San-Japan 1.5

[nova_myth]

Yesterday was the big day that has been in the making with vast struggles for the last 3 years, San-Japan 1.5! My home town of San Antonio has never had an anime convention or anything close until now. I'm not here to tell you how it came about, I wasn't part of that, though I did follow it some what during the years. No, I'm to talk about attending it.

The convention was from Friday, Aug 8th to Sunday, Aug 10th. Work popped its ugly head up two weeks ago and ruined my chance in attending the convention Friday. I was free Sat and took my friend  Patrick along for the ride. My friend Joseph eventually showed up with his family too. The convention was split between the hotel and the Municipal Auditorium across the street.

We arrived mid-day and went to seperate tables so I could get my pre-registered stuff while Patrick got his badge. I also bought a t-shirt of the convention. Then he headed to the dealer rooms in the basement. There were several vendors and very well stocked. However, I found something I desperately wanted that is handcrafted but the sold out of the one I wanted. They're hats made by Basiik. The one I wanted is of a bunny, but the ears are over 3 feet long and work as a scarf around your neck if you wish. Totally cute and adorable. But as I said they sold out, they only had brown ones left and I was not interested int those. But they do sell them on their website and do customize too. Very reasonably priced and good shipping price too. 

So when we had finished our wandering of the dealer room, artist alley, and other things we left for lunch. Lunch was uneventful and sad considering the restaurant we went to was on the River Walk. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either... Afterwards I went back to artist alley to see if it was less crowded around certain vendors and Patrick went to the hotel to play in the gaming rooms on one of the competitions with Super Mario Melee. 

I evetually headed over to hotel and meet up with Patrick who was still in the video gaming room. Shortly after I arrived I got a call for Joseph and he needed help, totally lost on what to do. So once his family (he, his sister, mom, and dad) were Registered I took them down to the dealer room because they closed at 6pm. Patrick evetually meet up with us and we wandered the dealer room yet again. There was just so much stuff crammed into those small spaces. 

Patrick and I decided to split from the others to go get in line for the Cosplay show, which looked to be good. Half the people were dressed like cosplay in attendence, and while most were not going to be in the contest, we knew it was going to be a high number. The detail and craftmenship was amazing on most of the outfits, contest running or not! Sadly our time in line was wasted. I wrote an e-mail to the Conchair, I pasted a copy blow.

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Yesterday I attended San-Japan and had a great time and was pleased with the turn-out and events the conventions had to offer. That is, until the Cosplay show where the safety staff and it's head master, Sven, de-railed the entire convention for myself and many others. I waited in line for over an hour and a half with others and when we were shown in they put us against the wall and the far back near the door. Half the people could only see a pillar for a view. We politely tried to address this problem before we would even sit down, but the staff was rude, not matter how many people spoke up. Simple common sense could have just solved the problem if they had listen to any suggestions and it would have not become an issue. When we were able to address Sven he refused to listen, stating he had an 'amber alert' on his hands and would get back to us. Was there a missing child or was it used just as an excuse? I asked my friends who arrived shortly before the cosplay was to begin, and were given better seats than anyone who had stood in line patiently for over an hour, if they heard of any of it outside asking for attention and they said no. Even the idea of using an amber alert as an excuse to not address well over forty people who were upset and angry before the rest of the people had been let in and seated is just disgusting.

As if that was not rude enough it got worse, a lot worse. Several people who couldn't see because of the pillar got up out of their seats and moved to stand against the wall, so they could at least see something. What did Sven do? Rudely made them go stand even farther away and against the back wall, they eventually left before the cosplayers had finished taking the stage. And when he did 'get to us' he only did so because a person had left from the first row in our dismal section and I quote, "You can fight over it for yourselves." I may or may not attend again next year. I live in San Antonio which is the only reason I will consider it. If this experience had happened in an out of town convention I would not waste my money to attend again. However several people, including the people who were forced to the back of the room and later left, are dead set on not attending again next year.

We were not rowdy or rude, we were only aggressive in trying to have someone listen to us when we were ignored. And by us I do not just mean my friend and I but several dozen people. This was my experience with just an average membership. I upgraded to VIP to at least avoid this ridiculousness and was disappointed yet again for the Smile.dk concert. Sven was rude to the people who were VIPs in general when we came in!

This was the first San-Japan convention and there by given a bit of grace. However, people who were affronted in this matter will be especially more critical if they attend next year, myself included. 

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The Smile.dk concert was good, though the sound system messed with the singing and had an echo and subdude sound most of the night, sadly. It was great fun otherwise. 

I am so very tired. I spent a total of 3 and a half hours in line between standing for the Cosplay Show and then again for the Smile.dk Concert.