Ever since I had began to cosplay in 2011, Katsucon was one of those dream conventions. The gazebo, the little shops, the lighting, the cosplayers I'd meet... I think I managed to romanticize Katsucon quite a bit when I was younger... And that isn't uncommon among most cosplayers now- Katsucon has the incredible fortune of having the Gaylord National Hotel as it's host hotel and convention center! It also has a long with-standing attraction of more well known cosplayers, so I can honestly say that if there is any cosplay-centric convention in the United States, it's Katsucon. It's transcended it's place among anime conventions and really dug a huge niche for itself - which seems to be ... a problem.
eh? aren't you going to write about your EXPERIENCE?
Yes, but part of the experience for me isn't just attending the con,
it's looking at the con from a new perspective - an incredibly objective one.
What is Katsucon, really?
As I mentioned, Katsucon has really dug it's niche in attracting and showcasing AMAZING cosplay. But what does the con itself have to offer aside from what a small local con gives you? From what I could tell, not much.
I'm the first person to say buy the badge and support the con when it comes to cons! But I won't lie and say that I bought a badge for this Katsucon. The only reason I would have even wanted a badge was for the dealers room and artist alley anyways. I find that the panels weren't advertised (or at least to me) so I didn't even really take into account more than one panel. Aside from the big name cosplayers, there isn't ... an impressive guest list, and I don't even know if most of the industry bothers to make Katsucon a big event to appear at.
Regardless of the guest list, the location and the flock of brand name cosplayers really does help draw a big crowd from across the country! And, I think that shows a very good sense of community that we have. It is exactly that sense of cosplay community and meeting so many wonderful people - despite being sick half way through the weekend - really that made me want to return someday... But such a big cosplay-centric con does have it's downsides...
Regardless of the guest list, the location and the flock of brand name cosplayers really does help draw a big crowd from across the country! And, I think that shows a very good sense of community that we have. It is exactly that sense of cosplay community and meeting so many wonderful people - despite being sick half way through the weekend - really that made me want to return someday... But such a big cosplay-centric con does have it's downsides...
It's called KatsuCrunch for a reason...
Nobody who has a cosplay group gathering at Katsucon remains at ease with 2 weeks until the con. And despite not procrastinating much at all - I was in the same boat. KatsuCrunch isn't a myth to make everything dramatic and unbearable sounding.. No... It's as real as the sky outside! But instead of a sunny day it's hailing and you have to walk to the bus stop.
Leading up to the con, I was stressed for time, cash, and sleep but I just keep pushing and telling myself that the con would be worth it! (It was, for sure.) But I think that KatsuCrunch was the reason behind me getting rather ill half-way through the convention... Everyone I knew going to Katsucon was in a state of distress and it just didn't seem like the con was going to be any fun with how much negativity and stress there was going around.
I know, if you're a cosplay you all experience con stress, but Katsu managed to transcend any con stress I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. - that being said, still worth it!!!!
Leading up to the con, I was stressed for time, cash, and sleep but I just keep pushing and telling myself that the con would be worth it! (It was, for sure.) But I think that KatsuCrunch was the reason behind me getting rather ill half-way through the convention... Everyone I knew going to Katsucon was in a state of distress and it just didn't seem like the con was going to be any fun with how much negativity and stress there was going around.
I know, if you're a cosplay you all experience con stress, but Katsu managed to transcend any con stress I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. - that being said, still worth it!!!!
Dreams and #squadgoals
I was roughly 17-18 years old when I first saw the amazing pictures and videos of cosplayers at Katsucon. I knew that I had to go and I absolutely had to cosplay with some of the people who really inspired me to cosplay.
I also never thought that was going to actually happen. I didn't think I would ever get to a point where Katsucon would be a justifiable trip for me. I certainly did not think that the people who I looked up to would ever even know me! So I kept cosplaying without any expectations.
Then, I got invited to 2 Katsucon Cosplay groups with some of my very own cosplay #squadgoals.
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| Credit: YenraPhotography.com |
I'm not going to say this group of girls blew me away with their skills and kindness - because they absolutely 100% did. Creative, understanding, and very well mannered I couldn't have asked for a better group of girls! We were so bright that all of our bling was reflecting the sun back into our eyes and thus a few of us just sobbed for the whole shoot. But that's okay because everyone was cute and fabulous and our photographers were so kind and awesome!
Thanks for making Katsucon such a great experience, 765ers!
Old Buddies and Disposable Camera
Throughout the convention, I was able to meet with a lot of friends that I've made along the way. But the most fun is when you help your significant other do a shoot with some flashes (that work only sometimes...), a reflector (that I mostly open up and scare people with), and ... a disposable camera.
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| This is horrifying - what is this? Photo by Superlynnn Photography |
If you ever want to challenge your skills as a photographer, I suggest you take a reflector and a disposable camera and do a photoshoot and get the photos back entirely unedited. It's a fun memory for everyone and I enjoyed everything about this, and hanging with Superlynnn, Sarah-Boo Cosplay, and Danisaurz was incredible.
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| <3 Lee is a pro disposable-camera-man<3 Photo by Superlynnn Photography |
Food!
The food up in DC is much more expensive than in Atlanta, but it's also more expensive to live in DC - so I wasn't shocked by this. Thank goodness for my Lee - he fed my poor idol soul all weekend long. RIP Lee's wallet. (Also Nando's is pretty good! Go check that one out if you're in the area!~)
When your complexion goes green...
And by this, I mean - getting ill. I was obsessive about drinking water and showering and washing my hands.. Naturally that means I was the only one in the room to get sick. It must have been settling from the stress of group cosplays and shooting for so much longer than I'm used to. Saturday night I was in PJ's by 8pm. Sunday I could barely move around.
Deanna saved my butt and told me to Tylenol myself before I died- and so we bought the most expensive airport drug we could and drugged me up on my way home.
I was out of commission for the entire week after the con...
To my friends who came and said hello! Thank you so much, it made me so happy to know anyone, and I hope to know even more people next time. I hope to also be in better health and with more energy so that I can visit people more and seem less like a corpse.
Finally, to my Darling, I literally could not have done Katsucon without you (Mentally or monetarily). You're amazing, wonderful, kind-spirited, and you're always so wonderful with me. I cannot wait to go to more cons and on more vacations with you in the future, I know we both deserve them!
Finally shout outs to my twitter friends who I saw and also everyone who was keeping me sane during Katsucrunch. You're the real MVPs.
Deanna saved my butt and told me to Tylenol myself before I died- and so we bought the most expensive airport drug we could and drugged me up on my way home.
I was out of commission for the entire week after the con...
Reflection
I accomplished so many of the things I never thought I'd get to do when I first started cosplaying. I did photoshoots at Katsucon, I was in some amazing cosplay music videos, and I cosplayed with some of my favorite cosplayers (and I can now say we're friends!).
Before Katsucon, I was considering slowing down on cosplay... I mean... I'm going to start a career soon.. But the experience I had made me love to cosplay again and pumped me up to be even more on top of things!
To my roommates who snored, used a super loud electric toothbrush and came in smashed - I love you guys. You all honestly made me feel so at home and were kind enough to not yell at me for taking up a monumental amount of counter space and using ever hanger all weekend long.
To my friends who came and said hello! Thank you so much, it made me so happy to know anyone, and I hope to know even more people next time. I hope to also be in better health and with more energy so that I can visit people more and seem less like a corpse.
Finally, to my Darling, I literally could not have done Katsucon without you (Mentally or monetarily). You're amazing, wonderful, kind-spirited, and you're always so wonderful with me. I cannot wait to go to more cons and on more vacations with you in the future, I know we both deserve them!
Finally shout outs to my twitter friends who I saw and also everyone who was keeping me sane during Katsucrunch. You're the real MVPs.
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| No, this isn't real cash. Yes, Yayoi is still poor. Photo by: Soul-Drive Photography |
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