Say, What Chu Looking At?

Backposting… This wildly painted chibi-van was tootling around Akiba.

I may have to post photos with backdates to fill in the Sunday dates, as the hotel internet went dead and kept me from posting anything.

Sunday was busy again. As in, holy fuck how do this many people fit in here? Crowd control is nothing like what we’re used to at Otakon. Anyone who ever thinks that Otakon is crowded need only look at this. 3 hours to get into the event hall each day. OUCH. Most of Sunday was spent taking shifts at handling our public face, handing out the last of our freebees, etc. Lots of last minute little meetings in the booth, and cleanup as well.

Toshi lent a hand in the shooting of this Pikachu Squish pic.

That being said, overall our actual presence at TAF, while being more work, time, money and effort — was well worth it. We established alot of contacts, and simply being there gave us a “home base” AND an easy place for other companies to find us.

This will be the last time I do the TAF trip. The first year was alot of stress. The second year was just as tough but for different reasons – alot more logistical “booth monkey” and less “oh my god I must not look bad in front of the japanese businessmen” moments. We have some final strings to tie up this week, and of course there’s alot of followup. However, I get to relax a bit now.

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Oh, and ANN got to announce the little fact that Madhouse is producing the opening animation for Otakon 2008. XD (Look, its for fun ok? Don’t forget that we’re all about having fun, and Madhouse producing work for the con? That is definitely labeled as FUN!)

… Next, Day 9 — but first.. I think some sleep..

Day 1 at TAF was insane.  50,000 people attended.   That’s 50,000 people cramming in a period of 8 hours.   OUCH.

Was lucky enough to see X-Japan’s second concert in their reunion series.   Now, lets be clear — I had no expectations going into this, and had only a little bit of basis for review.   What I got was an over the top stage production and a rock concert.  I enjoyed myself, but I seem have been lucky.  We started on time and ended on time — the first concert in the series was 2 hours late and the third concert in the series was slighly late and went very long due to extended pauses..   Somehow the middle was just right..   Anyhow — I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

One of the restaurants I went to gave us free ice cream.  Awww, how cute!

Of course, I couldn’t resist going for a little bit of emo.  XD

And that was Day 7.   Next, day 8.

No photos.

X(Japan) marks the Spot.

VERY long saturday — few photos but lots of handing out of stuff to people at the show.

Nothing like having a camera appear out of a corner right in your face..

Kabukicho – one of the side streets by night in the fish eye lens.  (Yes, having too much fun with this thing..)

How would you like to be driving down the freeway and have to figure out a sign like this?

Here in Tokyo, there’s this brand of sandwich that is like a super-tasty version of the uncrustables stuff we have in the US.  I am completely addicted to them.  On the second day of our trip, while working here at the Otakon booth, I had this.

Peanut Butter and JAM anyone?

TAF Day 1 was crazy.  I was so busy I barely tocuhed my camera.

TV Tokyo came by.  And spent time just to film everything in the booth.  I’m glad we took time to make it presentable.

A few of us in the early morning at the table.

Jim, Scott and I on the train getting back after a long night.  Great times.

This is for the foodies — dinner on Wednesday night in Tokyo was a stunner.

Cheese toast on bamboo charcoal (and squid ink?) blackened bread, topped off with sea urchin.  Tastiest piece of food I have ever had.

My work here is done.

The TAF Otakon booth is ready to go!