Hello... Long time no see....!
It's kind of awkward, I never finished writing about animaga 2024 but we continue on I suppose..
I was a lot busier this year so I have a lot more to talk about! Not as many photos unfortunately but I hope you enjoy nonetheless...
Leading up to the day I honestly wasn't all that excited (lol) because of the amount of studying and work school given me so the excitement didn't really set in until the morning of. I wasn't planning on going this year but they announced Kaori Maeda would be a guest so I had to...
I woke up around 5am on Saturday morning because I slept early the night prior, I also started OrthoK so I've been waking a lot earlier to take them off. My friends came over so we could all go together, in the morning I found out that people were already lining up at 5am...! I was so worried that I couldn't get a signing token...
We got there at around 09:00 (Doors open at 10:00) and the linning situation was a bit unexpected. There wasn't really a 'line' but rather divided rows where we could stand whever, we ended up waiting near the front and befriended the loveliest Madoka standing with us. I told her that I was going to run to the guest token area once they let us in and she asked if she could come with, I jokingly said we could hold hands but she actually took me seriously! We ran across the convention in heels hand in hand www it was very sweet of her.
I was honestly so incredibly lucky... A few minutes after I got my ticket the line dispersed because they all ran out... within 10 minutes! And to think I got here at 09:00 but still managed to get one... It was way too scary and lucky (www)! I think next year if I go for a guest I'll definetly come a lot earlier (and wear more comfortable shoes!) for piece of mind www.
I unfortunately didn't take many photos, but the artist (Zenki wear) graciously let me take a photo of his booth! I'll show my haul later but I ended up getting an NSX shirt, I did ask him if he had any merch of the Toyota Mark2 and Crown (My current favourite JDM cars alongside the Laurel C33!) but unfortunately he didn't haha (Not yet! Maybe next year! He told me www). Next to his stall was a cute
clothing one and I got a cute slip dress that ended up being wayy too big for me www I'll try to alter it one day. We ended up sitting down for a while because our feet was sore and were joined by a school friend + their oomf, we got to know each other and converse for a while before I headed off to Kaorin panel. I managed to get a seat at the way back (lucky...). There was no photography allowed so I'll have to summarise to the best ability I can so I'm sorry if I get things mixed up...
They started of talking about her roles (Nice Nature; Uma Musume, Mari Tachibana; Back Street Girls; and of course... Shizuku Osaka; Love Live Nijigasaki...).
The host asked her about her favourite roles, most memorable, her performance for each of the characters she's done... She said voicing for Mari was memorable and one of her favourite lines was from that gig (I don't remember what it was I'm so sorry...). I'll be honest I don't remember much about what they spoke of until they got her to try Australian snacks... I'm so sorry....
(Photo from her twitter: https://x.com/MaedaKaoristaff/status/1959398896289124850)
We all voted which snack for her to try first and the majority (me included...) voted for Vegemite and bread (lol). She was so enthusiastic that she asked for more spread to be on... (dangerous www). Her inital thoughts were... conflicting... I don't think she liked it that much in the beginning but she kept on taking bites anyway (www). She mentioned it was bitter, like beer. Vegemite is made from leftover beer yeast that's mixed with molasses! so thats why. They had her try fairy bread (with the round sprinkles!) next then a lamington after that. She said the lamington was her favourite. The host asked her if she would eat vegemite and she said "I'm good" WWWWW. On her twitter later she said vegemite was growing on her... a win for Aussies!! (https://x.com/kaor1n_n/status/1959122321094189495).
They opened question time for the fans, Someone asked her what games she played (COD, Fortnite, FPS) and she asked them what they played (COD) and said they might've played a game with her before wwww. Another person asked her if her if she was dressed by Akarin since she gives Kaorin clothes sometimes, and Kaorin said No!❌ and that she was going for 'santa clause' wwww She was suprised it was so cold in Melbourne since it's summer in Japan right now I believe. Another asked her what she would recomend for us fans to do in her home town (Kitakyushu) and she mentioned salted?? Saba diped in sesame?? Sauce?? I'm so sorry my memory is awful... She talked about the fish there and recommended us to try if we visit. The final question I remember was a Mejiro McQueen coser asking us if she's tried any of the beer/ alcohol in Melbourne since she mentioned she liked Sake, Kaorin said not yet but asked us for recommendations, and as if it's every Australian's duty to do so, we all shouted VB wwwwwww. For those who don't know Victorian Bitter (VB) is a local beer thats infamously known for being... Very... Bad... WWWW. The host explained to her that but she said she will try anyways alongside Carlton Drought. I'm underage so I obviously haven't drank yet so I can't tell you guys what they taste like wwww. At the end othe panel everyone got up to take a group photo but since I'm short even with heels I was covered by the people infront of me T_T.
After this we explored the stalls we didn't look at earlier. None of the booths had anything that really interested me (or anything I could afford lol), I couldn't even find offical merch of my 'most popular' interests! T_T...
Regardless, I hung around my friends for a bit, throughout the day. We
conversed with a lot of people, I'm an introvert, talking so much really
tired me out so I just stood around awkwardly haha. I have a few photos
of people though I'll leave a few private for privacy reasons. This group of Doraemon cosplays made me laugh a lot WWWWW. I don't have their handles but if you do please let me know!
Earlier on in the day my friend pointed out someone cosplaying Solomon (Obey Me!) to me and my friends asked them if they could take a photo with me... I was super awkward so I'm so sorry...
I was super excited to meet someone who liked Obey Me and even the same character (I assume?)... Thank you so much...
It was nice meeting everyone even though I didn't really talk much. Thank you for talking to me even though I'm socially inept wwwww.
I'll be honest I don't really remember much besides the events with Kaorin, but I started lining up for the signing 15 minutes before it started. It was outside so I had to stand with no jacket in the cold for an hour or so (The Kson line was right next to Kaorin's line and god it was so long...) It was definetly worth it though... Again no photography so I don't have anything to show besides my tapestry...!!!!!
I couldn't use my phone because it was on 19% (I have an Iphone 11 so it dies very fast...) and I gave my battery to my stepfather to charge his. The wait was long but I'll do it all over again. They made us write our name on back of the tickets to make it easier for Kaorin to sign. When I realised I was next I started shaking and my heart was beating so fast.... I feel embarassed www 💦
She was so incredibly nice and called me "Pretty girl!" even though my (black...!!!) eyeliner smudged on my namida bukuro so badly wwwww. I was hesitant to speak at first but her translator said he was there if I wanted to. I told her that I'm in my final year of high school and when I'm tired I watched her and the other Nijigasaki members perform to feel energised, and thanked her for doing what she does.
Once again she was an absolute angel, she held her hands together and nodded her head. She told me higher education is so important and that it's definitely so stressful and she was glad I was trying my best, and further encouraged me to continue studying hard... I felt like crying in that moment it was so incredibly sweet. A little TMI but I've struggled with mental health for a majority of my life and hearing that from someone you've admired and followed for so long was so incredibly heartfelt and touching that I'll definitely remember that for life, I'll replay it in my head during my exams!! I was so incredibky happy, Kaorin was so funny and incredibly kind, I'm so touched.
Getting out I was so beyond happy, I can't say it enough... When I got home and thought about my day I cried remembering it... I cried again the next day too.... wwwww💦
By the time I got out it was 16:00 already so I decided to finally go through the artist alley properly. I was joined with a friend so we initially took our time looking at each artist and losing direction www. We eventually realised we were going to slow and picked up pace but it was still too slow because I only got halfway through before the con closed wwww. Next year if I'm going for a guest I'll definetly go both weekends to enjoy the con properly.
During this time I got to talk to a few artists! I didn't realise but there was an F1 rally that I missed... The person who organised it and I talked for a bit about F1 and radio messages (They sold them as stickers!) and a few random miscellaneous F1 related things. They had a "Who will win the Dutch GP" and "Who will be in Cadillac next year?" Voting thing and there was only one sticker for Zhou T_T!!! Though understandable ahaha, I put a sticker for Zhou and Verstappen for the Dutch GP. All votes were on Piastri and none on Norris funnily WWWWWW. I did not expect there to be F1 merch so it was such a nice surprise! Meeting over F1 fans that are within the same Otaku circle too!! It's just different you know? The artist was so nice that they gave me the faulty rally prize sticker sheet since I wouldn't be coming sunday... Thank you so much!!
He asked me how I found out about their circle! I listen to a lot of touhou doujin music so that's how! He asked for my favourite circle and I said A-One! Who was known for making Eurobeat touhou music! I'm so sorry but I forgot what he said about his favourite but Takamachi Walk is inspired by another circle and a fun fact, their album illustrator is the same illustrator of their inspiration. I'm so sorry again my memory is incredibly ass but I thought I'd mention anyway.
I told myself that I wouldn't buy prints since I had so many but
this one art... God I regret not getting it because it's way too
beautiful... If anyone knows who the artist is please tell me! I wasn't
able to get their bussiness card but please...!!! I need to know...
There was suprisingly a lot more Inital D merch that I was expecting. Admittly I haven't actually watched or read it (I'm more into Wangan) but it was nice to see.
There were a lot more itashas this year so that's always nice to see! I
couldn't get photos of all of them since I was leaving but I did manage to snap one!
Last year my trip was focused on the idol performances because my oshi was perfoming! I didn't go to the Idol aftershow this year but I may next ✨
+ Love Live stamp rally:
- robotica_art
- clownvor3
- milkhorns (+ the Honoka Charm and Nozomi print!)
- leaftoastie
- whirlybell
- kota_tsumi
- myonglette (+ Yu keychain!)
- meroobear
- tybotcreates
+ NSX Shirt: Zenki wears
+ Slip dress: Twiceasdreamy
+ Shattered CD: Takamachi Walk/ Wasi
+ Yubiren keychain: Shiirei_
+F1 sticker rally:
-ilaikcake (+ radio message stickers)
- blue bird's nest
- smoonypaws
- jyiscool
- lil' ditti's
- iownfish
- thlurp
- flyingbagel
- treiderjoes
- cashmere kitty art
+ Unfortunetly I didn't get the bussiness card of the Artists who drew the mancafe and bakushin stickers! If you know please tell me!!
I got there at opening and left at closing, I was running around so much my feet still hurt but I had so much fun, I'll do it all over again.
ttps://x.com/heezyyang/status/1955916021761802639
Thank you so much for reading till the end... I hope those who also went had as much fun as I did. Thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to talk to me...
Bye bye!!
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