No links to follow just Copy pasting it here it is very long Picture links are at the bottom. If the Link to DLed the Video of Duel Jewel Q&A dies just send me a message and i will re-up in. Enjoy ^o^
Friday February 16th
First day of the convention and I was awake around 2am but tried to fully stay asleep until around 8 or 9am. After that I went about getting dressed in my Kanon cosplay outfit. The jacket is still a little short but it fit pretty good. The shorts were to long so I had to sew them a bit shorter while they were on me. The jacket once again is held on by all safety pins. I will be making zippers in it sometime before Tekkoshoucon. Jody and I ended up going down to the line not long after 10am. After we got our badges she went to volunteer some more and I went to the room to sit and wait a bit. Taking some time to read over the Schedule. Happily though I wasn’t waiting long before Sara Txt messaged me with her room number 334. I hurried out and up the elevator (the boys are not nice smelling in the early morning) though one thing funny. I knocked on the door and it wasn’t Sara’s room @-@ Some poor normal lady answered the door. Sara told me the wrong room number >o< I was so embarrassed for waking that lady up. It was just a good start to a humorous weekend.
We talked a bit before heading down to get their badges and talk more in line. Though it was hard to hear thanks to the Radio guys Tainted Reality having their music blasting away in the hall way. It was to freaking loud to hear anything clearly. Our next stop was the dealers room where we went to the Jhouserock table. I needed to find out the details of the dinner that night and also to see what they had for sale. Sheila and John talked about his kids and when I was about to talk to him more some rude woman came up and like went between us. She was on the dinner as well. She gave me some weird look when John told her I was going to be on the dinner as well and we were both named Amanda. I kind of walked away from that and bought Duel Jewels CD “Visions” and photoset B. Then went back and john told me it we were to meet up at a quarter to 7. He also threw in and made sure we knew the boys would be there at 4pm. We wandered around a bit. Then I went to the 2pm Jrock photoshoot which was impossible to find. I spent like half an hour looking for how to get down there with Sheila. Some Security guy when we asked told us to go down the stairs and around the outside across some big ice slide. Yeah ok.. We took the elevator down there. It wasn’t all that exciting of a shoot. It was just the chick from Purple Sky magazine having us do some release form and her taking our pictures for her magazine. Not really worth it. We ended up with some time to go and grab a bite to eat. We went to the eat in Chinese place to chat and chow down before the photos and Autographs with Hayato and Val. Though on a funny note we were late ^-^;; I got there around 4:12pm and since there was only around 12 people there for the boys the photos were ending when I got there. John said we could get our pictures done after the Photos though since there wasn’t many people. I am so glad he said that because Sheila had my ticket I would have lost it other wise. I am bad with small things. I saw Brian while I was in the autograph line and grabbed him so that he could get my CD “Azure” signed while I got “Visions” signed. He just kind of eyed me funny ^-^;; I did get a smile out of the boys since I was in a frilly neck piece. After that we did pictures. Those boys like let you in then lean on you. All of us they were on us with arms around you and everything. They seemed so happy to be there it was nice to see ^-^ it was all to short of a time before they had to go though and we were standing there like Fan girls talking about the boys. I think it made them feel better since there wasn’t many people there for them. Then we walked around a bit more before Sara and I went to see if the Dacco DVD she had would work on the 360 and I could change into normal clothes for the dinner with Hayato and Val. The Xbox didn’t play the DVD -_- It also made bad noises during Rocky Horror Picture Show so we didn’t really get to watch anything. I had also forgotten when John told me to be downstairs so I went down at 5:45pm instead of 6:45pm and Lynn went with me. We stood and talked watching the people come and go. We got moved from the top of the stairs so they could clean up the water after someone had a really good fall down the stairs then Lynn went away. I was standing there when the other Amanda came up and told me she had been waiting there longer then me. Yeah right no she wasn’t I was there an hour early and no one else from that group was there that early. Ray showed up around 6:30pm and even she was there sooner then the other Amanda. A little after 7pm Mari showed up and I saw her. I guess the other two didn’t hear me when I said “there is Mari” and went up the stairs. I ended up going back for them and getting them up the stairs so we could walk down the street to the Japanese Sushi bar place.
Duel Jewel Dinner
We got there a little after 7pm and went up the stairs to the table that was waiting for us. We first started to sit on the outside of the table then Mari thought it would probably be easier if we were against the wall so we were going to the other side of the table. The other Amanda decided that she was going to sit at that first spot and make it so we couldn’t get to the chairs without pushing a door and squeezing between the wall and the table. Rude much? I think so. If you wanted that spot let us in first. I really didn’t care where I sat I just didn’t like squeezing between the wall and the table. That pretty much set the mood between her and at least me. We got the menus and were looking over all the sushi and other Japanese food and well I don’t know how many of you know this but I am allergic to a lot of seafood. Namely Oysters, clams, and Shrimp (though I love shrimp). I’ve also been slowly getting sick when I eat a lot of different fishes. Tuna and Halibut are about the only two I can stomach without getting sick and I do not eat those very often. So finding something on the menu I could eat without the chance of having Oyster on it wasn’t very easy. I had some Chicken thing with lotus root, rice, seaweed. But we didn’t order until way after the boys got there. A few minutes after we sat down Hayato and Val came in. Actually they looked like normal people until they sat down in front of us. Hayato took off his jacket. He was wearing a blue hoodie under his, what looked like a High School letter mans jacket, jacket and sat down. Val unzipped his jacket but left it on. Though I saw the tan and black panda shirt he had on ^o^ It was sooo cute! I was sitting in front of the Manager who was a nice lady. Ray was sitting in front of Val and Amanda was in front of Hayato. For the first time Nora was not the translator. John had Mari translate for us because the convention wouldn’t provide one if the activity was out side of the convention. The first thing they asked was our names. So the other two girls point to me to start so I smile and say Amanda. Then Ray went. When they got to the other Amanda Mari said her name and the guys looked between us like “Amanda.. Amanda2” she got a bit offended being labeled #2 and told them to call her Manda. Then they asked if we were related so I laughed and said no we were not related at all. Then there was a slight pause before the questions started. Especially since the waiter to come and take our orders. We talked a bit about what songs of theirs we liked and I floored them when I said all of them. Truly I don’t have a song of theirs I like more then the others. They then got a bit a little worried because we didn’t have any food yet so we blamed it on the waiter but said we were not in a hurry to order when they wanted to get the waiter over to the table. At least we had drinks. The waiter came up to find out what they would like to drink and they were looking around for a drink menu since it wasn’t anywhere on the table the waiter had to rush to get one for them. Hayato the whole time was going “Soda. I want soda” when Val was looking at the drinks the waiter started listing the types of soda they had . Val perked up “Coke.” and hayato confused the poor guy by saying “cola.. Umm Sprite. Yes I want sprit. Sprite” it was so funny at least he got the drink he wanted. They offered us a konpai so we toasted the evening poor Hayato had to reach way over the table to reach me but he made sure he did. We had a few questions after that though I was having trouble hearing what Amanda 2 was asking. I asked them how they do their hair and they pointed at the manager and said she does their hair and make up and that they never touch it. They asked us about our favorite movies at this time and were a bit surprised when I said foreign films. When the waiter came through we put in our orders and got into the whole talking thing. They wanted to know if any of us had seen them live. Ray and I hadn’t seen them live since I lived in Alaska at the time and ray was snowed in the last time they came to perform in the US. Amanda 2 said she seen. Then they asked us if we had ever been to Japan before because Amanda 2 had said she went to their show in Tokyo. I told them I was planning to go next year to visit for a little bit and they told me that I have to come to a performance of theirs while I am there. Of course I said yes. I would love to see their performance in Japan. We then learned that Hayato owns everything gundam pretty much. He has all the games, all the anime, all the movies, and yeah the boy is a Gundam fan big time. Val loves Studio Ghibli (Totoro, Laputa, ect.). that’s about when Ray gave them her present a bottle of Jack Daniels that they were more then happy to accept. Then we got a story about when they meet Ace from Trashlight Vision when the band was in Japan touring that he was drinking a bottle none stop and when they asked what it was he said he was drinking jack. They thought is was so cool that he was drinking jack from America and all through Japan that they wanted to try it to so now they had a bottle to drink on the airplane to Florida the next day. When asked how their flight was Val said he was bored when he couldn’t sleep very well and his T.V. was broken so he couldn’t want the movie on the flight and Hayato told us he couldn’t watch the movie because it was all in Chinese. That’s when Val looked at him and here is the conversation that got us laughing our heads off:
Val: You should have changed the language on the TV
Hayato: You cant change the language. It was in Chinese.
Val: It was a button on the bottom in the middle
Hayato: no there wasn’t.. was there?
Manager: yes there was it was under the T.V. you push it and you change the language. *laughing at him*
Val: yes you didn’t know that? *laughing at Hayato*
Hayato: no way. I’m so stupid I don’t even understand the things from my country *started laughing at himself for being stupid*
I kept laughing with the manager at Hayato being a goof ball. They asked us about pets that we all have and well the girls let me go first and I told them about my babies! They were so hyper about the fact that I have lizards that they had me describe them (I wish I had a picture with me of them to show the boys) and they just got more and more into it the more I talked. Hayato asked if I had a snake and I made him laugh when I told him I would love to have a snake but my aunt would kill me. I told them the story on how I snuck them in by telling her one day that I had lizards and that I make her take care of them when I am gone and how I really want a Bearded Dragon. Even Val was way into the fact I have lizards. They other girls didn’t entertain them as much with a their pets and Amanda 2 changed to their pets really fast since they started looking at me. Val told us about his turtles and Val about his parrots but she wouldn’t let Val talk about his turtles past the fact that he has them and what their names were but she wanted Hayato to say how hard it is to take care of his birds (I know it is parrots thanks to Adi I swear I heard him say pet pigs). That sort of started a trend. They really were interested in everything I said but Amanda 2 kept cutting them off so they would stop talking to me. We were talking about American actors and actresses and I said Nicolas Cage and they boys me and Ray started listing off Nicolas Cage movies and how Ghost Rider is his last movie because he said he was taking a break. Then they asked us about American music we listen to so I of course said Meatloaf since he is my all time favorite American artist and they wanted me to explain what he sang because they hadn’t heard his music and Mari and I were like “OMG he is so great!” and started trying to explain that he is a Rock, comedy, power ballad, awesome singer. Amanda 2 did try to cut in but they ignored her (that made me so happy) and we went through how great Meatloaf was and they said I should listed to Muse or if I had heard of them I said it was familiar to me and they told me it is something I should listen to. Then we were talking about favorite Anime and I just randomly listed Basilisk and told them it was really bloody and they were all ok and then Hayato of course said Gundam and Val said a show that’s direct translation was “Last weapon Girl” (he got that because at some point the manager slipped them a translator that they kept poking at all night) when he described it as a show where a guys girlfriend turns into a weapon I was all “I know that one.. I cant think of the title but I know it is way different then what it translates too” he was trying to tell us to get it from the under market in the US (I figure he was talking about import or fan subbing) and to really watch it. He was happy I understood what he was saying. I talked so much when they would say something we were having conversations like we were best friends or something it was awesome. It was about then that I noticed while Mari was translating they were both watching me the whole time and smiling. We talked like that for about two and a half hours. Pretty much about nothing. Hayato did say they want to perform in the United States soon and that they can not say anything yet. They said the same thing about a tour in Europe though they seemed less inclined towards the prospect of going to Europe. Ray at one point did ask a question for a friend. She asked what color their socks were. We started laughing when peeked down and said White but Val had to lift his foot up and look at his socks to wee what the color was. We were laughing so hard. Hayato got confused and we had to explain to him that that was not a normal question at all. I thought it was hilarious that Val didn’t even remember the socks he had put on that morning. Another random note that happened near the beginning (I am so scatter brained) Hayato had ordered a seafood salad and didn’t even check the sauce before he poured all the sauce on the food and started messing with it. He lifted up part of a cucumber and it ended up being like two feet long he laughed and was all “what the…” in English. Then he took a bit and it was all sour hot sauce he had poured on everything. He pointed to it and told Val it was to spicy. Val took a bit and looked at him weird telling him it was just fine. So he started sniffing the sauce and pushed it aside since it was the culprit. He really didn’t eat anything at the table. Val on the other hand ate his green ice cream, his Japanese noodles, and part of Hayatos salad. They also said that the video they played had never been viewed before and that us at Katsucon would be the first ever to see it and that it wasn’t going to be on video. So when Amanda 2 was all saying how grateful that she was that they brought it I looked at the clock and shock my head telling them that we wouldn’t get to see the movie. That it had been playing for about 30 minutes at the convention. Their faces were all shocked and they looked at the manager who pulled out their whole schedule for the weekend and she told them I was right but we made sure they knew we didn’t mind because we were somewhere better then watching a movie. Before to long though dinner was over and they had to run to the question and answer session at the convention. Before they left Val went to the rest room and so did Mari so Hayato took it on himself to ask us in English what songs we want them to play when they come to the United States. We pretty much told him anything as long as they come back and play. Then came some pictures and that was it the boys left and so did everyone else. Ray and I were left alone to hurry up and pack our food so we could rush off to the Question and Answer session. Ray and I kind of took their Chop sticks. I said it as a joke but took them because she was so serious. So I have one Hayato and one Val chopstick. I have no idea what I am going to do with them… not a clue…
Friday Question and Answer Session
Not much to say about this so here are the videos I took. John DID SAY Duel Jewel was in the works to come back and perform in the USA in 2007!! SO YAY!!!!!!! I am so doing dinner with them again!! After that the videos cover pretty much everything. I did notice when I went back and watched them that Val was watching me now and then o-o I guess the fact we were at the dinner and then there was just I don’t know… I don’t know what to think about it. Anyways That is the end of Friday because I pretty much went and talked with Sara, Sheila, Joe, and Lynn and then went to my room ate some of the rice and fell asleep.
Duel Jewel Video Pack:
www.sendspace.com/file/asnkb1 Saturday February 17th
I woke up around 8am and got dressed in my milk-chan outfit and then sat down and waited for Jody to wake up. She wanted me to go with her to get pictures of costumes and I agreed. It was around 10am by the time we got out of the room and walked around. It was awesome. People would stop me for my picture and I would point out costumes and people who were already posing. Then we walked around the dealers room where at one point she got a picture using me as a trade ^o^ Mine for theirs hahah it was so fun. After a bit we meet up with Joe, Sheila, Sara, and Lynn in the lobby and Jody went off on her own and I went with them back into the dealers room. Sara and I went off alone and we heard someone kind of following us and they wanted my picture. I smiled and said ok. They turned out to be the people from Otaku Life Magazine. They said out of 4 years I was one of the only Milk-chan cosplayers they had seen and they just loved my outfit ^o^ So they asked to interview me and I gave a really good interview that both of them seemed to like my answers. They want me as a Cosplay model for them at Otakon and gave me their emails, website, phone number, and names so that we can keep in touch. I have to send them an email about it. I wonder what will come of it. I am just in awe that it even happened. We walked around a bit after that just having fun. Later I went to get changed for the 2pm Jrock photoshoot. I wish I had missed it though it was the same as Fridays and no one was really there except the Purple Sky lady doing pictures again. So Jody and I had rushed down there for nothing. After that I went and got into some normal clothes suitable for the Rave before I went to the Jrock panel. I will have to say that was the worst panel I have even been to. It was un organized and run by elitist Jrock cosplayers who just seemed full of themselves. I was a waste of time. I sat through it with Sheila and everyone just to get to the Indies Jrock panel that was right after it. Now that panel was awesome. He gave information about bands that are not really heard of in eth US and played a little bit of each so we knew what they sounded like. He was very informative and I enjoyed it a lot. After that we went to their room and waited for Sara’s friend and his brother to show up so we could do our Dinner out. I have to say his brother was adorable but a non-stop bundle of energy. We talked a little first and then went to eat where we just stood around for half an hour and got seated when someone finally left. We laughed a lot while trying to get over the fact the kid was pretty much screaming and wanting us to guess his pokemon character names. It gave me a headache but it was amusing. When we got back to their room we just laid around having a blast and laughing our heads off. Joe got some really awkward but fun pictures of all of us just being goofballs. Oh my god was it fun. We went to the Rave at midnight and that mood continued we were just having a blast! Sara and I went off on one of the Trains and came back laughing then Joe and I went on another and then Sheila and I and we were just laughing and dancing. Joe did the Water Bender move and he blended in with all the kids that were dancing. Hard to believe we were in there for two hours! Yes it was 2am when we got out of there and I went and got my hat from their room before wandering back to my room showering and passing out since I knew I would have to be up early to get packed up.
Sunday February 18
Not much about Sunday. After about 4 hours of sleep I was awake and packing. I don’t even remember a lot about Sunday. I know we didn’t stay past 11am and there was some built up drama between all of us. I’ll elaborate in a side email with people. It just didn’t leave a good feeling in me. We did go in the dealers room where I bough the Animated Manga Anamundi: Dark Alchemist (AWSOME GAME!!) I am getting close to the yaoi part. I love a manga that reads its self to me and lets me make a few choices here and there. I will have to go through and choose another set of answers see what happens then. The rest of the trip I slept. We stopped and ate a bit but I slept after that until I got home. Then I dragged myself in and went to sleep again hahah I was so tired.
PICTURES!!!
Duel Jewel Photoset B (I think I mixed up whos who...) :
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0008-1.jpg Natsuki
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0006-2.jpg Val
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0005-2.jpg Hayato
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0004-2.jpg Shun
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0003-2.jpg Yuya
Picture with Duel Jewel
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/scan0007-2.jpgDuel Jewel Q&A and Dinner
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0801.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0800.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0798.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0795.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0794.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0793.jpgCosplayers:
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0823.jpg Me Saturday as Kanon
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0822.jpg me saturday as kanon 2
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0818.jpg Jrock Photoshoot Saturday
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0817.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0812.jpg Kingdom Hearts 2
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0811.jpg Zelda Photoshoot
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0809.jpg Voltron
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0808.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0807.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0805.jpgi101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0791.jpg An Cafe Cosplayers Friday
i101.photobucket.com/albums/m60/Cyhretmis/100_0790.jpg Me Kanon Friday