Anime Convention, here I come!

Every spring, we Bostonians know that there are certain happenings that we can always expect. As the snow starts melting, and we slowly wear fewer and fewer layers as we venture outside, we can expect to see the students start to pack up there belongings to make the long, sobering, journey back home; we can expect to fall in love with the Red Sox all over again, and of course, we know that we can always count on the Anime convention to come to town to put a few smiles on our faces.

This April, the Northeast’s largest Anime convention convenes in the heart of Boston, right at the Hynes Convention center. Our T’s are overrun with individuals dressed in their best warfare attire, prepared to fight for whatever fictional land they are sworn to protect. Our restaurants are filled with these cat-ear wearing, tin-foil sword bearing men and women of all ages. Like a holy trip to Mecca, these costumed pilgrims are not doing this to cause a stir, or for their own personal gains, but because they are part of something bigger. They are part of a community.

I have never been a fan of anime, or Japanimation, as I prefer to call it. I don’t like the comics, or the movies, and I on most occasions, the idea of assembling a cardboard arsenal just doesn’t motivate me.

No, I’m not a fan of Anime at all. I am, however, a huge fan of being the center of attention.

Now - these people must really be pretty socially awkward, right? From what I’ve seen of these convention goers (and admittedly, I’ve only seen a handful), they’re not exactly the same group of social butterfly’s that fill the bars and other venues that I frequent.

This is a huge opportunity for me. The way I figure, I can either be the small fish in the big pond that is normalcy, OR, I can be the huge fish in the small pond that is the anime convention. Me being the outgoing guy that I am, well, I’m sure I can round me up some friends in no time!

The decision has been made. This April, I’m going to purchase me a fluorescent colored wig, don a faux-leather coat, and glue me on a nice furry tail. And then I’m going to strut myself to that convention, and I’m not coming out of that place until I’m the most popular Pokémon look-a-like that the anime community has ever seen! All I want to know is… who’s coming with me!?!

Stay tuned for what is bound to be some AWESOME pictures.



- Jack Asher