure thing.

Anime's Girls and Women (Day 2, 9:30AM)

If this panel is a frank discussion about how girls and women are portrayed in Anime, especially how problematically sexist it is then I'll stick around. If it's just a panel ogling animated boobies and prepubescent upskirts I'm out.

Cosplay is NOT Consent (Day 2, 3PM)

I'd like to learn how prevalent the sexual harassment/battery has been towards cosplayers. I'm also interested to see how they are addressing that in this panel.

Writing about Anime: Anime Journalism and the Web (Day 2, 5PM)

A panel about writing? Sign me up!!

The History of Anime and Manga Studies in Japan (Day 3, 11:15AM)

History? Sign me up!! I'm secretly hoping that "studies" is a typo and what they meant were "studios." That would be a much more interesting topic, in my opinion (sorry scholars).

Borrowing and Changing: What and How Anime Takes from the West (Day 3, 1:45PM)

I feel like one of the reasons why we have AX is to further integrate a foreign culture into our own consciousness and creative works. I love to see how that happens in reverse.

GameTrailers Presents: Kingdom Hearts, Pop Fiction, & More (Day 4, 11:15AM)

I like the GameTrailers website and I visit it often. During those visits, I've been barraged their ads for this panel so many times that I'm compelled to go. Thanks, marketing!

That's more than a few, isn't it?

I'm willing to give up some of these panels if I meet up with some of my friends. Some of the panels are non-negotiable (Nerd Courting or AMV contest??  Aaargh!!!). However, if I end up as a lone-wolf the entire 4 days, at least I can take comfort in knowing it'll be a full experience for me.

Will I come back to you with a write-up on any of these panels, or the AX experience as a whole? I wish I could confidently say yes, but as always my head has a way of messing me up. It's taken me a lot of energy just to write this out as it is. But maybe exposure to the outside world will help clear up the mind fog a little. We'll see.

Oh man, my brain is such a variable. The suspense is killing me!

Writing Challenge - A Post-Apocalyptic Comedy About Mental Illness

Depression has been a big part of my life for a while now. And I think that has been exacerbated by our society's obsession with post-apocalyptic stories. So, here's a writing prompt I thought up that combines the two - maybe the absurd can lighten some spirits:

Imagine a world where, due to a virus that targeted only mentally-well people, that the only ones left on earth are those with mental illnesses. Now, all you have left are tribes of people whose gene pool is packed full of neuroses. Our heroes will have to deal with these traits, and their survivor's guilt, as they navigate their bleak, hostile environment.

Write this out as a comedy. Dark comedy might fit better with the scenario, but if you can insert some slapstick into your piece, I would highly encourage this.

There you have it! Go forth, and let the hilarity ensue. I'll post something too, if I can ever get out of my own head.

And if you find this offensive, well, you've missed the point of the exercise.