AnimeNEXT 2012: Moe (萌え) and Loathing In New Jersey

"Wait! We Can't Stop Here, It's Zubat Country."

...too mainstream for Hipster Pikachu

I've got convention burn-out. I've been to four anime cons in the last six months. Between the years 2003-2006, I went to four cons total.

I really don't know why I decided to become a "con-whore," and I believe it is time to stop. Time to skip Otakon, and look to Anime USA, maybe by then I'll have a few more anime cover songs under my belt.

 Let's get down to brass tacks. How much for the alpaca? 

I really did not set out to get black-out drunk at this convention; but I did buy a bottle of 151 before hand. I had my younger brother by my side, taking pictures and driving me around. He had to remind me every few seconds about how much I smelled like booze and about creepy I was. I pretty much cosplayed Komugi Nakahara (Nurse Witch Komugi) all weekend because I am too fat to fit into my Madoka costume.

Posing with ninja, at a terrible spot outside the artist alley

If you've never been to AnimeNEXT before, I can describe it simply as a "cosplayer's convention." People spend most of the time "outside," there are many "scenic" spots for photo-shoots, and a few outside specific events (cosplay soccer, dunk tank, etc.)

Scenic, beautiful Jersey... I'm waiting for the Toxic Avenger to jump out of the pond and mug me.

I ended up missing out on the concert on Friday. It's a long story. I only caught the tail-end of the Masquerade, so yeah this is a pretty crappy con report. Burlesque show? Missed it. Dance party/rave? I fell asleep like the old man that I am. I didn't even realize that Hitomi Himekawa performed at the dance party until I saw pictures after the fact; but at least I got to see her perform at karaoke. I missed the Berryz Kobo concert while picking up one of my roommates at New Brunswick station. I did randomly stumble into a panel room on Sunday where IchiP! and Paradise Peach were dancing, which was a present surprise, since I was just dehydrated and incoherent by Sunday afternoon.

I didn't even see this Hit Girl, until I looked through the pictures my brother took.

 Shoot it! Not yet, I want to study it's habits.
This might be the best costume I've seen. Ever.

What kind of rat bastard psychotic would play that song right now, at this moment?
Nurse Witch Komugi tunes all weekend.

Overall. I had a great time, as I do at any convention I've gone to.