And Now It's Over

Last night, the very last episode of the Avatar franchise aired. The very last episode of my absolute favorite series... ended. I was so excited and so sad and so not ready for it to be over. But all good things come to an end, I suppose. 

I had always intended to do a post about ATLA and LOK, but I never had the time or motivation. Well, now I do, and it's time to say goodbye. Perfect timing. 

Here's a little history of how I even got involved: back when I was younger I saw a promo for Avatar: The Last Airbender, which was showing for the first time that night. I thought it looked kind of cool, and a little while later I was watching it. I don't remember much, I don't think I even watched the whole thing. The point is, I saw it, and I remembered it enough so that when the movie came out it 2010 I wanted to go see it (also, judging by the preview, 12 year old me thought it would be awesome. I did think it was awesome).

Unfortunately, I liked the movie so much I had my dad buy the DVD. Whoops. Now that's sitting in a box somewhere and I will probably deny that I own it. I am kind of thankful for it though, because if I hadn't seen the movie, I probably wouldn't have watched the show. 

Now, fast-forward a few months. My brother was sick, we were trying to find something to watch, and so we checked out Nick... and there it was: ATLA- The Southern Raiders. Sure, my first episode of it wasn't from the first season, and I didn't even see the first half of the episode! But it became a weekly event where my brother and I would watch ATLA re-runs (which were not shown in any specific order that I know of) on Saturday mornings. 

I didn't watch it in order the first time I saw it. Or the second, or third. I started randomly picking them and eventually was able to piece together the whole show. Eventually Mom decided to watch it since Dante and I loved it so much, so we watched it as a family, in order. 

Never had I seen a show with such amazing characters, plot, depth, animation, emotion, or music.  

The characters felt like old friends once I finished the series. I loved them so, so much. If I was sad, I would watch it. If I was lonely, I would watch it. If I was happy, I would watch it. I would watch it and watch it and watch it, and these characters became real to me. Y'all know how much I love FMA, right? And how much I love the characters? Well, it's like that, but x10, or x20, or x100 (being in the fandom for 5 years probably has something to do with that haha).

The heroes were well rounded, the villains were well rounded, the random side characters got their share of development, too. It's rare to see such excellent characterization in any show, let alone an animated kids show!

My Azula costume... she's probably one of my most favorite characters ever!

There are so many layers in ATLA, and every time I watch it I get something new out of it. I'm not saying that kids shows can't be deep or have good meaning, but a lot of them don't, so it's refreshing to see something so amazing made so that kids can understand it and teens and adults can enjoy it, as well.

The music  THE MUSIC is just beautiful and amazing and sooo perfect. So much effort went into ATLA and it's been a HUGE part of my childhood :')

When I found out that there was going to be another Avatar series, I flipped. I was sooooo happy that we would be having 12 more episodes of Avatar awesomeness! Ha. Ha. Ha. Little did I know that this so called "fun mini-series" would become a 3 year ordeal that would become one of my favorite shows.

remember when this was 

all we had of Korra

You can imagine my excitement when Nick called for 3 more seasons! About half way through season two, I got a little disappointed with the writing and plot direction (which was something I could forgive for season 1, they only had 12 episodes to work with, after all), but I still loved it. Season three's writing proved to be a huge improvement from seasons 1 and 2. The writing was better, the villains were darker, the over-all plot was much more enjoyable and intense, and the characterization was fantastic. We got to see sides of character that we had never seen before, new and well developed characters entered the mix, and friendships developed between old characters. Something that I really enjoyed about seasons 3 and was the lack of romantic sub-plot between the Krew. I think that was a let-down for the fans during season 2.

Fan-made trailer for the finale

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, thank you Avatar, thank you Bryke, and most importantly, thank you Fandom for such an amazing 5 years. ATLA was a real treasure of my childhood, and LOK was a wonderful part of my high school experience. I'm sure our fandom will last for quite a while, it was still going strong between ATLA and LOK, so I don't doubt that there will be plenty of fanworks for the years to come, but it's still sad to see such an awesome series end,

Good bye, Avatar, goodbye.


*and then I sob for about 10,000 years*

Blog Tag :)

(heyyyy peeps I'm back from Mexico :) Had a great trip and will have a post on it soon!)

Thank you Arda for the tag!!

The rules are as follows...

1. Follow the blog that tagged you (optional).
2. Include two or more pictures that include your favorite characters, books, movies, or lyrics from songs (they can also be your own edits or pictures).
3. Tag five or more bloggers and tell them.
4. Answer the blogger’s ten questions related to characters, books, movies, or lyrics.
5. Create your own questions having to do with the same thing.

Ok, so two pics to start us out:

A Stargate quote

And some absolutely perfect Pacific Rim fan art

1. Do you listen to any podcasts?
Yep! I listen to Jonathan Park (it's good. listen to it. now.) and WTNV!

2. At what point did you know you were into your main fandom(s)?
Well, I didn't really know what a "fandom" was until I was in 7th grade, but from the first time I saw Star Wars I was a die-hard fan :). Three episodes into FMA I knew I was in deep, and I sold my soul to Stargate: SG-1 in the TV movie cut of the first two episodes!

3. What are you currently reading and/or watching?
Reading: I just finished The Joy Luck Club, and am currently reading Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde and O! Pioneers.
Watching: Clannad After Story and Stargate: SG-1 :)

4. Writing in books - yes or no?
Yes! Unless it's not your book to write in.

5. Who is the funniest character you like?
Sokka from ATLA

6. What is your favorite soundtrack?
How to Train Your Dragon :D

7. Do you like to reread/rewatch things?
Only if I love it enough (but usually I won't finish reading/watching something that I don't love)

8. What character inspires you the most?
WHAT??? THERE ARE SO MANY YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME TO CHOOSE ONE!! (and forgive me for not choosing Ahsoka, but I'm still not over her ending)

So here's a list of just a few:
Winry Rockbell for her healing hands
Sam Carter for her brilliant mind
Riza Hawkeye for her loyal hart
Edward Elric for his fierce determination
Luke Skywalker for his willingness to grow
Percy Jackson simply because he was my favorite character for many years

9. What is a smaller or lesser-known fandom you think is great?
Hmmm.... I don't really know? Probably the Primeval fandom.

10. What movies are you still looking forward to this year?
Mockingjay
Transformers
Gaurdians of the Galaxy
Lucy (though I doubt that I will be able to see it.)

Questions!
1. What was your favorite childhood TV show?
2. What song makes you think of that character who's death you'll never get over?
3. What is your current favorite fandom?
4. Is there a character that you have many similarities, though you may not like them as a character?
5. What book have you read that you really liked, even though you expected to not like it so much?
6. What song makes you think of 2012?
7. Is there a character that you grew up with? (such as how some people grew up with Harry Potter)
8. Which book is more loved- the one that is years old but in almost perfect condition, or the one that looks like it's traveled the world and just barely holding together?
9. Which of your favorite characters has the most tragic back story?
10. What books are you looking forward to reading?



Alright, I tag:

Faith of Princess Faith
Covert Knight of Knights Underground
Shena of Pens, Thespians, and Words
Aalya Rain of Fangirl & Farmgirl
And Arda, if you want to do this tag again :)

Fullmetal Alchemest 2003 and Fullmetal Alchemest: Brotherhood

I know I said in January that I would have the comparison up "soon"

"soon" is a relative term and can mean some time within two minutes or two years, depending on what this "soon" was referring to.

"I'll put the cookies in the oven soon"- some time within the hour
"I'll see you soon"- some time within the next few days
"I'll post my review soon"- when I actually have time to sit down and do it
"I'll clean my room soon"- I don't want to clean my room so it'll never happen

now that that's all cleared up- on to the review! 

(And random fandom-ey stuff at the end)
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As you know, I have finished both "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood", and absolutely loved them both! After finishing FMA:B, I didn't feel the need to make a review for it. Why? Well, my original review for the 2003 version pretty much covers what I need to say about the plot and warnings (mostly), so no need repeating myself.

I'm going to refer to the 2003 version as FMA and the 2009 version as Brotherhood

((The next part is really just me talking about the depth/ violence/ rating of the series. It would be more useful for someone who has not seen the series before. Fell free to skip and resume after the picture of the candy. That's where the real comparison starts.))

So, as I have mentioned before, both versions are intense. Scale of 1-10/ Fruits Basket to Hunger Games? It averages out to a five or six. But then there are scenes that are total fluff (obviously), and then there are those shocking scenes that sky-rocket to "Hunger Games" level.


But then again, I'm just talking about the action/violence/gore. Not the in-depth look at moralities, the grey between right and wrong, and the well defined black and white. That's something that I loved so much about both shows- there was the laid out black and white, but there was also the grey zone, just as it is in real life.

Ed and Al grow up fast. They have to, and though much of the story takes place when they're 14/15/16 (ending when Ed's around 18 in Brotherhood), they also have episodes when they're very young.  You see the boys mature, but the circumstances start off just as awful as they end. Violence peruses them (or they pursue it. It's hard to tell), but more importantly the show is very layered.

Layers upon layers upon layers of story and plot and orals and symbolism and metaphors and analogies. It's like a jaw breaker. 
(Brotherhood more so. Mostly because it's longer, but it also has fewer plot holes)

You can always count on me to compare something to candy

My brother, who is relatively smart, is 13. He watched FMA / Brotherhood, and understood it to and extent, but I honestly don't believe that he got the best experience with it (I know I wouldn't have at his age). I, at 15, understood it better than him, but I know there are some things that I missed. It will take a second and third watches, as well as maturity, for me to grasp it all. 

So, yes, as a general rating, I would agree with the TV rating: TV-14. But the decision is really a question of maturity and understanding than age.

Brotherhood, in general, was much more in-depth than FMA, and had more condensed violence, as well.

((Ok, now onto the real comparison))

I'm going to look at two main things here: The plot and characterization. Other aspects of the show really just aren't that important when comparing. Finally, I'll conclude with the question of "What should I watch?". 

I spent a lot of time on this. Appreciate it.

The Plot

The beginning of FMA and Brotherhood are parallel, due to them both following the manga. The first 10 to 15 episodes of Brotherhood seem rushed, though, because so much is crammed into them. On the other hand, FMA devoted almost double the episodes to the same plot. It allows viewers to get more connected to the characters, and to enjoy the rest of the series without feeling rushed.

I think that one of the main reasons the writers of Brotherhood felt like they could just rush through such an important part of the story is because it is assumed that fans already watched FMA, so they had no need to go into detail, which makes sense. 

But this doesn't change, so don't worry, you're not missing much there :p

So, for the question of  "should I just skip FMA all together?" my response is this: If you do not want to watch all of FMA, then don't, but please, please watch until episode 25, then watch Brotherhood from the beginning. There are minor differences in the beginning of Brotherhood's series that need to be seen, even if the episodes aren't that great.

Also, watch "The Flame Alchemist, The Bachelor Lieutenant; and The Mystery of Warehouse 13". It is in FMA and not worth missing.

For the rest of the series, Brotherhood is longer, so it has more time for things to develop well. This left less room for the larger plot holes (which happened in FMA) and helped keep the continuity.

Many people discard FMA after watching Brotherhood, but in reality, FMA is a well done show in and of itself. True, there are some obvious plot holes and general weirdness that happens, but it's not worth calling the anime "worthless" over.

The two shows ultimately go in totally different directions, so it's almost pointless to say one it better than the other when it comes to the overall plot and spirit. I would like to believe that FMA is just an alternate universe version of Brotherhood :)  (and it's possible, considering how FMA ended)

Characters

There are sooo many wonderful characters in both shows, but lets face it: Brotherhood's characterization, character development, writing of character interactions, and female characters are way better than FMAs.

It's true- ask anyone who has watched both shows.

In FMA, the characters are great. You get attached and the main characters have some development and depth. I wouldn't call it bad... just lacking. Especially since so many of the lovely ladies just got pushed aside. 

Epic people who I will cosplay. Thank God I'm blonde!
Credit

Ed and Al's character arcs obviously carry the most weight in the story, but in Brotherhood, they share the spotlight a lot more. It becomes a story of how they initiated saving the end of the world and worked as a team to save it, not a story just about Ed and Al saving everyone's butts. 

Also, Brotherhood has a lot more characters that are absolutely amazing! Because there's more episodes, there's more time to get to know all of those characters. It's really great. 

By this cutie

"What should I watch?"

And here we arrive at the big question. "Should i watch Brotherhood? Or FMA? Or Both? Why should I even watch it?"

Yes

Yes

Yes

Because it is amazing and is beautifully done. There is action, adventure, romance, comedy, tragedy, and a truly amazing hero's journey. It is considered one of the best animes of all time for a reason. Sure, it gets violent and makes you cringe, but that's why it's so good. It wakes something up deep inside of you, it gives you hope and then takes it away and then builds it back up from the ground. It will leave you crying tears of joy and sadness and anger. There is something for everyone, even if it typically isn't your type of show.

Also Izumi's pretty hot (and I mean that in the straightest way possible).

So go and watch it! Watch both!

Watch FMA first, and enjoy it. Love the story for what it is and remember how much you liked it when you watch Brotherhood. Both are amazing, but in totally different ways. Leave a good month or so in between watching them, so that you can keep the story straight in your mind.

If you watch Brotherhood first, then FMA will be crap.

____________________________________________________

Alright, that's it! Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think/ your opinions on each series. 

(and I'm totally up for geeking out in the comments, as always)
_______________________________________________________

This is an amazing video and everyone needs to watch it

And now I'm going to shamelessly do some self promotion

Have some EdWin fluff

cretits
(has lots of cute EdWin art- go check her out!)

Or if RoyAi is more your style

~ShaakThusa 

"Clannad" Review

Aah the first anime I've watched since FMA (I think?). I kept telling myself that I wouldn't start another anime until I finished my FMA/FMA:B comparison, but that didn't really happen... oh well. 

I am soooo glad that I watched "Clannad" (thanks to James over at J and J Productions!) It was a very fun show. It absolutely makes it into my "top 10" list of animated TV (as in, not just anime, but other shows as well. Like TCW and ATLA)! There is a very fun feel to it, and it kept me on the edge wondering "what happens next?"

Alright, onto the review!

sorry, i lost the source :(

Synopsis ( I can't find a good one, so I guess I have to write my own lol):
High school senior Tomoya Okazaki is bored with his life. His school has nothing to offer, he and his father have a distant relationship, and his one friend only adds to his trouble. In a chance meeting with a strange girl, Nagisa Furukawa, his life gets turned upside down. The show follows their journey to revive the drama club, help classmates, and unravel a strange mystery.

(how was that for my first time?)


Genre: 
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, School, Slice of Life, Supernatural

This is absolutely one of the best animes I've seen, and would recommend it to anyone who is already into anime. I don't think it would be the best thing to start out with, but if you can handle the moe style, then go for it! 

Warnings: Very little violence, other than some over-exaggerated cartoon violence.

Because no one would ever survive that

There is very little foul language (much less than you would find at a real high school, that's for sure). 
I feel that it might have been because I was watching the english dub, but there were quite a few references to a god that the characters pray to, but it does not listen/care. I personally just attribute that to the dub, and the fact that really, whichever god they're praying to is probably a deity of one of Japan's main religions, seeing as only 2% of the population is actually Christian. I really don't know what to make of it, honestly. It felt kind of out of place in the story. It's very minor- I just thought I would mention it.

Plot and Production:
The plot is well thought out, and each episode flowed smoothly into the next. I feel like there are two main parts to the show, the first half: a mystery, and the second half: achieving a goal. The underlying mysteries constantly has viewers questioning the direction of the plot, because there are so many possible outcomes! Though some aspects are predictable, it doesn't leave a feeling of "ugh, the writers should be more creative".

Obviously this show is heavily moe, but the animation is sharp and relatively smooth. It's more of a matter of if you can tolerate the huge eyes and crazy effects! I watched the English dub, and thought that the voice acting was awesome! The actors all did a great job, and they didn't pull out of the story at all (you know, like make me realize that they are recording in a booth, not being their characters... that feeling, yeah...)

Characters:
The word "clannad" comes from Gaelic roots, meaning "family". This is most defiantly a fitting name for the show, as it is about a group of friends that have a very family-like dynamic (Kyou and Tomoya are totally mom and dad). There are LOTS AND LOTS OF CHARACTERS, so I'm grouping families together!

Tomoya Okazaki

Tomoya Okazaki, our lovable, sarcastic delinquent, is the lead of the series. He is a quick thinker, and helps a number of friends through the series. He rarely looks for a fight, but will fight back when attacked first. Much of the story revolves around him learning about his friends, their past, and helping them. He's an interesting character, and David Matranga's acting is very good, and possibly better than the two other anime's I've seen him in. (he was also in Angel Beats and Hakuouki)

Nagisa Furukawa

This cutie here, Nagisa Furukawa, is the leading lady of the show. Though she might seem shy, her dream is to start the drama club back up. She cares deeply for other people, and is overall a very likable character. Her most obvious flaw is that she worries to much, and is very self conscious, which is a foil to Tomoyas confidence. It's hard not to like her, especially since she loves almost everyone she meets, always trying to see the good in people.

Akio and Sanae Furukawa

Nagisa's parents. My OTP of the series. They are adorable and make me do this:

Ryou and Kyou Fujibayashi

The twins are the last characters I'm going to mention, because there are SO many other great characters, and this post would take forever if I don't stop.
So yes. The twins.
Kyou (right) is very protective of Ryou (left), who is much more quiet than her older sister. They are both wonderful characters, but I feel that Kyou gets more character development, because she bonds with Tomoya more (like I said- the mom and dad of the group), and is much more... loud. Yeah. She's loud. I love her to pieces.
And Ryou is smart and adorable, so it's all good.

Availability:

Available on Hulu instant play, Netflix DVD, and AnimeFreak

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Alright, well, now I'm off to start the sequel- Clannad: After Story!

Royai Week 2014

So, I heard it was Royai Week, and jumped on board :) I didn't do every day, just no time, but yep... here you go!

Way cuter than intended, but that's OK :)

Day 1: Stolen- a short and simple poem from Roy's POV

-----

My vision has been lost,
But with you by my side,
My dream cannot be stolen
__________________

Day 2: Constant (tw: suicide)- This time Riza's POV. I don't believe this to be canon.

She pledged her life to him when he asked. Not like he need to, she would have followed him anywhere. He didn’t have to ask.
-----
She never asked him to stick by her side, but she knew he would. They had sealed the contract of their trust after the war, in the burning of her back.

Those scars were reminders of what had happened. Constant reminders that two idealistic dreamers could never change the world by good deeds alone. There had to be losses and pain and suffering, but at least they had each other.

The scar on her neck from the events of The Promised Day refused to fade. The angry red was a constant reminder of the flames she had accidentally released on the world. But in the end, they still had each other.

The second set of dog tags around her neck were a cold and grim reminder. A painful memory of the fact that he was never coming back. They no longer had each other.

The gun in her hand made it a possibility for her to stand by his side again. They would forever have each other.

___________________

Day 3: Crossover/AU

Stargate AU! He takes O'Neill's place, and she takes Sam's :) (and yes, his face is all unproportional  and crazy, oh well :p)
-----

Day 4: Opportunity

Some inconsistency, but it was written quickly, because I wanted to watch Stargate lol!

----

The sudden lurch jolted Riza awake. A panic clutched her heart as she looked around for the enemy. All that met her eyes was Roy and Maes who were sitting across from her. They were on the train back from Ishval.

The war was over, but her nightmarish life would forever follow her. 

Sighing and looking out the window, she thought about how her life could go on now, after all of the chaos she had caused. Maybe she would go back to her childhood house, live out the rest of her life in seclusion, she would have the opportunity to "retire" once she was back in Amestris. It was a possibility. She doubted that she would ever be able to live a normal life after what she had done. Hell, it was practically her fault that Ishval burned to the ground.

She glanced at Roy. He looked so troubled sleeping. 

"Roy", she whispered. She hated to wake him, especially after all that they've been through for the past two years. After another unsuccessful attempt to awaken him, she drifted back into a deep and troubled slumber.

=====

"Riza, Roy, I'd like to introduce you to Gracia, my girlfriend!" Hughes had immediately gone from tired and dreary to an over-enthusiastic fool in love. Riza couldn't help but smile at him, and was happy to finally meet Gracia, happy that Hughes had the opportunity to live out the rest of his life with the one he loved. 

She had no family to meet them at the platform, so she had agreed to accompany Roy to his aunts bar in central the next day.

Before she left Madam Christmas pulled her aside.

"Riza, darling, you are a bright girl, and I'm sure you'll go far in no matter what you do," her rough voice was oddly comforting, "But if you ever need a job, or just a place to call home, I'm here, and so are my girls. Don't forget that."

"Oh, thank you very much, Chris," replied Riza, startled at how readily Christmas would take a killer like her under her wing. 

Madam Christmas's demeanor changed, she straighten up and with a devilish grin added "Besides, a beauty like you would certainly bring in loads of customers!" 

Once they were out the door, Roy asked her what that was about. "Oh, she was just giving me  a job opportunity."

"Don't think your going to stay in the military?" 

"I don't know," she looked down, studying the concrete sidewalk- something so simple but so beautiful. She let her mind wander through the wonders of sidewalks, and people, and the people that walked on those side walks and how they were so foreign from the dust and sand of the desert and-

"Riza?"

"Sorry! Sir! I... I just got lost in thought there for a minute."

"It's alright. We've been off duity for barely a week, but you should make your decision soon. As soon as you can."

"I need a reason to stay," she turned and looked him in the eye, "I didn't just join the military for you Roy, or just because I had no where else to go. I joined because I, too, want to protect people. How can I protect people after I helped slaughter an entire race for the sake of a pointless war? How can we possibly consider ourselves saviors after what we have done?" Her voice was hushed, with a quiet rage behind her words. Her eyes grew stone cold as she spoke and her index finger tapped impatiently against her leg. Her posture was ridged and ready to strike.

Taking a deep breath (fresh city air, clear of dust and the smell of blood- something he hadn't gotten used to yet) he put a hand on her shoulder. "I need you Riza. I need you by my side. I've known you for a long time and you aren't the type to give up. You can help people. I have a way..."

"By all means, tell me how I can help. Because I'm beginning to think that none of use belong here anymore."

"I've been transfered to East City, and, as a state alchemist, can choose to take an 'assistant'. If you stay, I'll bring you. Protect the knowledge you gave to me... and if I don't stay on the straight and narrow, put a bullet through my head. Help me climb the ranks- help me become fuhrer!"

"Why."

"Why? So that things like Ishval don't happen again! So that no one else has to suffer at the hands of those in a higher position of power! Riza, you know more than anyone the pain and destruction that Flame Alchemy can cause. Protect me- protect it."

======

"Why did you stay in the military? Wasn't it hard after Ishval?"

"Yes," she glanced over at the new Fuhrer, "but I was given an opportunity."

Kraken Con 2014

(I made a page with all of my cosplays, and it's going to be updated with each of my costumes... check it out!)


Oooh look what I finally got around to! I guess I've been building up to this for the past... 4 posts or so? Well, here I am, finally posting about the big day :p

Who all went: Dad, my mom's parents (Grand and Big-C), my brother (Dante), and my aunt's exchange student (Peter)
Yeah, so I'm calling peeps by what I call them irl bc that's easier.

Sunday morning we started getting ready, so that we could try to be out of the house by 8:15. I made last-second finishes to my costume (oh, the curse of a cosplayer XD) and did my eye makeup as I waited for the glue to dry. Then I helped my brother get his costume on... lots and lots of safety pins! Once my grandparents arrived we all piled into my dad's car and were on our way!

Dad and Big-C sat in the front and listened to a church service. Grand sat in the back with me (she borrowed one of my Doctor Who shirts for the day), and Dante sat in-between us so I could paint Aangs arrows on him. We got to the restaurant where we were picking up Peter, so Dante and I walked in looking like crazy people in half cosplay! I had on super heavy eye makeup and nothing else, and my hair was back and I had a wig cap around my neck, no armor... just a black dress over my red shirt and pants (I looked like some sort of failed punk band :p)

Omg it's my face AAAAAAA

After the looooong drive up, we got to the con center, and I finished putting on my costume. Finally we were there! We turned in our registration and the fun began! When we got our wrist bands the volunteers were so excited about Dante and my costume, and they asked for pictures and, yeah, it was pretty cool! It would be fun to work at something like that, then you could see everyones costumes! Once we got to the main room, (after stopping for quite a few pictures- there was one girl who even did a selfie with us! Yay cosplay selfies! Haha ok moving on...

Unfortunately, I missed the first panel I wanted to go to- "Cosplaying in Character", which probably would have helped a lot for my Performing Arts final. Oh well, since I missed it, I had the oppurtunity for something else totally awesome to happen!

When we got to the main room, I see someone with a cosplay that looks familiar, and then I realized she was Toph (also from ATLA) and it was amazing! She ran over to us and we went all crazy fangirl, and then we were just like "CAN I HUG YOU OMG" and it was the best thing ever :D Quite a few people walking by got pictures of us, and then we all went to the photo studio together to get our pictures taken.

AAAA I"M SO PROUD OF OUR COSTUMES :D

After taking the picture, we parted ways, promising to meet back up again. My group took off to look around the Dealers Room, and I made a bee-line for my favorite artist, Yuumei. I was so excited to meet her! She's had a big impact on me and my art, and she was such a sweet girl in person, as well. She's used her talent and difficult past to really reach out to so many people, and honestly, it's really brave that she does that. She also has brought awareness to the pollution problems in China, and advocates to fix it. Haha when I found out that she was going to be there, I ran around my house like a crazy fangirl screaming all sorts of crazy stuff :p. I planed to spend only $10 to $20 at her table... obviously that didn't happen. I spent at least $40! Oh, well, it was worth it :) seeing her work on my walls makes me really happy.

Then it was time for my first panel, which was on writing villains. It was very helpful, and the director really made us all participate, it was so much fun! Haha we got a little side tracked and started talking about FMA, and then later on he gave me some tips on my villain. He also talked a bit about world building, so that was cool, too. This summer I'm going to post all of my panel notes from this (school) year, so if y'all are writers, you may be interested in this one.

"Re-Imagine" by Yuumei

After the panel was finished, I went out into the dealers room and looked around, bought more stuff from Yuumei, and went upstairs to have lunch with my group. The food was really good (i got a burger), but a bit expensive (con food always is). I realized that eating with armor and collars and 3 lbs of vinyl is HARD. So I took it off and realized that the con center wasn't 150º, but more like 70º. Yeah... it was quite a relief. It was really funny to see all the characters from different fandoms eating together! Before I headed down to my other panel I ran into Toph again and we took a picture:

Azula and Toph have lunch together... because why not

The next panel I went to was on creating a web comic. It was really helpful, because I'm interested in starting one (I'll have more info for y'all later). Here's their site: Captain Quail. They write a Star Trek inspired comic that has birds instead of people. It's pretty funny! During the panel they wrote/drew a comic that was directed by the participants, so that was pretty fun!

When the panel was over, girls dressed as Anna and Elsa (who I had pegged as "MUST GET PIC WITH THEM) came up to me and asked for a picture, so we all posed and someone took our picture for us ^.^

My group was almost ready to leave, but we all decided to walk through the dealers room one more time. I went to a table that was selling posters and figurines, and got into a conversation about anime with one of the people selling posters as I bought a FMA wall scroll. I went by two steampunk booths- I bought a pin that reminded me of Winry (for my pin collection), and a rose hairpin (which I wear almost every day now lol). Of corse I stopped by Yuumi's table one last time and got one of her smaller prints. 

Some Cosplayers I ran into :)

Not the best pic but oh well :p

We ended up talking to a guy dressed as Buzz Lightyear and his daughter was dressed as Neytiri (I think... well, she was the blue chick from "Avatar" (the movie)).They were really fun to talk to! Father/daughter cosplayers, he got her into it. He made his Buzz costume back in 2001 or so, and it's really cool! Each button will actually play a different sound clip, just like Buzz's in the movie! It's also made almost completely out of cardboard- true cosplay dedication! 

The girl was really excited to be at the convention, and it was really fun to talk to someone so young who had already been immersed in con culture for almost their whole life :)

Thor! He's friends with Buzz, and his costume was just as amazing! he was telling us about how he made it... really impressive! haha this is one of my favorite pics (I feel like I perfected my Azula stance/face by then)

I wandered around some more, and ran into Princess Bubblegum and Jack Frost cosplayers. We all fangirled over each others costumes for a good five minutes before we calmed down enough to take pictures. Cosplay selfie! It was the perfect ending to such a fun day :D

Con Review
I had soooo much fun at Kraken Con! The panels were easy to find, the venders room was well organized, and not overly crowded, there wasn't too much of a bleed-through with noise from the video games and anime screening. There was a cafe' on the upper level (though it was a bit over priced :/ ), and instead of badges they had wrist bands, which I really liked, because then I wasn't having to deal with an extra thing around my neck.

For such a cheap convention, I would say that it was extremely well done. My only complaint would be the heat. There was air conditioning in the building, but it wasn't turned on until about three. Hopefully next time they'll turn it on earlier.


PS: I lost my camera charger, so art is still on hold :/ I might be able to find my old camera... idk we'll see what happens. Wish me luck on finals!